Structure and Function of Reaction Centers in Green Sulfur Bacteria

目前正在对绿色硫磺细菌的光合作用反应中心的结构和功能进行研究。具体目标是研究在初级量子转换过程中导致电荷稳定的电子转移反应中活跃的给体和受体。用快速暂态吸收光谱和电子自旋共振分析了它们的同一性和动力学相互作用。这项工作是通过使用在抑制天线色素合成的条件下生长的细菌来促进的。稳定、纯化的反应中心将用于研究多肽和受体在不同亚基上的定位。将通过有机溶剂萃取和重组来研究作为受体的对苯二酚的可能参与。在光合作用过程中，光转化为化学能的主要反应发生在称为反应中心的色素-蛋白质复合体中。一些细菌的反应中心已经得到了彻底的研究。绿色细菌在比较和进化研究中占有关键地位，但其反应中心尚未被研究。这个项目主要关注绿色细菌反应中心，因为它看起来非常相似，但却是高等植物光捕获系统的简化版本。

Research is being conducted on the structure and function of photosynthetic reaction centers in the green sulfur bacteria. The specific objective is to study the donors and acceptors active in the electron transfer reactions that lead to charge stabilization in the primary quantum conversion process. Their identity and kinetic interactions are being analyzed by fast transient absorption spectroscopy and ESR. The work is facilitated by the use of bacteria grown in conditions that inhibit the synthesis of antenna pigment. Stable, purified reaction centers will be used to study the polypeptides and localization of the acceptors on the various sub-units. The possible involvement of a quinone as acceptor will be examined by organic solvent extraction and reconstitution. The primary reactions of light conversion to chemical energy during photosynthesis take place in pigment-protein complexes called reaction centers. The reaction centers of some bacteria have been thoroughly studied. The green bacteria occupy a key position for comparative and evolutionary study but their reaction centers have not been studied. This project focuses on the green bacteria reaction center because it appears to be very similar but a simplified version of the light capturing system of higher plants.