16 Jan 2009 13:30
Unit:
Wageningen University
Location:
Aula, building 362, Gen. Foulkesweg 1, Wageningen
Organisation:
Wageningen University
Promotor:
prof.dr. H. Van Amerongen (Bio-physics)
Co Promotor:
Dr. Gyözö Garab (Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hongarije)
The first steps of photosynthesis (capturing of light and conversion of light energy into chemical energy) occur in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplasts. It consists for 75% of membrane proteins and 25% of lipid molecules. It is known that in general the lipid molecules are important for the structure and function of proteins and for the formation of macrocomplexes. In this thesis the packing and structural organization of lipid molecules are studied. Moreover, the role of the lipids for the overall organization of the membrane is investigated. The presented results reveal that the lipid molecules participate not only in bilayer (membrane-like) but also in non-bilayer lipid structures. It is demonstrated that lipids are important for the lateral arrangement of the protein complexes, the formation of protein macrodomains and their thermal stability and indirectly in the light energy utilization by the photosynthetic complexes.
Title thesis: The role of lipids in the global organization of thylakoid membranes of higher plants