Fucoxanthin

Fucoxanthin is a brown carotenoid pigment found in brown algae and some other photosynthetic organisms. It absorbs blue-green light and helps capture energy for photosynthesis.

Light-harvesting complex: A pigment–protein assembly that absorbs light and transfers excitation energy to a photosynthetic reaction center. Fucoxanthin is bound in these assemblies, where it broadens the wavelengths available for light capture.
Xanthophyll cycle: A set of pigment interconversions that helps photosynthetic organisms dissipate excess absorbed light. It provides context for related xanthophyll pigments that regulate light stress in algae.
Diatom: A unicellular alga with a silica cell wall and photosynthetic pigments that include fucoxanthin. Diatoms are major marine producers of fucoxanthin beyond brown algae.
β-Carotene: An orange carotenoid pigment and precursor of vitamin A in animals. Unlike fucoxanthin, it lacks oxygen-containing groups and absorbs at shorter visible wavelengths.
Photosynthetic antenna complex: A collection of pigments and proteins that gathers light energy and channels it toward photosynthetic reaction centers. Fucoxanthin functions as an accessory pigment within an antenna system.
Photosynthesis: The process by which organisms convert light energy into chemical energy, often using carbon dioxide and water. Fucoxanthin’s function is part of light capture for photosynthesis.
Kelp: Large brown seaweeds in the order Laminariales that form underwater forests in cool coastal waters. Kelp is a familiar fucoxanthin-rich food and source of brown-algal biomass.
Astaxanthin: A red ketocarotenoid pigment found in organisms including microalgae, crustaceans, and salmon. Its red color and biological sources contrast with fucoxanthin’s brown-algal association.
Carotenoid: A family of yellow, orange, and red pigments that absorb light and often protect photosynthetic organisms from excess energy. Fucoxanthin is a distinctive member of this pigment family.
Carotenoid biosynthesis: The set of biochemical pathways that produce carotenoid pigments from isoprenoid precursors. These pathways build the molecular framework modified into fucoxanthin.

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