Why marine diatoms can withstand strong light: protein that dissipates light as heat discovered

Explanation

Marine diatoms perform photosynthesis, but excessively strong light can damage their cells. A team from Kyoto University and Hokkaido University discovered that a novel light-harvesting protein called "Lhcf2" found in marine diatoms is essential to the mechanism (NPQ) that dissipates excess light energy as heat under strong light. Without this protein, the photoprotection apparatus fails to function properly. Diatoms are responsible for about 20% of the ocean's photosynthesis, making this finding a clue to understanding the global carbon cycle.