Evolution of photosynthetic reaction centers

Abstract

The common ancestor of all photosynthetic prokaryotes and organelles contained chlorophyll (Chl) a. All green and purple photosynthetic bacteria descended from a common bacteriochlorophyll (Bchl) a-containing ancestor which diverged from the Chl a line. Separate PS-I and PS-II reaction centers may have evolved before the appearance of Bchl a. When the transition to Bchl a occurred, the resultant organism contained two types of reaction center, “PS-I” and “PS-II.” One line of development eliminated “PS-II” and evolved into the green bacteria. The other line eliminated “PS-I” and became the purple bacteria. In the Chl a-containing organisms the evolution of PS-II continued until oxygen evolution was achieved.