Transient W-band EPR study of sequential electron transfer in photosynthetic bacterial reaction centers
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Chemistry Div.
The key reaction of photosynthetic solar energy conversion involves the photoexcitation of a primary donor (P) followed by rapid, sequential electron transfer to a series of acceptors resulting in charge separation. Electron-spin polarized (ESP) EPR spectra at W-band (95 GHz) were obtained for deuterated Fe-removed/Zn-substituted photosynthetic bacterial reaction centers (RCs) to investigate the influence of the rate of charge separation on the observed P{sup +}Q{sub A}{sup {minus}} charge separated state. Temperature dependent ESP EPR spectra for kinetically characterized Zn-substituted RCs from Rb. sphaeroides R-26 having different rates (k{sub Q}) of the electron transfer from the bacteriopheophytin to the quinone acceptor were obtained. The Zn-RCs exhibited either the native fast (200 ps){sup {minus}1} k{sub Q} or a slow (3--6 ns){sup {minus}1} k{sub Q} at 298 K as determined from transient optical measurements. Sequential electron-transfer polarization modeling of the polarized W-band EPR spectra obtained with these samples was used to address the reason for the differences in the electron-transfer rates. Here, the authors report the k{sub Q} rate constant, the temperature dependence of k{sub Q}, and the reorganization energy for the P{sup +}H{sup {minus}}Q{sub A} and P{sup +}HQ{sub A}{sup {minus}} electron-transfer step determined from SETP modeling of the experimental spectra. The reorganization energy for the electron-transfer process between P{sup +}H{sup {minus}}Q{sub A} and P{sup +}HQ{sub A}{sup {minus}}, and not structural changes in the donor or acceptor, was found to be the dominant factor that is altered during Fe-removal procedures.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 682055
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Physical Chemistry B: Materials, Surfaces, Interfaces, amp Biophysical, Vol. 103, Issue 24; Other Information: PBD: 17 Jun 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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