Vibrational motions associated with primary processes in bacteriorhodopsin studied by coherent infrared emission spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT: The primary energetic processes driving the functional proton pump of bacteriorhodopsin take place in the form of complex molecular dynamic events after excitation of the retinal chromophore into the Franck-Condon state. These early events include a strong electronic polarization, skeletal stretching, and all-trans-to-13-cis isomerization upon formation of the J intermediate. The effectiveness of the photoreaction is ensured by a conical intersection between the electronic excited and ground states, providing highly nonadiabatic coupling to nuclear motions. Here, we study real-time vibrational coherences associated with these motions by analyzing light-induced infrared emission from oriented purple membranes in the 750-1400 cm(-)(1) region. The experimental technique applied is based on se

SUBMITTER: Groma GI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3059580 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature