Carotenoid-to-bacteriochlorophyll energy transfer through vibronic coupling in LH2 from Phaeosprillum molischianum.

ABSTRACT: The peripheral light-harvesting antenna complex (LH2) of purple photosynthetic bacteria is an ideal testing ground for models of structure-function relationships due to its well-determined molecular structure and ultrafast energy deactivation. It has been the target for numerous studies in both theory and ultrafast spectroscopy; nevertheless, certain aspects of the convoluted relaxation network of LH2 lack a satisfactory explanation by conventional theories. For example, the initial carotenoid-to-bacteriochlorophyll energy transfer step necessary on visible light excitation was long considered to follow the Förster mechanism, even though transfer times as short as 40 femtoseconds (fs) have been observed. Such transfer times are hard to accommodate by Förster theory, as the moderate couplin

SUBMITTER: Thyrhaug E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5783993 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature