| Abstract: | The energy transfer from the light-harvesting antenna chlorophylls to the reaction center molecules and subsequent charge separation were investigated using a difference picosecond spectrophotometer with selective excitation. The objects were the pigment-protein complexes of photosystem 1 (Chl/P700 = 60) isolated from bean leaves. The difference absorption spectra of the excited states of light-harvesting antenna chlorophylls and the P700 photooxidation were measured. It was shown that the excited states of antenna chlorophylls were generated within 10 ps and deactivated with three-component kinetics: tau 1 = 20--45 ps, tau 2 = 100--300 ps, tau 3 greater than 500 ps. The process of the P700 photooxidation induced by the 650 nm exciting pulse was approximately monoexponential with tau equal to 15--30 ps. It is established that the P700 photooxidation is due to the efficient transfer of excitation energy from antenna chlorophylls to reaction centers. |
