ABSTRACT
The phycobilisome (PBS) is the major photosynthetic light-harvesting complex (LHC) in cyanobacteria and red algae. These species inhabit the entire span of aquatic and terrestrial habitats, from hot springs to glaciers, from deserts with extreme light fluencies to ocean niches with depleted visible light. LHCs in plants, green algae, or purple nonsulfur bacteria have evolved to spatially exist within the same confined intracellular compartment as the photochemical reaction centers (RC)—the thylakoid membranes. The membranes’ physicochemical characteristics, along with the mechanisms of energy transfer, limit the dimensions of transmembrane LHCs. This chapter describes the latest understanding on how the unique structural features and configuration change of the PBS afford best functionalities.
