Abstract

The existence of the “special pair” (SP) of bacteriochlorophylls (BChl) was postulated nearly 20 years ago to describe the structural organization of the primary electron donor (P) of bacterial photosynthesis. The SP hypothesis was proposed based on magnetic resonance data measured for the oxidized radical cation of P in the bacterial reaction center (RC) protein (1,2). The SP concept was validated when detailed crystallographic data became available for the RCs from Rhodopseudomonas viridis and Rhodobacter sphaeroides (3–7). We now know that two strongly-interacting BChls with local C2 symmetry constitute the primary electron donor. Moreover, two monomeric BChls and two bacteriopheophytins (BPh) are related to each other about the same symmetry element. This structure reveals two prosthetic group chains, the L and M branches, that span the membrane.

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