Projects per year
Abstract
Natural photonic crystals are responsible for strong reflectance at selective wavelengths in different natural systems. We demonstrate that intracellular opal-like photonic crystals formed from lipids within photosynthetic cells produce vivid structural color in the alga Cystoseira tamariscifolia. The reflectance of the opaline vesicles is dynamically responsive to environmental illumination. The structural color is present in low light–adapted samples, whereas higher light levels produce a slow disappearance of the structural color such that it eventually vanishes completely. Once returned to low-light conditions, the color re-emerges. Our results suggest that these complex intracellular natural photonic crystals are responsive to environmental conditions, changing their packing structure reversibly, and have the potential to manipulate light for roles beyond visual signaling.
Original language | English |
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Article number | eaan8917 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Science Advances |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 4 Apr 2018 |
Structured keywords
- QETLabs
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Dive into the research topics of 'Light-induced dynamic structural color by intracellular 3D photonic crystals in brown algae'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
Equipment
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Wolfson Bioimaging Facility
Mark Jepson (Manager)
Faculty of Life SciencesFacility/equipment: Facility
Profiles
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Professor Ruth Oulton
- Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering - Professor of Quantum Photonics
- School of Physics - Professor
- The Bristol Centre for Nanoscience and Quantum Information
- QET Labs
- Photonics
Person: Academic , Member
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Dr Heather M Whitney
- School of Biological Sciences - Reader in Plant Interactions
- Cabot Institute for the Environment
- Animal Behaviour and Sensory Biology
- Plant and Agricultural Sciences
- Ecology and Environmental Change
Person: Academic , Member