Excited states of tryptophan in cod parvalbumin. Identification of a short-lived emitting triplet state at room temperature.

The fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra of model indole compounds and of cod parvalbumin III, a protein containing a single tryptophan and no tyrosine, were examined in the time scale ranging from subnanoseconds to milliseconds at 25 degrees C in aqueous buffer. For both Ca- bound and Ca-free parvalbumin and for model indole compounds that contained a proton donor, a phosphorescent species emitting at 450 nm with a lifetime of approximately 20-40 ns could be identified. A longer-lived phosphorescence is also apparent; it has approximately the same absorption and emission spectrum as the short-lived triplet molecule. For Ca parvalbumin, the decay of the long-lived triplet tryptophan is roughly exponential with a lifetime of 4.7 ms at 25 degrees C whereas for N-acetyltryptophanamide in aqueous buffer the decay lifetime was 30 microseconds. In contrast, the lifetime of the long-lived tryptophan species is much shorter in the Ca-free protein compared with Ca parvalbumin, and the decay shows complex nonexponential kinetics over the entire time range from 100 ns to 1 ms. It is concluded that the photochemistry of tryptophan must take into account the existence of two excited triplet species and that there are quenching moieties within the protein matrix that decrease the phosphorescence yield in a dynamic manner for the Ca-depleted parvalbumin. In contrast, for Ca parvalbumin, the tryptophan site is rigid on the time scale of milliseconds.     

Phosphorescence and optically detected magnetic resonance of 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and its complexes with [d(CGACGTCG)]2 and [d(GGCCAATTGG)]2

Phosphorescence and optical detection of magnetic resonance (ODMR) is used to study the excited triplet state of 4',6-diamidino-2-phenyl indole (DAPI) and its complexes with the oligonucleotides [d(CGACGTCG)](2) and [d(GGCCAATTGG)](2), where binding occurs by intercalation between GC base pairs and by minor groove insertion, respectively. Weaker binding of DAPI to phosphate is also detected, and the triplet state of this complex is characterized. Intercalation with [d(CGACGTCG)](2) produces a phosphorescence redshift, while groove binding with [d(GGCCAATTGG)](2) leads to a blueshift. Both binding modes give rise to a small decrease in the zero-field splitting (zfs) of the DAPI triplet state. The largest redshift and zfs decrease are found for the phosphate complex. The phosphorescence lifetimes are shorter by an order of magnitude than that of indole or tryptophan as expected for the lower triplet state energy, E(00), of DAPI. The lifetimes agree well with a correlation with E(00) introduced by Siebrand [Siebrand, W. (1966) J. Chem. Phys. 44, 4055-4057] except for the [d(GGCCAATTGG)](2) minor groove complex with a lifetime that is about 20% too long. The longer lifetime is attributed to distortion of the amidino groups in this complex, resulting in less efficient intersystem crossing.     

Fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy of the weakly fluorescent chlorophyll a in cytochrome b6f of Synechocystis PCC6803.

A spectroscopic characterization of the chlorophyll a (Chl) molecule in the monomeric cytochrome b6f complex (Cytb6f) isolated from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803 is presented. The fluorescence lifetime and quantum yield have been determined, and it is shown that Chl in Cytb6f has an excited-state lifetime that is 20 times smaller than that of Chl in methanol. This shortening of the Chl excited state lifetime is not caused by an increased rate of intersystem crossing. Most probably it is due to quenching by a nearby amino acid. It is suggested that this quenching is a mechanism for preventing the formation of Chl triplets, which can lead to the formation of harmful singlet oxygen. Using site-selected fluorescence spectroscopy, detailed information on vibrational frequencies in both the ground and Qy excited states has been obtained. The vibrational frequencies indicate that the Chl molecule has one axial ligand bound to its central magnesium and accepts a hydrogen bond to its 13(1)-keto carbonyl. The results show that the Chl binds to a well-defined pocket of the protein and experiences several close contacts with nearby amino acids. From the site-selected fluorescence spectra, it is further concluded that the electron-phonon coupling is moderately strong. Simulations of both the site-selected fluorescence spectra and the temperature dependence of absorption and fluorescence spectra are presented. These simulations indicate that the Huang-Rhys factor characterizing the electron-phonon coupling strength is between 0.6 and 0.9. The width of the Gaussian inhomogeneous distribution function is 210 +/- 10 cm-1.     

