Why Xanthophylls Are Important?

Xanthophylls can function as accessory light-harvesting pigments, as structural entities within the LHC, and as molecules required for the protection of photosynthetic organisms from the potentially toxic effects of light. ... There are several mechanisms by which carotenoids function to protect plants against photodamage.

What is the function of xanthophylls?

Their function is to absorb blue light to protect the plants and algae from photodamage and absorb the light energy for use in photosynthesis. In the eye, lutein and zeaxanthin are xanthophylls that protect the macula from blue and ultraviolet (UV)-light damage.

What is the role of xanthophylls in light stress?

All xanthophyll cycles have in common the light-dependent transformation of epoxidized xanthophylls to de-epoxidized ones in high light, which facilitates the dissipation of excitation energy, and their reversion to epoxidized xanthophylls in low light.