Light induced radical pair intermediates in photosynthetic reaction centres in contact with an observer spin label: spin dynamics and effects on transient EPR spectra

Abstract

A novel strategy is discussed using site directed spin labelling to study the electron transfer process in photosynthetic reaction centres. An algorithm is presented for numerical simulations of the time resolved EPR spectra of radical pair states in the presence of an observer spin label. This algorithm accounts for spin dynamics, charge recombination and relaxation processes. It is shown that satisfactory agreement between experimental and simulated EPR spectra of the first stabilized radical pair state in photosystem I is achieved for various microwave frequencies. Transient EPR spectra for the radical pair state P•+Q•- in photosystem I were simulated for various distances and positions of the observer spin label with respect to the acceptor quinone molecule. It is shown that distances up to more than 20 Å give rise to observable changes in the transient EPR spectra. Both the additional spin-spin coupling between the quinone radical and the label and the polarization transfer processes contribute to the changes. Furthermore, the shape and intensity of the EPR spectrum of the spin label is altered by the coupling with the radical pair spins for distances up to 25 Å. Experiments on site directed spin labelled photosystem I are thus expected to provide valuable information on the dynamics of electron transfer in photosystem I.