Quenching of DNA-ethidium fluorescence by amsacrine and other antitumor agents: a possible electron-transfer effect

The antitumor agent amsacrine, 4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon-m-anisidide (m-AMSA), when bound to double-stranded DNA, particularly poly(deoxyadenylicthymidylic acid), reduced the fluorescence of bound ethidium without physically displacing it from DNA. Fluorescence lifetime measurements showed that the reduction of fluorescence was not due to reduction of the lifetime of the excited state of ethidium. Rather, a proportion of the DNA-bound ethidium changed to a state where the fluorescence was highly quenched. Several other 9-anilinoacridine derivatives, and also 9-hydroxyellipticine, caused quenching of ethidium-DNA fluorescence, whereas 9-aminoacridine, proflavin, and ellipticine had no effect. Resonance energy transfer (F?rster transfer) is not responsible for the effect since there is no spectral overlap between the absorption spectrum of any of the agents and the fluorescence emission spectrum of ethidium. It is suggested that quenching may occur as a result of reversible formation of electron-transfer complexes between the intercalating drug and the excited state of ethidium.     

Experimental and theoretical study on the structure and electronic spectra of imiquimod and its synthetic intermediates

Crystal structure of the imiquimod has been determined by single crystal X-ray analysis, imiquimod crystallizes in orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) and the molecules are linked along the c axis by the strong N-H ... N hydrogen bonds. A density functional theory (DFT) study on the electronic properties of imiquimod and its synthetic intermediates has been performed at B3LYP/6-31G* level, while taking solvent effects into account. Both the single configuration interaction (CIS) method and the time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) approaches have been used to calculate the electronic absorption spectra, and there is a good agreement between the calculated and experimental UV-visible absorption spectra. The fluorescence emission spectra of these three compounds in solution have also been measured, the relatively low fluorescence intensity is attributed to a chlorine-modulated heavy atom effect that enhances intersystem crossing between excited singlet and triplet states, and the relatively high fluorescence intensity of imiquimod results from an extended pi-conjugated system which enhances S(1)-->S(0) radiant transition.     

Characterization of tryptophan and coenzyme luminescence in tryptophan synthase from Salmonella typhimurium.

Tryptophan synthase from Salmonella typhimurium is a bifunctional alpha 2 beta 2 complex that catalyzes the formation of L-tryptophan. We have characterized over the temperature range from 160 to 293 K the fluorescence and phosphorescence properties of the single tryptophan present at position 177 of the beta-subunit and of the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate bound through a Schiff's base in the beta-active site. The comparison between the fluorescence of the pyridoxal phosphate bound either to the protein or to valine free in solution indicates substantial protection for the coenzyme against thermal quenching and a greater intensity of the ketoenamine tautomer band. Trp-177 is highly luminescent, and its proximity to the pyridoxal moiety leads to an over 50% quenching of its fluorescence with both reduced and native coenzyme. The Trp phosphorescence spectrum possesses a narrow, well-defined, 0-0 vibrational band centered at 418.5 nm, a wavelength that indicates strong polar interactions with neighboring charges. The observation of delayed fluorescence in the native complex implies that the excited triplet state is involved in a process of triplet-singlet energy transfer to the ketoenamine tautomer. The rate of energy transfer, heterogeneous in low-temperature glasses with rate constants of 2.26 and 0.07 s-1, becomes homogeneous in fluid solutions as the coenzyme tautomer interconversion is likely faster than the phosphorescence decay. In both apo- and holo-alpha 2 beta 2, the phosphorescence from Trp-177 is long-lived even at ambient temperature.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Photosystem I reaction center from Mastigocladus laminosus. Correlation between reduction state of the iron-sulfur centers and the triplet formation mechanisms

EPR study of reduced ground and photoexcited triplet state of Photosystem I reaction center in the thermophylic cyanobacterium Mastigocladus laminosus at 8 K is reported. In the reduced ground state preparation, the iron-sulfur EPR spectra are found to be similar to that of Photosystem I reaction center of higher plants. Two types of transient photoexcited triplets are observed and are correlated to the reduction state of the iron-sulfur centers. When electrons can be transferred freely through the acceptors chain, a polarized triplet spectrum is observed, typical of spin-orbit intersystem crossing mechanism with lifetime of approx. 2 ms and is attributed to chlorophyll a, either at the antenna or at A₁ in the electron-transport chain. When the iron-sulfur centers are reduced the triplet spectrum is typical of a radical-pair intersystem crossing mechanism with triplet lifetime shorter than 1 ms, and is attributed to P-700. Both species have similar spectroscopic zero field splitting parameters identifying both as chlorophyll a.     

