Extensive remodeling of a cyanobacterial photosynthetic apparatus in far-red light

Abstract

Making sure leftover light gets in Bacteria that harvest sunlight through photosynthesis are everywhere and are vital for absorbing carbon dioxide. Like plants in a jungle, these cells have to compete for access to light. Gan et al. found that one species of such cyanobacteria, Leptolyngbya , survives on the scraps of leftover light that other photosynthetic cells can't use. When the light is crowded out by competing organisms, Leptolyngbya changes the pathways in its cells that make the light-harvesting molecules and remodels them into structures that can use redder light at longer wavelengths that is unused by other cells. Science , this issue p. 1312