Light-induced dynamic structural color

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ChrisR
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Location: Near London, UK

Light-induced dynamic structural color

Post by ChrisR »

Fascinating alga Cystoseira tamariscifolia.
http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/ ... n8917.full
Chris R

ldflan
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Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 5:05 pm
Location: Issaquah, WA

Post by ldflan »

This is a fantastic piece of research and really elegant work. Thank you so much for pointing it out! Sure validates the continuing usefulness of light microscopy and imaging in a big way.

"The formation of an opaline structure ["OPCs"] from lipid microspheres is, as far as we are aware, unique to both the natural world and synthetic opals. The fact that the [cystoseira tamariscifolia] alga is able to form monodisperse spheres and control their packing structure is by itself surprising, but the fact that the alga is able to precisely change the packing structure from ordered to disordered, and in a reversible manner, is remarkable.

"The function of the OPCs for the alga also remains to be determined, but the position of the OPCs relative to the chloroplasts in the cell, together with the dynamics of the photonic properties, strongly indicates a photosynthetic role. . . . . It is well documented that chloroplasts in many other shade-adapted plants move to the periphery of the cell when exposed to high-light conditions to minimize light exposure (29). However, we believe that, in this alga, the chloroplasts may remain more static, with the OPC regulating the exposure of the chloroplasts to light instead."

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