Photoreduction of membrane bound cytochrome C by excited-state phenothiazine.

Ferricytochrome $\text{c}$ can be reduced in a photochemical reaction by excited state phenothiazine. This reaction is observed between phenothiazine which is solubilized by phospholipid artificial membranes and cytochrome $\text{c}$ which is adsorbed to the membrane surface. Under conditions when cytochrome $\text{c}$ is not bound to the phospholipid, the rate of reduction by phenothiazine is greatly reduced. The phosphorescence of phenothiazine is quenched in the presence of cytochrome $\text{c}$, implying that the excited triplet state interacts with cytochrome $\text{c}$. Oxygen inhibits the reaction since possibly, as a paramagnetic species, it increases intersystem crossing of the excited states of phenothiazine. On the basis of molecular models the proximity between the iron of ferricytochrome $\text{c}$ and phenothiazine is estimated to be over 20 Å.     

Aluminum corrolin, a novel chlorophyll analogue

A corrole-based chlorophyll analogue has been prepared, based on the notation that the major differences between the prosthetic groups of chlorophylls and hemes are the presence of a non-transition metal (Mg vs. Fe) and one reduced double bond in the porphyrin ligand. As corroles act as tri- rather than dianionic ligands, the analogy requires the insertion of aluminum into the macrocycle and the reduction of one of its double bonds, two reactions that have not been previously reported with any corrole. The aluminum complexes of both the corrole and the corrolin (the dihydrocorrole) display fluorescence quantum yield that are much larger than of chlorophyll and of all other previously reported synthetic analogues. The results suggest that the light metal atom ion is responsible for low intersystem crossing probability to the triplet excited state and the structural rigidity of the hexa-coordinated complexes for reducing the probability of internal conversion.     

Effect of xenon on the excited States of phototropic receptor flavin in corn seedlings

The chemically inert, water-soluble heavy atom gas, xenon, at millimolar concentrations specifically quenches the triplet excited state of flavin in solution without quenching the flavin singlet excited state. The preferential quenching of the flavin triplet over the singlet excited state by Xe has been established by showing that the flavin triplet-sensitized photooxidation of NADH is inhibited while the fluorescence intensity and lifetime of flavin are not affected by Xe.     

Use of flavin photochemistry to probe intraprotein and interprotein electron transfer mechanisms

Photoexcitation of flavin analogs generates the lowest triplet state (via intersystem crossing from the first excited singlet state) in the nanosecond time domain and with high quantum efficiency. The triplet, being a strong oxidant, can abstract a hydrogen atom (or an electron) from a reduced donor in a diffusion-controlled reaction. If the donor is a redox protein, the oxidation process can be used to initiate an electron transfer sequence involving either intramolecular or intermolecular reactions. If the donor is an organic compound such as EDTA, the neutral flavin semiquinone will be produced by H atom abstraction; this is a strong reductant and can subsequently transfer a hydrogen atom (or an electron) to an oxidized redox protein, thereby again initiating a sequence of intramolecular or intermolecular processes. If flavin photoexcitation is accomplished using a pulsed laser light source, the initiation of these protein electron transfer reactions can be made to occur in the nanosecond to microsecond time domain, and the sequence of events can be followed by time-resolved spectrophotometry to obtain rate constants and thus mechanistic information. The present paper describes this technology, and selected examples of its use in the investigation of redox protein mechanisms are given.     

Effect of oligothiophene substituents on the photophysical and photochromic properties of a naphthopyran.

A spectrokinetic study of the photophysical and photochemical properties of a series of photochromes bearing thienyl (T(1)), dithienyl (T(2)) and terthienyl (T(3)) groups linked to a naphthopyran in position 3 (sp(3) carbon) or 8 (naphtho moiety) has been carried out. The effect of the number and position of the thienyl groups on the excited state properties of the six compounds in the singlet and triplet manifold has been investigated by stationary and pulsed fluorimetric techniques, laser flash photolysis and kinetic analysis of the colouration/decolouration processes upon continuous irradiation. On increasing the length of the oligothiophene moiety, the contribution of fluorescence to the deactivation processes becomes detectable, while the photocolouration yield decreases. Moreover, only for compounds with T(3) groups was the triplet absorption observed by laser flash photolysis; its decay did not contribute to photocolouration. The competition between physical (fluorescence emission and intersystem crossing) and chemical relaxations markedly affects the behaviour of the compound bearing the T(3) group at the naphtho moiety, which shows the most efficient intersystem crossing and fluorescence emission while does not lead to photoproduction of the coloured open form. A parallel study of the NMR spectra of the compounds bearing one thiophene group allowed two and four photomerocyanine-type photoproducts to be identified for the naphtho-substituted and pyran-substituted compounds, respectively. The compound with a thiophene group at the naphtho moiety was studied in more detail at different temperatures. On the basis of the combined optical and NMR spectrometric results, a reasonable mechanism of its photochromic behaviour is proposed.     

