Structural Specificity of Photosynthetic Reaction Centers Provides High Efficiency of Excitation Trapping and Conversion

A. Yu. Borisov

Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia; fax: (7-095) 939-3181; E-mail: borissov@genebee.msu.su

Received September 30, 2003; Revision received November 14, 2003

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The atomic structures of photosynthetic reaction centers of two species of purple bacteria and two photosystems 2 of cyanobacteria were resolved in the late last century. In this work I put forward the idea that of the huge body of data available thus far, only three structural factors are responsible for the unique function of conversion of physical energy of electronic excitation into electrochemical energy of separated opposite charges in reaction centers at least in purple bacteria and, perhaps, in other photosynthetic organisms.

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KEY WORDS: reaction centers, structure, mechanism of excitation conversion

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