Final answer:
The structure comprising the reaction center, light-harvesting complexes, and primary electron acceptors located in the thylakoid membrane is called a photosystem, which is integral to the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis in capturing light energy and converting it into chemical energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The structure formed by the reaction center, light-harvesting complexes, and primary electron acceptors that cluster in the thylakoid membrane is known as a photosystem. Photosystems are essential for the process of photosynthesis in plants. They consist of two main components: photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII). Both are located in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts and work together to convert light energy into chemical energy. Photosystems harbor pigment molecules like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids that help in capturing light energy. The reaction center is a complex of chlorophyll molecules that, upon excitation, can give up an electron, which is the initial step in the conversion of light energy into chemical form.
The primary electron acceptors in the reaction centers are crucial for the transport of electrons during the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. Energy from captured light is transferred within the light-harvesting complex, eventually reaching the reaction center's special chlorophyll a molecules. This results in an electron becoming excited and passed on to the primary electron acceptor. Following this, the electron transport chain continues the process, contributing to the formation of energy carriers like ATP and NADPH that will be utilized in the Calvin cycle of photosynthesis. The discovery of the detailed structure of a bacterial reaction center by Johann Deisenhofer, Robert Huber, and Hartmut Michel, which earned them a Nobel Prize, was pivotal in understanding the photosystems.