Triplet- vs. singlet-state imposed photochemistry. The role of substituent effects on the photo-Fries and photodissociation reaction of triphenylmethyl silanes.

The photochemistry of three structurally very similar triphenylmethylsilanes 1, 2, 3 [p-X-C(6)H(4)-CPh(2)-SiMe(3): X = PhCO, 1; H, ; Ph(OCH(2)CH(2)O)C, 3] is described by means of 248 and 308 nm nanosecond laser flash photolysis (ns-LFP), femtosecond LFP, EPR spectroscopy, emission spectroscopy (fluorescence, phosphorescence), ns-pulse radiolysis (ns-PR), photoproduct analysis studies in MeCN, and X-ray crystallographic analysis of the two key-compounds 1 and 2. The photochemical behavior of 1, 2 and 3 is discussed and compared with that of a fourth one, 4, bearing on the p-position an amino group (X = Me(2)N) and whose detailed photochemistry we reported earlier (J. Org. Chem., 2000, 65, 4274-4280). Silane 1 undergoes on irradiation with 248 and 308 nm laser light a fast photodissociation of the C-Si bond giving the p-(benzoyl)triphenylmethyl radical (1*) with a rate constant of k(diss)= 3 x 10(7) s(-1). The formation of 1* is a one-quantum process and takes place via the carbonyl triplet excited state with high quantum yield (Phi(rad)= 0.9); the intervention of the triplet state is clearly demonstrated through the phosphorescence spectrum and quenching experiments with ferrocene (k(q)= 9.3 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)), Et(3)N (1.1 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)), and styrene (3.1 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)) giving quenching rate constants very similar to those of benzophenone. For comparative reasons radical 1* was generated independently from p-(benzoyl)triphenylmethyl bromide via pulse radiolysis in THF and its absorption coefficient at lambda(max)= 340 nm was determined ([epsilon]= 27770 M(-1) cm(-1)). We found thus that the p-PhCO-derivative 1 behaves similar to the p-Me(2)N one (the latter giving the p-(dimethylamino)triphenylmethyl radical with Phi(rad)= 0.9), irrespective of their completely different ground state electronic properties. In contrast, compounds 2, 3 that bear only the aromatic chromophore give by laser or lamp irradiation both, (i) radical products [Ph(3)C* and p-Ph(OCH(2)CH(2)O)C-C(6)H(4)-C(*)Ph(2), respectively] after dissociation of the central C-Si bond (Phi(rad)= 0.16), and (ii) persistent photo-Fries rearrangement products (of the type of 5-methylidene-6-trimethylsilyl-1,3-cyclohexadiene) absorbing at 300-450 nm and arising from a 1,3-shift of the SiMe(3) group from the benzylic to the ortho-position of the aromatic ring (Phi approximately 0.85 for 2). Using fs-LFP on 2 we showed that the S(1) state recorded at 100 fs after the pulse decays on a time scale of 500 fs giving Ph(3)C* through C-Si bond dissociation. In a second step and within the next 10 ps trityl radicals either escape from the solvent cage (the quantum yield of Ph(3)C* formation Phi(rad)= 0.16 was measured with ns-LFP), or undergo in-cage recombination to photo-Fries products. Thus, singlet excited states (S(1)) of the aromatic organosilanes (2, 3) prefer photo-Fries rearrangement products, while triplet excited states (1, 4) favor free radicals. Both reactions proceed via a common primary photodissociation step (C-Si bond homolysis) and differentiate obviously in the multiplicity of the resulting geminate radical pairs; singlet radical pairs give preferably photo-Fries products following an in-cage recombination, while triplet radical pairs escape the solvent cage (MeCN). The results demonstrate the crucial role which is played by the chromophore which prescribes in a sense, (i) the multiplicity of the intervening excited state and consequently that of the resulting geminate radical pair, and (ii) the dominant reaction path to be followed: the benzophenone- and anilino-chromophore present in silanes 1 and 4, respectively, impose effective intersystem crossing transitions (k(isc)= 10(11) s(-1) and 6 x 10(8) s(-1), respectively) leading to triplet states and finally to free radical products, while the phenyl chromophore in 2 and 3, possessing ineffective isc (k(isc)= 6 x 10(6) s(-1)) leads to photo-Fries product formation via the energetic high lying S(1) state [approximately 443 kJ mol(-1)(106 kcal mol(-1))].     

