RNDr. Radek Litvín, Ph.D.

Position

Job Position: Head of Laboratory
Department: Photosynthesis
Workplace: Institute of Plant Molecular Biology

Contact details

Phone: +420 387 775 522
E-mail: litvin@umbr.cas.cz
Room: 222

Others

Description:

Main research interests

• Diversity and evolution of chlorophyll-containing proteins – light-harvesting proteins show remarkable diversity in photosynthetic organisms. Their evolutionary history is complex and not always the same as the evolution of the 'host' organisms.
• Function of chlorophyll-containing proteins and their complexes – despite diverse pigmentation and complex evolutionary history most known light-harvesting proteins have very similar properties of the energy transfer processes. This is likely achieved via fine-tuning of the pigment properties by protein structure.
• Link between photosynthetic protein properties and the life history of photosynthetic organisms – ultimately, the photosyntetic proteins are the very beginning of complex metabolic processes resulting in survival of photosynthetic organisms. How is the life history of plants, algae and phototrophic bacteria modulated by their ability to capture and use light of specific colour and vice versa?
• Photoprotective mechanisms in photosynthetic organisms – the energy flow through chlorophyll-containing protein structures has to be carefully regulated to prevent damage caused by excited chlorophyll molecules.