What are light harvesting complexes?
GeneralClass 12AllAnswered 27 Mar 2026
Answer
Light-Harvesting Complexes (LHC) are pigment-protein antenna complexes embedded in thylakoid membranes that:
Structure:
- 200-300 chlorophyll molecules (mainly chlorophyll a and b)
- Carotenoid pigments (30-50 molecules)
- Integral membrane proteins (LHCI in PS I, LHCII in PS II)
Function:
- Absorb photons across a broad spectrum (400-700 nm)
- Transfer energy via resonance to reaction center chlorophyll
- Increase photosynthetic efficiency by expanding absorption range
- Protect against photo-oxidative damage
Energy transfer time: < 10⁻⁹ seconds from antenna to reaction center
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