Role of the chlorophyll dimer in bacterial photosynthesis

AUTOR(ES)

Warshel, Arieh

RESUMO

The role of a special dimer (D) of bacteriochlorophyll molecules in bacterial photosynthesis was examined by calculations of the rates of electron transfer reactions in a system of the dimer and a bacteriopheophytin (BPh) molecule. It was found that the dependence of the potential surfaces of D on the distance between the monomers allows a fast light-induced electron transfer from D to BPh but only a slow back reaction (reduction of D+ by BPh-). The same potential surfaces allow efficient reduction of D+ by cytochrome c. Possible advantages of greatly different values of the electronic matrix elements for the forward and back reactions are pointed out. It is suggested that the electrostatic interaction between D+ and an ionized group of the protein might play an important role in the photosynthetic reaction.

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