Research Interests

Molecules exhibit functions in molecular assemblies by interacting with surrounding molecules. In photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes, pigment molecules, such as carotenoids and chlorophylls, play important roles in light harvesting, energy transfer, and electron transfer. To investigate functions of the individual pigment molecules in photosynthesis, we examine effects of pigment-pigment and pigment-protein (solute-solvent) interactions on relaxation dynamics of the pigment molecules by means of ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy.

Research Subjects

• Application and development of ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy
• Energy transfer and electron transfer in photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes
• Excitation relaxation dynamics of molecules related to biological functions
• Excitation relaxation dynamics in solution

Selected Publications

◆"Solvent effects on excitation relaxation dynamics of a keto-carotenoid, siphonaxanthin",S. Akimoto, M. Yokono, M. Higuchi, T. Tomo, S. Takaichi, A. Murakami, M. Mimuro, Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 7, 1206-1209 (2008).

◆" Application of time-resolved polarization fluorescence spectroscopy in the femtosecond range to photosynthetic systems" , S. Akimoto, M. Mimuro, Photochem. Photobiol, 83, 163-170 (2007).

◆"Identification of the special pair of photosystem II in a chlorophyll d-dominated cyanobacterium", T. Tomo, T. Okubo, S. Akimoto, M. Yokono, H. Miyashita, T. Tsuchiya, T. Noguchi, M. Mimuro, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 104, 7283-7288 (2007).

◆"Fluorescence properties of the chlorophyll d-dominated cyanobacterium Acaryochloris sp. strain Awaji", S. Akimoto, A. Murakami, M. Yokono, K. Koyama, T. Tsuchiya, H. Miyashita, I. Yamazaki, M. Mimuro, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A: Chemistry, 178, 122-129 (2006).

◆"Automatic measurement of femtosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectra using the up-conversion method" S. Akimoto, T. Kiba, M. Yokono, M. Mimuro, I. Yamazaki Bunkoukenkyu (J. Spectrosc. Soc. Jpn.), 54, 18-22(2005).