Journal of Physical Chemistry, Vol.98, No.17, 4736-4741, 1994
Direct Observation of Ultrafast Energy-Transfer Processes in Light-Harvesting Complex-II
A femtosecond fluorescence upconversion apparatus was used to study the isotropic and anisotropic fluorescence dynamics in the chlorophyll a/b light harvesting complex II of a PS I-PS II double-deficiency strain, C2, of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The fluorescence depolarization measurements reveal nonexponential behavior that is well described by a sum of two exponentials with time constants of 250-300 fs and 5-12 ps. The nonexponential behavior likely arises from intracomplex heterogeneity in the structural and spectral factors that control energy-transfer dynamics. Isotropic fluorescence measurements reveal a rise time of 250-300 fs at both 700 and 710 nm, but not at 730 nm. We discuss the implications of our data for LHC II structural organization.
Keywords:CHLOROPHYLL-A/B PROTEIN;CORE ANTENNA;LHC-II;3-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE;EXCITATION TRANSFER;MOLECULAR PAIRS;PHOTOSYSTEM-II;TRANSFER RATES;FLUORESCENCE;DYNAMICS