What is the name of the main light-harvesting complex containing both chlorophyll a and b?

The story behind the answer

What is the name of the main light-harvesting complex containing both chlorophyll a and b? It is Light-harvesting complex II, usually abbreviated LHCII.

LHCII is the principal peripheral antenna complex associated with photosystem II in green plants and green algae. Its proteins bind chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids within the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast. These pigments absorb light across a broader range of wavelengths than the reaction center could capture alone.

The antenna does not perform the central charge-separation reaction itself. Instead, it transfers excitation energy between pigment molecules until that energy reaches the photosystem II reaction center. Photosystem II then uses the energized electrons to help split water, producing oxygen, protons, and electrons.

The name can be confusing because LHCII is an antenna system rather than a separate photosystem. It can also redistribute between photosystem II and photosystem I during state transitions, helping plants balance light absorption. Chlorophyll a is the central photochemical pigment, while chlorophyll b mainly broadens the wavelengths that the antenna can harvest.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

Add question to a list

Choose a list to keep this question in: