15‐cis‐β‐Carotene found in the reaction center of spinach photosystem II

Abstract
Solvent extraction at ∼4°C in complete darkness, and subsequent analysis by high‐pressure liquid chromatography (at ∼4°C) using an apparatus equipped with a two‐dimensional diodearray detector, spectroscopically identified 15‐cis‐β‐carotene in the reaction center (RC) of spinach photosystem 11 (PS 11). The result revises a previous conclusion that /3‐carotene bound to the PS 11 RC takes the all‐trans configuration [Fujiwara, H., Hayashi, H., Tasumi, M., Kanaji, M., Koyama, Y. and Satoh, K. (1987) Chem. Lett. 2005–2008], and generalizes the concept established for purple photosynthetic bacteria that 15‐cis‐carotenoid is naturally selected by the photosynthetic reaction centers.