Research team members Liu Zhenfeng, Li Mei and Zhang Xinzheng (from left to right) hold the sample of the super membrane protein in the sample preparation lab of the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on May 20. (Photo/Xinhua)

A research team from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has made a breakthrough in the study of photosynthesis. They are the first to resolve the high-resolution, three-dimensional structure of the super complex in the photosynthesis of spinach. The study has been published in the latest issue of the journal Nature.

This new finding will shine light on many problems relating to energy, food and the environment. In recent years, structural biological research on the photosynthesis of cyanobacteria, algae and other advanced plants has made a great deal of progress. However, structural research on the photosystem II protein complex has lagged behind. The super complex structure was also one of the biggest remaining unknowns in photosynthesis research.

After years of effort, the research team managed to solve the three-dimensional structure by using single-particle, cryo-electronic microscopy technology.