Enhanced light harvesting and photocurrent generation activities of biohybrid light–harvesting 1–reaction center core complexes (LH1-RCs) from Rhodopseudomonas palustris

•Biohybrid LH1-RCs bearing various light-harvesting fluorophores were prepared.•Ultrafast excitation energy transfer from the fluorophores to LH1 was observed.•The light harvesting fluorophores boosted the photocurrent generation activity.•Increased numbers of fluorophores increased the light harvesting activity.•The fluorophore incorporated in lipid bilayer much boosted light harvesting activity.