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Crystallization and spectroscopic investigation with polarized light of the reaction center‐B875 light‐harvesting complex of Rhodopseudomonas palustris
Author(s) -
Wacker Thomas,
Gad'on Nasser,
Becker Andreas,
Mäntele Werner,
Kreutz Werner,
Drews Gerhart,
Welte Wolfram
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(86)80340-4
Subject(s) - bacteriochlorophyll , crystal (programming language) , photosynthetic reaction centre , crystallization , crystallography , rhodopseudomonas , rhodopseudomonas palustris , absorption spectroscopy , wavelength , spectroscopy , chemistry , absorption (acoustics) , crystal structure , materials science , photochemistry , pigment , optics , physics , photosynthesis , biology , optoelectronics , bacteria , computer science , genetics , biochemistry , electron transfer , quantum mechanics , programming language , organic chemistry , composite material
A pigment‐protein complex containing a reaction center and the B875 light‐harvesting complex from Rhodopseudomonas palustris was purified and crystallized in the presence of detergent. Thin, rectangular crystals were obtained and used for optical spectroscopy. The protein pattern as well as the spectrum of the solubilized and crystallized complex show that the purified complex was crystallized without a major change in its composition and conformation. The absorption band intensities in the plane of the crystal as well as the spectra of the tilted crystal indicate that the 590 nm Q x transitions are aligned along the long axis of the crystal, while the 875 nm Q y transitions are aligned along the short axis of the crystal plane. The results favor a model where the antenna bacteriochlorophylls associated with one reaction center have a common Q x direction and perpendicular to it a distribution of 875 nm Q y transitions exhibiting a maximum along one direction.