Chlorophyll a/b binding protein

Chlorophyll is bundled in plants in small organelles called chloroplasts. In these chloroplasts the absorption of light quanta takes place in so-called reaction centres. These are also known as light collecting complexes or light harvesting complexes (LHC). The absorbed light energy leads to an excitation of the chlorophyll. This excitation state can be transferred by fluorescence to another pigment (carotenoid - chlorophyll b - chlorophyll a). The number of chlorophyll molecules contained in the light collection complexes can be > 1000.

The light collection complexes (LHC) differ from each other in their pigment composition. The chlorophyll molecules in the light collecting complexes are associated with certain proteins, the so-called chlorophyll a/b binding proteins (LHC proteins). Their coding genes are located in the nucleus of the plant cell; gene expression is controlled by the internal clock (biorhythmics). Chlorophyll a/b binding proteins have been identified as (minor) allergens (Api g 3) in celery.