Natural photonic crystals are responsible for strong reflectance at selective wavelengths in different natural systems. We demonstrate that intracellular opal-like photonic crystals formed from lipids within photosynthetic cells produce vivid structural color in the alga Cystoseira tamariscifolia. The reflectance of the opaline vesicles is dynamically responsive to environmental illumination. The structural color is present in low light-adapted samples, whereas higher light levels produce a slow disappearance of the structural color such that it eventually vanishes completely. Once returned to low-light conditions, the color re-emerges. Our results suggest that these complex intracellular natural photonic crystals are responsive to environmental conditions, changing their packing structure reversibly, and have the potential to manipulate light for roles beyond visual signaling.

中文翻译：

---

褐藻中细胞内3D光子晶体产生的光诱导动态结构颜色。

天然光子晶体负责在不同天然系统中的选定波长处产生强反射率。我们证明光合细胞内的脂质形成的细胞内蛋白石样光子晶体在藻类Cystoseira tamariscifolia中产生生动的结构颜色。透明囊泡的反射率动态响应于环境照明。结构颜色存在于低光适应性样品中，而较高的光照水平会使结构颜色缓慢消失，从而最终完全消失。一旦恢复到弱光条件，颜色就会重新出现。我们的结果表明，这些复杂的细胞内天然光子晶体对环境条件具有响应性，可逆地改变其堆积结构，并且具有操纵光以发挥视觉信号作用以外的作用的潜力。