According to scientists, some rhodopsin proteins in bacterial cells have “antennas” that act as energy amplifiers, increasing the available energy for the cells by several percentage points.
A research team from Israel, Japan, and Spain has discovered that aquatic bacteria utilize a special “antenna” to capture sunlight, thereby enhancing the energy supply to the cells.
Aquatic bacteria use special “antennas” to harness solar energy. (Source: iStock).
According to a report published by the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in the journal Nature on March 6, scientists conducted a study on rhodopsin proteins – a type of protein that helps the retina absorb light.
The results indicate that rhodopsin absorbs energy from light and converts it into the chemical energy necessary for the survival and functioning of bacterial cells.
The researchers also noted that, unlike complex photosynthetic systems involving multiple types of proteins, bacterial cells require only a single type of protein to perform this function.
Some rhodopsin proteins also possess “antennas,” formed from special carotenoid molecules, which act as energy amplifiers, increasing the energy available to the cells by several percentage points.
The researchers point out that for certain violet-blue light wavelengths that some rhodopsin cannot absorb, these antennas transmit energy to the rhodopsin molecules.
According to the study, approximately one-third of rhodopsin proteins in marine, oceanic, and freshwater bacteria contain this special “antenna”.
The research community concludes that these antennas could significantly impact bacteria living in lakes, seas, and oceans worldwide, as well as the entire life within the food chain.
