skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: High-field EPR study of carotenoid and chlorophyll cation radicals in photosystem II.

Journal Article · · J. Phys. Chem. B
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jp002558z· OSTI ID:943111

In photosystem II (PS II), chlorophyll, {beta}-carotene, and cytochrome b{sub 559} are alternate electron donors that may be involved in a photoprotection mechanism. The present study describes the use of high-field EPR spectroscopy to characterize the low-temperature photooxidation of Chl{sub z} and Car cofactors in PS II. The EPR signals of the individual species, previously not resolved at X-band frequency (9 GHz), are resolved at higher D-band frequency (130 GHz) in deuterated Synechococcus lividus PS II. Deuteration of PS II results in significant narrowing of the EPR lines, yielding well-resolved EPR spectra of the Car{sup +} and Chl{sub z}{sup +} radicals at 130 GHz. The g tensors of the individual species were determined by EPR spectral simulations. The g tensor determined for the Car{sup +} radical (g{sub xx} = 2.00335, g{sub yy} = 2.00251, g{sub zz} = 2.00227) is similar to that previously observed for a canthaxanthin cation radical but with a slightly rhombic tensor. The Chl{sub z}{sup +} g tensor (g{sub xx} = 2.00312, g{sub yy} = 2.00263, g{sub zz} = 2.00202) is similar to that of a chlorophyll a cation radical. This study shows that both the carotenoid and chlorophyll radicals are generated in PS II by illumination at temperatures from 6 to 190 K and that there is no interconversion of Car{sup +} and Chl{sub z}{sup +} radicals upon dark annealing at temperatures up to 160 K. This study also establishes the feasibility of using deuteration and high-field EPR to resolve previously unresolvable cofactor signals in PS II.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Institutes of Health (NIH)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
943111
Report Number(s):
ANL/CHM/JA-37543; JPCBFK; TRN: US201002%%600
Journal Information:
J. Phys. Chem. B, Vol. 104, Issue 45 ; Nov. 16, 2000; ISSN 1089-5647
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH