Lhcx proteins provide photoprotection via thermal dissipation of absorbed light in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Abstract

Photosynthetic organisms can dissipate excess absorbed light energy as heat to avoid photodamage. Here the authors show that induced thermal dissipation in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum Pt4 is Lhcx protein-dependent and correlates with a reduced functional absorption cross-section of photosystem II.