Reconstitution of carotenoids into the light-harvesting pigment-protein complex from the carotenoidless mutant of Rhodopseudomonas as sphaeroides R26.

Two carotenoids, neurosporene and spheroidene, have been successfully added to chromatophores from the carotenoidless mutant of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides R26. Carotenoids reconstituted in this way into the B-850 light-harvesting pigment-protein complex both sensitive bacteriochlorophyll fluorescence and protect the complex from the photodynamic reaction.