X-Ray Structure Research on the Photosynthetic Membrane

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the X-ray structure research on the photosynthetic membrane. The photosynthetic splitting of water, the formation of adenosinetriphosphate and the reduction of nicotinamide–adenine–dinucleotidephosphate are accomplished within the green-plant cell in definite gross structures, the so-called “chloroplast lamellae.” From the X-ray research the photosynthetic lamellar system represents two types of lattice arrangements: a one-dimensional lattice formed by the internal layer structure of the lamellae and the stacking of the lamellae, and a two-dimensional lattice within the lamella plane. An example is included of this evaluation method for the case of the X-ray scattering of dry chloroplasts. The way the convolution square of the electron density distribution of the lattice cell can be found from the Q-function is presented, and the electron-density distribution is expressed as a summation of Gauss terms. The inner structure of the single membrane layer is examined. It discusses the two-dimensional protein lattice of the chloroplast lamellae. An evaluation appropriate to small angle scattering is performed using Gauss terms. The chapter also discusses the arrangement and distribution of the porphyrin rings of the chlorophylls.