Washington, Sept 6: US scientists claim to have transformed a molecule of chlorophyll from spinach into a complex biological switch, which they believe, has possible future applications for green energy, technology and medicine.

Researchers said their study offered the first detailed image of chlorophyll – the main chemical in green leaves responsible for photosynthesis, thereby paving the way for new technology to be used to manipulate the configuration of the spinach molecule in four different arrangements.

For their study, Ohio University physicists Saw-Wai Hla and Violeta Iancu used a scanning tunneling microscope to image chlorophyll, and then injected it with a single electron to manipulate the molecule into four positions, ranging from straight to curved, at varying speeds.

They said though scientists have previously created two-step molecule switches using scanning tunneling microscope manipulation, the new experiment yields a more complex multi-step switch on the largest organic molecule to date.

The two believe their work will have immediate implications for basic science research, as the configuration of molecules and proteins impacts biological functions.

“The study has also suggested a novel route for creating nanoscale logic circuits or mechanical switches for future medical, computer technology or green energy applications. It’s important to understand something about the chlorophyll-a molecule for origin of life and solar energy conversion issues,” Hla, an associate professor of physics wrote in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (ANI)