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Biochromophores

Authors: Xabier Lopez and M.A.L. Marques

Ref.: in Time-dependent density functional theory, ed. by M.A.L. Marques, C. Ullrich, F. Nogueira, A. Rubio, K. Burke, and E.K.U. Gross, Lecture Notes in Physics, Vol. 706, Springer, Berlin, 323-336 (2006)

Abstract: In this chapter we give a brief introduction to the field of protein chromophores, and how TDDFT can and is being used to study these important systems. As we believe that a large majority of the Readers of this book come from the fields of Physics or quantum Chemistry, with little or no knowledge of Biochemistry, we will try to keep the discussion non-technical and at a fairly basic level.

First of all, how do we define a biochromophore? Biochromophores are molecules, present in many types of cells (plant, animal, bacteria, etc.), that absorb light in the visible or near ultra-violet (UV) part of the spectrum. These molecules are extremely important, as they are responsible for processes fundamental for life as we know it. In fact, the processes of vision, photosynthesis, photoperiodism, bioluminescence, DNA damage, etc., all of them are either governed or triggered by photo absorption. Furthermore, some of these molecules found their way into very important technical applications. An example is the green fluorescent protein (GFP), a protein found in a jellyfish that lives in the cold waters of the north Pacific, that has played a key role as a marker to monitor gene expression and protein localization in living organisms.

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