Stereoselective Binding of Flurbiprofen Enantiomers and their Methyl Esters to Human Serum Albumin Studied by Time-Resolved Phosphorescence

The interaction of the nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug flurbiprofen (FBP) with human serum albumin (HSA) hardly influences the fluorescence of the protein's single tryptophan (Trp). Therefore, in addition to fluorescence, heavy atom‐induced room‐temperature phosphorescence is used to study the stereoselective binding of FBP enantiomers and their methyl esters to HSA. Maximal HSA phosphorescence intensities were obtained at a KI concentration of 0.2 M. The quenching of the Trp phosphorescence by FBP is mainly dynamic and based on Dexter energy transfer. The Stern–Volmer plots based on the phosphorescence lifetimes indicate that (R)‐FBP causes a stronger Trp quenching than (S)‐FBP. For the methyl esters of FBP, the opposite is observed: (S)‐(FBPMe) quenches more than (R)‐FBPMe. The Stern–Volmer plots of (R)‐FBP and (R)‐FBPMe are similar although their high‐affinity binding sites are different. The methylation of (S)‐FBP causes a large change in its effect on the HSA phosphorescence lifetime. Furthermore, the quenching constants of 3.0 × 10⁷ M^?1 s^?1 of the R‐enantiomers and 2.5 × 10⁷ M^?1 s^?1 for the S‐enantiomers are not influenced by the methylation and indicate a stereoselectivity in the accessibility of the HSA Trp to these drugs. Chirality 24:840–846, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Phosphorescence of octaethylchlorine, isobacteriooctaethylchlorine and their metal complexes]

The phosphorescence of dihydrooctaethylporphin (octaethylchlorin or OEC), of its complexes with magnesium, zinc, copper and palladium, and of zinc and palladium complexes of isobacteriooctaethylchlorin (5,6,7,8-tetrahydrooctaethylporphin with adjacent hydrogenated pyrrole rings or THOEP-ADJ) has been investigated. The phosphorescence spectra and phosphorescence excitation spectra as well as the ratio of fluorescence and phosphorescence yields and the triplet state lifetume have been measured. It has been shown that the singlet-triplet interval is about 4100 cm-1 for OEC complexes and about 4300 cm-1 for THOEP-ADJ complexes, and depends wealky on the nature of the metal atom forming the complex. The triplet level position of chlorophyll alpha is discussed. It is concluded that the maximum of chlorophyll alpha phosphorescence spectrum must be located at 895 nm.     

Evidence for heterogeneity in DNA-associated solvent mobility from acridine phosphorescence spectra

The mobility of solvent associated with native DNA in comparison with that of the bulk solvent is monitored from the temperature-dependent red shift in the phosphorescence spectra of acridines bound to DNA and free in glycol–buffer mixtures. Over the temperature range for which the red shift occurs the phosphorescence decay changes with emission wavelength, indicating the time-dependent nature of the process. Moreover, at these temperatures, emission anisotropy measurements establish that motions of the dye itself are not involved. Correspondence between perturbations to the solvent that influence the temperature at which the red shift occurs for free acridine with those for the DNA-bound dye confirm that “bound solvent” is responsible for the spectral changes. For the DNA-bound acridines the extent of the red shift is smaller and the midpoint T_1/2 of the transition is warmer. The reduction in the red shift reveals that the bound dye is less exposed to solvent and varies as 9-aminoacridine < acridine orange ～ proflavin, i.e., 9-amino-acridine is less exposed to solvent. On the other hand, the warmer T_1/2 indicates that DNA-associated solvent is considerably less mobile than bulk solvent. T_1/2 varies for proflavin bound to DNA, poly[d(AT)], poly[d(GC)], and poly(dG): poly(dC), and for proflavin, acridine orange, and 9-aminoacrine bound to DNA. These observations suggest that there is a heterogeneity in the mobility of DNA-associated solvent.     

