Open AccessPTERIDINES AND THE FUNCTION OF THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC REACTION CENTER
Author(s) -
R. C. Fuller,
N. A. Nugent
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.63.4.1311
Subject(s) - bacteriochlorophyll , photosynthetic reaction centre , photosynthesis , pteridine , photochemistry , chlorophyll , chemistry , ferredoxin , excited state , chlorophyll a , electron transport chain , biology , botany , biochemistry , physics , nuclear physics , enzyme
The photoreduction and interaction with the photosynthetic “reaction center” of 2-amino,4-hydroxy-6-substituted pteridine indicates that these low-potential (∼ -0.7 v), naturally occurring compounds play a primary role in photosynthetic electron transport. These unconjugated pteridines, which occur in association with the photosynthetic apparatus of green plants and photosynthetic bacteria, can be reduced by light in the presence of a bacterial chromatophore fraction from the dihydro form to the tetrahydro form. 6,7-Dimethyl-tetrahydropteridine readily reduces spinach ferredoxin. This compound also specifically interacts with reaction-center chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll and produces spectral shifts similar to those produced by light. It is proposed that the electron produced by excited-state chlorophyll is captured and separated by a pteridine at -0.67 v at the photosynthetic reaction center.