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M H Vos

Publications and source records attributed to M H Vos.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Coherent dynamics during the primary electron-transfer reaction in membrane-bound reaction centers of Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

The temporal evolution of the near-infrared stimulated emission band of the special pair excited state (P*) in the reaction center of Rhodobacter sphaeroides has been studied in intracytoplasmic membranes of the antenna-deficient RCO1 mutant at 10 K with a resolution of 30 fs. On the 100-fs time scale the emission band gradually shifts to longer wavelengths. After 150 fs the band shifts back to shorter wavelengths and continues to develop on the picosecond time scale in a damped oscillatory manner (most prominent fundamental frequencies around 15 cm-1 and at 92, 122, and 153 cm-1). These phenomena are shown to be due to low-frequency vibrational motions in the P* excited state that conserve their phase on the time scale of electron transfer. These results imply that the vibrational manifold of P* is not thermalized during the electron-transfer reaction in functional reaction centers. The initial Stokes shift dynamics are largely determined by the modes in the 90-160-cm-1 frequency range, which probably involve motions of several chromophores, including the bacteriopheophytin electron acceptor HL.

Electron Transport↗

Femtosecond spectral evolution of the excited state of bacterial reaction centers at 10 K.

The femtosecond spectral evolution of reaction centers of Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26 was studied at 10 K. Transient spectra in the near infrared region, obtained with 45-fs pulses (pump pulses centered at 870 nm and continuum probe pulses), were analyzed with associated kinetics at specific wavelengths. The t = 0-fs transient spectrum is very rich in structure; it contains separate induced bands at 807 and 796 nm and a bleaching near 760 nm, reflecting strong changes in interaction between all pigments upon formation of the excited state. A complex spectral evolution in the 800-nm region, most notably the bleaching of the 796-nm band, takes place within a few hundred femtosecond--i.e., on a time scale much faster than electron transfer from the primary donor P to the bacteriopheophytin acceptor HL. The remarkable initial spectral features and their evolution are presumably related to the presence of HL, as they were not observed in the DLL mutant of Rhodobacter capsulatus, which lacks this pigment. A simple linear reaction scheme with an intermediate state cannot account for our data; the initial spectral evolution must reflect relaxation processes within the excited state. The importance for primary photochemistry of long distance interactions in the reaction center is discussed.

Cold Temperature↗

Direct observation of vibrational coherence in bacterial reaction centers using femtosecond absorption spectroscopy.

It is shown that vibrational coherence modulates the femtosecond kinetics of stimulated emission and absorption of reaction centers of purple bacteria. In the DLL mutant of Rhodobacter capsulatus, which lacks the bacteriopheophytin electron acceptor, oscillations with periods of approximately 500 fs and possibly also of approximately 2 ps were observed, which are associated with formation of the excited state. The kinetics, which reflect primary processes in Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26, were modulated by oscillations with a period of approximately 700 fs at 796 nm and approximately 2 ps at 930 nm. In the latter case, at 930 nm, where the stimulated emission of the excited state, P*, is probed, oscillations could only be resolved when a sufficiently narrow (10 nm) and concomitantly long pump pulse was used. This may indicate that the potential energy surface of the excited state is anharmonic or that low-frequency oscillations are masked when higher frequency modes are also coherently excited, or both. The possibility is discussed that the primary charge separation may be a coherent and adiabatic process coupled to low-frequency vibrational modes.

Bacterial Chromatophores↗

Angle resolved fluorescence depolarization experiments on oriented lipid membrane systems.

It is demonstrated that angle resolved steady state fluorescence depolarization experiments on oriented lipid membrane systems can be an useful alternative to time-resolved fluorescence depolarization experiments on vesicles. It is shown that some basic assumptions underlying time-resolved experiments are not always valid. The usefulness of the measurement of an additional order parameter, less than P4 greater than is demonstrated.

Chemical Phenomena↗