Light Stability of the Isolated CP43 Studied by Infrared and Terahertz Spectroscopy

Here, the light-induced changes of the core antenna complex chlorophyll protein 43 (CP43) isolated from PSII of spinach were assessed using infrared and terahertz (THz) spectroscopy. We found that the collective vibrational modes at low frequencies and the secondary structures of CP43 were altered upon illumination. The helix changed more than any other secondary structure. CP43 is more easily damaged by illumination than PSII. Infrared and THz spectroscopy have different functions in protein studies. THz spectroscopy has potential in evaluating the stability of proteins.