Since the advent of ultrafast lasers, carotenoids are investigated for their critical role in light harvesting and photoprotection. In cyanobacteria, a unique carotenoid binding protein called orange carotenoid proteins (OCP) carries out the photoprotection process. The exact process by which the photocycle is triggered is still being scrutinized, as is the identity of an important excited state called S*. Here, with the help of pump-probe spectroscopy, I will argue about how our results can answer some of the questions. At the same time, photophysics of a new class of carotenoid binding proteins that are helical in nature (HCP) will be discussed.

References:
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 520
J. Phys. Chem. B 2020, 124, 4896

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