Orange is the New Red

Cheryl Kerfeld of the Molecular Biophysics & Integrated Bioimaging (MBIB) Division led the discovery that a photo-protective mechanism in cyanobacteria is triggered by an unprecedented, large-scale movement from one location to another of the carotenoid pigment within the Orange Carotenoid Protein. This unanticipated molecular priming event could help scientists find new ways to protect artificial photosynthetic systems from overexposure to sunlight. Co-authors on the study, which was published in Science on June 26th, include MBIB researchers Markus Sutter and Corie Ralston, head of the Berkeley Center for Structural Biology at the Advanced Light Source, and Chris Petzold of the Biological Systems & Engineering Division and the Joint BioEnergy Institute. Read more at the Berkeley Lab News Center.