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Marcolin G, Tumbarello F, Fresch E, Agostini A, Büchel C, Carbonera D, Collini E. Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy Characterization of Fucoxanthin-Chlorophyll Protein Reveals Excitonic Carotenoid-Chlorophyll Interactions. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:2392-2399. [PMID: 38394035 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c03609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Fucoxanthin Chlorophyll Protein (FCP) is a Light Harvesting Complex found in diatoms and brown algae. It is particularly interesting for its efficiency in capturing the blue-green part of the light spectrum due to the presence of specific chromophores (fucoxanthin, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll c). Recently, the crystallographic structure of FCP was solved, revealing the 3D arrangement of the pigments in the protein scaffold. While this information is helpful for interpreting the spectroscopic features of FCP, it has also raised new questions about the potential interactions between fucoxanthin and chlorophyll c. These interactions were suggested by their spatial closeness but have never been experimentally observed. To investigate this possible interaction mechanism, in this work, two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) has been applied to study the ultrafast relaxation dynamics of FCP. The experiments captured an instantaneous delocalization of the excitation among fucoxanthin and chlorophyll c, suggesting the presence of a non-negligible coupling between the chromophores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giampaolo Marcolin
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Francesco Tumbarello
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Elisa Fresch
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Agostini
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Claudia Büchel
- Institut für Molekulare Biowissenschaften, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straβe 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Donatella Carbonera
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Collini
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, I-35131 Padova, Italy
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Coane CV, Romanelli M, Dall'Osto G, Di Felice R, Corni S. Unraveling the mechanism of tip-enhanced molecular energy transfer. Commun Chem 2024; 7:32. [PMID: 38360897 PMCID: PMC10869822 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01118-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Electronic Energy Transfer (EET) between chromophores is fundamental in many natural light-harvesting complexes, serving as a critical step for solar energy funneling in photosynthetic plants and bacteria. The complicated role of the environment in mediating this process in natural architectures has been addressed by recent scanning tunneling microscope experiments involving EET between two molecules supported on a solid substrate. These measurements demonstrated that EET in such conditions has peculiar features, such as a steep dependence on the donor-acceptor distance, reminiscent of a short-range mechanism more than of a Förster-like process. By using state of the art hybrid ab initio/electromagnetic modeling, here we provide a comprehensive theoretical analysis of tip-enhanced EET. In particular, we show that this process can be understood as a complex interplay of electromagnetic-based molecular plasmonic processes, whose result may effectively mimic short range effects. Therefore, the established identification of an exponential decay with Dexter-like effects does not hold for tip-enhanced EET, and accurate electromagnetic modeling is needed to identify the EET mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin V Coane
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, via Marzolo 1, Padova, Italy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Marco Romanelli
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, via Marzolo 1, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Dall'Osto
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, via Marzolo 1, Padova, Italy
| | - Rosa Di Felice
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
- CNR Institute of Nanoscience, via Campi 213/A, Modena, Italy.
| | - Stefano Corni
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, via Marzolo 1, Padova, Italy.
- CNR Institute of Nanoscience, via Campi 213/A, Modena, Italy.
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Collini E. Light-Harvesting: The Never-Ending Lesson of Nature. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:306-308. [PMID: 35350603 PMCID: PMC8949631 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c00137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
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Abstract
The design of optimal light-harvesting (supra)molecular systems and materials is one of the most challenging frontiers of science. Theoretical methods and computational models play a fundamental role in this difficult task, as they allow the establishment of structural blueprints inspired by natural photosynthetic organisms that can be applied to the design of novel artificial light-harvesting devices. Among theoretical strategies, the application of quantum chemical tools represents an important reality that has already reached an evident degree of maturity, although it still has to show its real potentials. This Review presents an overview of the state of the art of this strategy, showing the actual fields of applicability but also indicating its current limitations, which need to be solved in future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carles Curutchet
- Departament de Fisicoquímica, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona , Av. Joan XXIII s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Benedetta Mennucci
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, University of Pisa , via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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Grösch L, Lee YJ, Hoffmann F, Fröba M. Light-Harvesting Three-Chromophore Systems Based on Biphenyl-Bridged Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica. Chemistry 2014; 21:331-46. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201403393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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List NH, Curutchet C, Knecht S, Mennucci B, Kongsted J. Toward Reliable Prediction of the Energy Ladder in Multichromophoric Systems: A Benchmark Study on the FMO Light-Harvesting Complex. J Chem Theory Comput 2013; 9:4928-38. [DOI: 10.1021/ct400560m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nanna Holmgaard List
- Department
of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Carles Curutchet
- Departament
de Fisicoquímica, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefan Knecht
- Department
of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
- Laboratory
of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Straße 10, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Benedetta Mennucci
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, University of Pisa, Via Risorgimento
35, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Jacob Kongsted
- Department
of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
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Viani L, Curutchet C, Mennucci B. Spatial and Electronic Correlations in the PE545 Light-Harvesting Complex. J Phys Chem Lett 2013; 4:372-377. [PMID: 26281726 DOI: 10.1021/jz301987u] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The recent discovery of long-lasting quantum coherence effects in photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes has challenged our view of the role that protein motions play in light-harvesting processes. Several groups have suggested that correlated fluctuations involving the pigments site energies and couplings could be at the origin of such unexpected behavior. Here we combine molecular dynamics simulations with quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations to analyze the degree of correlated fluctuations in the PE545 complex of Rhodomonas sp. strain CS24. We find that correlations between the motions of the chromophores, which are significantly assisted by the water solvent, do not translate into appreciable site energy correlations but do lead to significant cross-correlations of energies and couplings. Such behavior, not observed in a recent study on the Fenna-Mathews-Olson complex, seems to provide phycobiliproteins with an additional fundamental mechanism to control quantum coherence and light-harvesting efficiency compared with chlorophyll-containing complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Viani
- †Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via Risorgimento 35, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Carles Curutchet
- ‡Departament de Fisicoquímica, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Benedetta Mennucci
- †Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via Risorgimento 35, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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