Abstract

The first steps of photosynthesis in chlorophyll containing bacteria occur in so-called reaction centers, where six pigment molecules—four bacteriochlorophyll and two bacteriopheophytin—are arranged within a large protein. The absorption spectra of the whole reaction center show that a strong coupling exists between the various pigment molecules. The primary photosynthetic process occurring after light absorption in the bacterial reaction centers is a rapid charge separation promoting an electron away from the excitonically coupled special pair (of two bacteriochlorophyll molecules) to one bacteriopheophytin.

© 1987 Optical Society of America