Organization and Dynamics in Photosynthetic Reaction Centers and Model Membrane Architectures

光合作用反应中心是一台非凡的机器，它吸收光线并在生物膜上传递电子。薄膜是非常薄的绝缘体，所以这个过程类似于给电容器充电。一旦充电，电容器通过驱动稳定的高能分子或燃料的生物合成来放电。地球上的所有生命都依赖于这一过程。该研究计划将继续支持具有不同背景的一代年轻科学家的发展，主要是研究生，他们将在物理科学和生物学、生物技术和能源相关科学的交界处从事富有成效的职业生涯。除了科学出版物，这项工作的成果还在许多应邀演讲中介绍，这些演讲接触到从高中到政府机构的不同社区，寻找纳米科学、生物技术和与能源相关的科学的未来方向。光合作用是一个广泛的科学家和工程师以及公众都非常感兴趣的话题。这项工作为大学新生和即将毕业的大四学生开发新课程提供了基础，强调了批判性阅读的重要性，利用当前生物物理学中牢固植根于物理科学的前沿和争议。这项研究的目的是更好地了解光合作用反应中心获取和存储太阳能的机制，并开发模拟天然生物膜及其相互作用的膜组件模型。这项研究将集中于了解蛋白质中的组织环境如何调节结合的修复基团，如叶绿素和苯二酚的光谱和氧化还原性质，以及最初的光驱动反应的机制。这项工作的一个重要部分涉及开发新的实验和理论方法，这些方法将对其他科学和技术领域产生广泛影响。在对这种重要的膜蛋白研究的刺激下，新的膜组件将被开发出来，以创建任何膜蛋白组织的特定结构。膜蛋白是包围细胞和内部细胞器的不透膜的守门人。它们也是细胞之间的主要接触者。这些蛋白质在它们的自然环境中很难处理和表征，这项研究将通过设计与复杂的光学和电学检测方法兼容的体系结构来创造研究它们功能的新方法。因此，这两个目标作为膜生物物理学的不同方面深深地联系在一起。

The photosynthetic reaction center is a remarkable machine that absorbs light and transfers electrons across a biological membrane. Membranes are very thin insulators so this process is similar to charging a capacitor. Once charged, the capacitor discharges by driving the biosynthesis of stable energetic molecules or fuels. All life on earth depends on this process. This research program will continue to support the development of a generation of young scientists with diverse backgrounds, primarily graduate students, who go on to productive careers at the interface of the physical sciences and biology, biotechnology, and energy-related science. In addition to scientific publications, the results of this work are presented in many invited talks that reach out to diverse communities from the high-school level to government agencies looking to future directions in nanoscience, biotechnology and energy-related science. Photosynthesis is a topic of deep interest to a wide community of scientists and engineers as well as to the general public. This work provides the basis for the development of new courses both for college freshman and graduating seniors stressing the importance of critical reading using current frontiers and controversies in biophysics firmly grounded in the physical sciences. The objectives of this research are to better understand the mechanisms by which photosynthetic reaction centers harvest and store solar energy, and to develop model membrane assemblies that mimic natural biological membranes and their interactions. This research will focus on understanding how the organized environment in proteins modulates the spectroscopic and redox properties of bound prosthetic groups like chlorophylls and quinones and on the mechanism of the initial light-driven reactions. A significant part of this work involves the development of new experimental and theoretical methods that will have a broad impact in other areas of science and technology. Stimulated by studies of this important integral membrane protein, novel membrane assemblies will be developed to create defined architectures for the organization of any membrane protein. Membrane proteins serve as gatekeepers for the otherwise impervious membranes that surround cells and internal organelles. They are also the primary contact between cells. These proteins are difficult to work with and characterize in their native environment, and this research will create new ways to study their function by designing architectures that are compatible with sophisticated optical and electrical detection methods. Thus, the two objectives are deeply connected as different aspects of membrane biophysics.