Spectroscopic and Structural Studies of Primary Photochemical Processes in Photosynthesis

光化学反应中心复合体称为光系统 I的特征是存在结合的铁硫中心 作为电子受体。 筹备 具有光化学活性的天然光系统I复合物含有 至少有十几个亚单位，其中大多数没有井， 建立的功能。 本项目的总体目标 是定义这些子单元的功能， 他们的结构组织。 主要实验 技术将是那些生化分辨率， 这些方法将补充 生物物理测量，以监测 许多电子载体。 除了表征 这个复杂的，该项目还将考虑结构 多肽亚单位在反应中心的组织 从已知的厌氧光合细菌中分离出的复合物 作为绿色硫细菌，因为有令人信服的生物物理 有证据表明这个复合体有功能成分 与植物型光系统I中的类似 复杂. 该项目的结果将有助于确定 光化学反应中光诱导电子转移的机理 反应中心复合体，并将提供有关的信息， 光合反应中心复合体的进化， 原始到更先进的系统。

The photochemical reaction center complex known as Photosystem I is characterized by the presence of bound iron-sulfur centers that function as electron acceptors. Preparations of the photochemically active native Photosystem I complex contains at least one dozen subunits, most of which have no well established function. The overall objective of this project is to define the function of these subunits and to determine their structural organization. The major experimental techniques will be those of biochemical resolution and reconstitution and these methods will be supplemented with biophysical measurements to monitor the functional state of many of the electron carriers. In addition to characterizing this complex, the project will also consider the structural organization of polypeptide subunits in a reaction center complex isolated from anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria known as green sulfur bacteria since there is compelling biophysical evidence that indicates this complex has functional components that are similar to those in the plant-type Photosystem I complex. Results from this project will aid in defining the mechanism of photoinduced electron transfer in a photochemical reaction center complex and will provide information on the evolution of the photosynthetic reaction center complex from primitive to more advanced systems.