Interaction of electron acceptors with the excited triplet state of Zn cytochrome c

The decay rate of the excited triplet state of Zn cytochrome c was enhanced by electron acceptors including methyl viologen and ferric complexes of cyanide, oxalate, EDTA and cytochrome c at room temperature. Ferrous compounds were several orders of magnitude less effective than the respective ferric form in quenching the phosphorescence. In the presence of ferricytochrome c and ferricyanide the semilogarithmic plots of the decay curve showed an anomalous decay profile in which the rate of interaction appeared to accelerate after excitation. One explanation is that the quenching process was accelerated by a conformational change of the polypeptide chain around the excited triplet state porphyrin. Another explanation is that quenching occurs via an intermediate.     

Influence of the triplet excited state on the photobleaching kinetics of fluorescein in microscopy.

The investigation in this report aimed at providing photophysical evidence that the long-lived triplet excited state plays an important role in the non-single-exponential photobleaching kinetics of fluorescein in microscopy. Experiments demonstrated that a thiol-containing reducing agent, mercaptoethylamine (MEA or cysteamine), was the most effective, among other commonly known radical quenchers or singlet oxygen scavengers, in suppressing photobleaching of fluorescein while not reducing the fluorescence quantum yield. The protective effect against photobleaching of fluorescein in the bound state was also found in microscopy. The antibleaching effect of MEA let to a series of experiments using time-delayed fluorescence spectroscopy and nanosecond laser flash photolysis. The combined results showed that MEA directly quenched the triplet excited state and the semioxidized radical form of fluorescein without affecting the singlet excited state. The triplet lifetime of fluorescein was reduced upon adding MEA. It demonstrated that photobleaching of fluorescein in microscopy is related to the accumulation of the long-lived triplet excited state of fluorescein and that by quenching the triplet excited state and the semioxidized form of fluorescein to restore the dye molecules to the singlet ground state, photobleaching can be reduced.     

Generation of triplet carbonyl compounds during peroxidase catalysed reactions

Peroxidases, acting as oxidase upon appropriate substrates, generate carbonyl compounds in the electronically excited triplet state. These excited species can transfer energy as demonstrated by the appearance of the acceptor fluorescence or induced photochemistry concomitant with the disappearance of phosphorescence. Cholorophyll, an efficient emissive acceptor, either naturally present or artificially incorporated into organelles and cells, allows the in situ detection of biologically generated excited species. With neutrophils, the myeloperoxidase promoted acetone phosphorescence can readily be detected. In other cases, e.g. triplet benzaldehyde, it is possible to observe emission from lipid peroxidation initiated by the triplet carbonyl compound.     

Triplet and fluorescing states of the CP47 antenna complex of photosystem II studied as a function of temperature.

Fluorescence emission and triplet-minus-singlet (T-S) absorption difference spectra of the CP47 core antenna complex of photosystem II were measured as a function of temperature and compared to those of chlorophyll a in Triton X-100. Two spectral species were found in the chlorophyll T-S spectra of CP47, which may arise from a difference in ligation of the pigments or from an additional hydrogen bond, similar to what has been found for Chl molecules in a variety of solvents. The T-S spectra show that the lowest lying state in CP47 is at approximately 685 nm and gives rise to fluorescence at 690 nm at 4 K. The fluorescence quantum yield is 0.11 +/- 0.03 at 4 K, the chlorophyll triplet yield is 0.16 +/- 0.03. Carotenoid triplets are formed efficiently at 4 K through triplet transfer from chlorophyll with a yield of 0.15 +/- 0.02. The major decay channel of the lowest excited state in CP47 is internal conversion, with a quantum yield of about 0.58. Increase of the temperature results in a broadening and blue shift of the spectra due to the equilibration of the excitation over the antenna pigments. Upon increasing the temperature, a decrease of the fluorescence and triplet yields is observed to, at 270 K, a value of about 55% of the low temperature value. This decrease is significantly larger than of chlorophyll a in Triton X-100. Although the coupling to low-frequency phonon or vibration modes of the pigments is probably intermediate in CP47, the temperature dependence of the triplet and fluorescence quantum yield can be modeled using the energy gap law in the strong coupling limit of Englman and Jortner (1970. J. Mol. Phys. 18:145-164) for non-radiative decays. This yields for CP47 an average frequency of the promoting/accepting modes of 350 cm-1 with an activation energy of 650 cm-1 for internal conversion and activationless intersystem crossing to the triplet state through a promoting mode with a frequency of 180 cm-1. For chlorophyll a in Triton X-100 the average frequency of the promoting modes for non-radiative decay is very similar, but the activation energy (300 cm-1) is significantly smaller.