Harald Paulsen

Institute of General Botany
Johannes-von-Müller-Weg 6, First floor
Phone.: 06131/39-24633 * Fax: 06131/39-23787 *
E-mail:

Molecular Plant Physiology

RESEARCH

Light-harvesting Complexes in the Photosynthetic Apparatus of Higher Plants: Molecular Structure and Function

Light-harvesting complexes of the photosynthetic apparatus are the most abundant membrane protein in plants and warrant the high efficiency of plant photosynthesis. The complexes, containing an apoprotein of roughly 250 amino acids and 18 non-covalently attached pigments, spontaneously self-organize in vitro. Taking advantage of that, we construct recombinant light-harvesting complexes with structural alterations. By introducing spin labels, the biomolecules become amenable to EPR spectroscopy, which is useful for assessing the structure of individual protein domains and their structural dynamics. To test potential technical applications, we immobilize light-harvesting complexes on solid surfaces and study hybrid complexes with organic dyes and inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots).

Biogenesis of Light-harvesting Complexes

The chlorophyll a/b-containing light-harvesting complexes of the plant photosynthetic apparatus are responsible for most of the green color on Earth. Even so, their biogenesis is only partially understood. We study the insertion of the light-harvesting protein in its membrane, the attachment of pigments, and its assembly into the architecture of the photosynthetic apparatus. In this approach, too, recombinant and fluorescence- or spin-labelled light-harvesting complexes are a valuable tool.

Water-soluble Chlorophyll Protein (WSCP)

WSCPs are found in Brassicaceae and a number of other families; their function is still unclear. Their structural stability is astonishing: Even after an hour of boiling their native structure is still intact. We study recombinant WSCP to understand its stability and to obtain clues for its biological function.

Three Newer Publications

Horn et al.: J. Mol. Biol. 366, 1045-1054 (2007)
Liu et al. : Langmuir 24, 9661-9667 (2008)
Gundlach et al.: BBA 1787, 1499-1504 (2009)

Appointments

Panel for postdoc grants of the DAAD; Advisor for grantees of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes

 

C.V.

• 1973-78 Chemistry (Göttingen, Diploma in Organic Chemistry)
• 1983 Dissertation (Physiolog. Chemistry, Prof. Zachau, LMU München)
• 1985-88 Post-doc (Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA, Prof. Bogorad)
• 1988-95 Assistent/ Oberassistent (LMU München), research semesters in Jerusalem and Oxford, U.K.
• 1992 Habilitation in Plant Science (LMU München, Prof. Rüdiger)
• 1996 C4 (full) professor in Plant Physiology (U. Mainz)

Teaching

• Lecture Plant Physiol.
• Plant Physiol. Lab
• Advanced lab Plant Biochem. and Mol. Biol.
• Adv. lab Molecular Plant Physiology
• Lectures and seminars on photosynthesis, proteins, spectroscopy, etc.

Committees

• Fachbereichsrat (FBR)
• various FBR and Senate committees
• Acting director of Institut für Allgemeine Botanik since 1996
• Dean 2003-2008