Förster energy transfer in chlorosomes of green photosynthetic bacteria (original) (raw)

Energy transfer properties of whole cells and chlorosome antenna complexes isolated from the green sulfur bacteria Chlorobium limicola (containing bacteriochlorophyll c), Chlorobium vibriofomze (containing bacteriochlorophyll d) and Pelodictyonphaeoclathhratiforme (containing bacteriochlorophyll e) were measured. The spectral overlap of the major chlorosome pigment (bacteriochlorophyll c, d or, e) with the bacteriochlorophyll a B795 chlorosome baseplate pigment is greatest for bacteriochlorophyll c and smallest for bacteriochlorophyll e. The absorbance and fluorescence spectra of isolated chlorosomes were measured, fitted to gaussian curves and the overlap factors with B795 calculated. Energy transfer times from the bacteriochlorophyll c, d or e to B79.5 were measured in whole cells and the results interpreted in terms of the Fkster theory of energy transfer.