Fluorescent Proteins, history and science

[hypostatic]

 

Thought I'd share this with you guys, as I know some of you are really interested in the FPs that make up the pretty colors in our corals.

 

Of particular interest might be understanding how FPs turn UV light into fluorescence. I believe that corals use FPs as a type of "sunscreen" to convert more harmful UV light into less harmful longer wavelengths, and also potentially to convert the light into wavelengths more useful for photosynthesis.

[hypostatic]

A video on "The function of fluorescence on the reef"

 

 

The part where he actually talks about what functions FPs might serve is talked about towards the end of the video. It seems FPs might have serve several different roles in corals, as even azoox corals that don't get exposed to sunlight sometimes have FPs

[amphipod]

I like, thank you