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Reaction Centers of Purple Bacteria with Modified Chromophores

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The Photosynthetic Bacterial Reaction Center

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NSSA,volume 149))

Abstract

Reaction centers (RC*) of purple bacteria are generally composed of three subunits designated H(igh), M(edium) and L(ow) according to their apparent molecular weigths on SDS PAGE. Four molecules of bacteriochlorophyll (Bchl) are bound to it, together with two bacteriopheophytins (Bphe), two quinones (Q) and one non-heme iron. The crystal structure of RC from the BChl b-containing purple photosynthetic bacterium, Rp. viridis (Deisenhofer et al, 1984) and from the Bchl a-containing Rb. sphaeroides (Chang et al., 1986; Allen et al., 1987) shows a C2 — symmetry axis which divides the reaction center into two very similar sets of pigments interacting mainly with the L and M-subunits, respectively. The reaction center is asymmetric, however, in functional terms. The primary charge separation takes place most probably from the special pair situated on the symmetry axis, via BpheL and QA situated on the L-(or ‘active’) branch of the complex, to QB on the M or ‘inactive’ branch (Deisenhofer et al., 1984; Vermeglio and Paillotin, 1982; Zinth et al., 1985).

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Abbreviations

RC:

reaction center

Bchl:

bacteriochlorophyll

Bphe:

bacteriopheophytin, the location of these pigments on the L- or M-branch of the RC is indicated by the respective subscript

P870:

primary donor

Chl:

chlorophyll

Q:

quinone; subscript indicates the primary (A) or secondary acceptor (B) located on the L- and M-branch, respectively

cd:

circular dichroism, ESR = electron spin resonance

SDS-PAGE:

sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, LDAO = dimethyldodecylamineoxide, TX-100 = Triton X-100

Rb.:

Rhodobacter

Rp.:

Rhodopseudomonas, Rs. = Rhodospirillum, Cf. = Chloroflexus, Cr. = Chromatium.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botanisches Institut der Universität, Menzinger Str. 67, D-8000, München 19, Germany

    H. Scheer, D. Beese & R. Steiner

  2. Physikalisches Institut der Universität, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-7000, Stuttgart 80, Germany

    A. Angerhofer

Authors
  1. H. Scheer
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  2. D. Beese
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  3. R. Steiner
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  4. A. Angerhofer
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. CEN Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Jacques Breton

  2. ARBS, CEN Cadarache, Saint Paul lez Durance, France

    André Verméglio

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Scheer, H., Beese, D., Steiner, R., Angerhofer, A. (1988). Reaction Centers of Purple Bacteria with Modified Chromophores. In: Breton, J., Verméglio, A. (eds) The Photosynthetic Bacterial Reaction Center. NATO ASI Series, vol 149. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0815-5_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0815-5_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-0817-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-0815-5

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