New research from the Gascon Lab, in collaboration with Warren Beck (Michigan State University), has been accepted for publication in The Journal of Physical Chemistry B.

This work investigates the molecular mechanism of photoactivation in the orange carotenoid protein using a combination of spectroscopy and molecular simulations. The results suggest that ultrafast, excited-state conformational motions of the carotenoid chromophore—specifically bicycle-pedal–type distortions—initiate the transition toward the active state by driving a coupled dynamical response of the protein.

These findings provide a detailed mechanistic picture of how light energy is converted into structural change in a biological photoreceptor and establish a direct link between excited-state dynamics and functional protein response.