Abstract

Electronic energy transfer between the six pigments involved in primary electron transfer in bacterial photo synthetic reaction centers is known to occur in less than 100 fs.(1, 2) In the RC, two bacteriochlorophylls in the special pair (P); two accessory bacteriochlorophylls (B); and two bacteriopheophytins (H) are anchored to a protein scaffold along two branches (which meet at the special pair) with an overall approximate C₂ symmetry. Along each branch, B lies between P and H and is essentially in van der Waals contact with both. The extent of the electronic coupling between the pigments has been controversial.(3, 4, 5, 6) A careful investigation of energy transfer may shed light on the coupling between pigments in the reaction center.

© 1996 Optical Society of America