Determination of the primary charge separation rate in isolated photosystem II reaction centers with 500-fs time resolution

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Abstract
We have measured directly the rate of formation of the oxidized chlorophyll a electron donor (P680+) and the reduced electron acceptor pheophytin a- (Pheoa-) following excitation of isolated spinach photosystem II reaction centers at 4.degree. C. The reaction-center complex consists of D1, D2, and cytochrome b-559 proteins and cytochrome b-559 proteins and was prepared by a procedure that stabilizes the protein complex. Transient absorption difference spectra were measured from 440 to 850 nm as a function of time with 500-fs resolution following 610-nm laser excitation. The formation of P680+-Pheoa- is indicated by the appearance of a band due to P680+ at 820 nm and corresponding absorbance changes at 505 and 540 nm due to formation of Pheoa-. The appearance of the 820-nm band is monoexponential with .tau.=3.0 .+-. 0.6 ps. The time constant for decay of I8P680, the lowest excited singlet state of P680, monitored at 650 nm, is .tau.=2.6 .+-. 0.6 ps and agrees with that of the appearance of P680+ within experimental error. Treatment of the photosystem II reaction centers with sodium dithionite and methyl viologen followed by exposure to laser excitation, conditions known to result in accumulation of Pheoa-, results in formation of a transient absorption spectrum due to 1*P680. We find no evidence for an electron acceptor that precedes the formation of Pheoa-.

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