Characterization of the strongly coupled, low-frequency vibrational modes of the special pair of photosynthetic reaction centers via isotopic labeling of the cofactors
- Univ. of California, Riverside, CA (United States)
- Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)
Low-frequency (50-425-cm{sup -1}), near-infrared-excitation resonance Raman (RR) spectra are reported for bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides in which the bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) and bacteriopheophytin (BPh) cofactors are labeled with {sup 15}N or {sup 26}Mg. The focus of the study is the identification of the very low-frequency modes of the dimer of BChls (P) which are strongly coupled to the P{sup *} electronic transition which initiates the primary charge separation process in RCs. In order to gain a complete picture of the vibrational characteristics, the low-frequency RR spectra of the accessory BChls and the BPhs were examined in addition to those of P. The RR spectra of the isotopically labeled cofactors in the RCs were compared with one another and with the spectra obtained for solid-film samples of isolated, isotopically labeled BChl and BPh. Based on these comparisons and the predictions of semiempirical normal coordinate calculations, a self-consistent set of assignments has been developed for all the RR active modes of the different BChl and BPh cofactors in the RC which are observed in the very low-frequency regime (50-250 cm{sup -1}). The assignments indicate that the strongly coupled, low-frequency modes of P all involve either deformations localized on pyrrole ring I or the macrocycle core. 45 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs.
- OSTI ID:
- 458623
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 119, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: 15 Jan 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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