Specific aspects of energy migration between chlorophyll molecules in the membranes of photosynthetic organisms

Abstract

Several specific characteristics of energy migration in chlorophyll-protein complexes in vivo justify a suggestion of P.C. Knox to change two main equations of the theory on inductive resonance: to substitute a real lifetime of electronic excitations in donor molecules by the radiative lifetime. Critical distances for excitation migration of the main photosynthetic pigments become more stable constants; this results in appearance of more suitable formula for an average value of the mean time of intermolecular jumps of electronic excitations. In this context, the critical distances of homogenous energy migration within spectral fractions of purple bacterium, B800 and B850, were determined. The question on the possible application of Ferster’s theory to closely positioned molecules of chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll in vivo is also critically analyzed.