Influence of structural colour on the photoprotective mechanism in the gametophyte phase of the red alga Chondrus crispus

• Published in: Journal of the Royal Society interface Vol. 21; no. 211; p. 20230676
• Main Authors: Fleitas, Ariel García, Sardar, Samim, Arnould-Pétré, Margot Minju, Murace, Maria, Vignolini, Silvia, Brodie, Juliet, Lanzani, Guglielmo, D'Andrea, Cosimo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England the Royal Society 21.02.2024; The Royal Society
• Subjects: Animals; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Biological Physics; Biophysics; Chondrus; Color; Germ Cells, Plant; Life Sciences; Life Sciences–Physics interface; Optics; Photosynthesis; Physics; Red Light; Vegetal Biology; energy transfer; photoprotection; phycobilisomes; molecular mechanism; time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy; Light management; Photosynthesis; Energy transfer; Seaweeds
• ISSN: 1742-5662; 1742-5689; 1742-5662
• DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0676

Marine life is populated by a huge diversity of organisms with an incredible range of colour. While structural colour mechanisms and functions are usually well studied in marine animal species, there is a huge knowledge gap regarding the marine macroalgae (red, green and brown seaweeds) that have structural coloration and the biological significance of this phenomenon in these photosynthetic organisms. Here we show that structural colour in the gametophyte life history phase of the red alga Chondrus crispus plays an important role as a photoprotective mechanism in synergy with the other pigments present. In particular, we have demonstrated that blue structural coloration attenuates the more energetic light while simultaneously favouring green and red light harvesting through the external antennae (phycobilisomes) which possess an intensity-dependent photoprotection mechanism. These insights into the relationship between structural colour and photosynthetic light management further our understanding of the mechanisms involved.