Fluorescence detected magnetic resonance of the primary donor and inner core antenna chlorophyll in Photosystem I reaction centre protein: Sign inversion and energy transfer

Abstract

The Photosystem I reaction centre protein CP1, isolated from barley using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed an EPR (Electron Paramgnetic Resonance) spectrum with the polarisation pattern AEEAAE, typical of the primary donor triplet state (3)P700, created via radical pair formation and recombination. (3)P700 could also be detected by Fluorescence Detected Magnetic Resonance (FDMR) at λf > 700 nm even in the presence of a large number of chlorophyll antennae. Its zero field splitting parameters, D=282.5×10(-4) cm(-1) and E=38.5×10(-4) cm(-1), were independent of the detection wavelength, and agreed with ADMR (Absorption Detected Magnetic Resonance) and EPR values. The signs of the (3)P700 D+E and D-E transitions were positive (increase in fluorescence intensity on applying a resonance microwave field). In contrast, in the emission band 685 < λf < 700 nm FDMR spectra with negative D+E and D-E transitions were detected, and the D value was wavelength-dependent. These FDMR results support an excitation energy transfer model for CP1, derived from time-resolved fluorescence studies, in which two chlorophyll antenna forms are distinguished, with fluorescence at 685 < λf < 700 nm (inner core antennae, F690), and λf > 700 nm (low energy antenna sites, F720), in addition to the P700. The FDMR spectrum in F690 emission can be interpreted as that of (3)P700, observed via reverse singlet excitation energy transfer and added to the FDMR spectrum of the antenna triplet states generated via intramolecular intersystem crossing. This would indicate that reversible energy transfer between F690 and P700 occurs even at 4.2 K.