SPECTRAL FORMS AND ORIENTATION OF BACTERIOCHLOROPHYLLS c AND α IN CHLOROSOMES OF THE GREEN PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIUM Chloroflexus aurantiacus

Spectral forms of bacteriochlorophyll (Bchl) in chlorosomes were analyzed by linear dichroism, circular dichroism (CD), and deconvolution of these spectra. Isolated chlorosomes were embedded in polyacrylamide gels and compressed unidirectionally (along the x-axis) while allowing the gel to stretch in another direction (along the z-axis). The chlorosomes were aligned three-dimensionally due to their flat oblong shape; the longest axis was presumed to parallel the z-axis, its shortest axis was presumed to parallel the x-axis, and the intermediate-length axis was presumed to parallel the y-axis. Degrees of polarization (A_I? A₁)/(A_I+ A₁) of Bchl c and a measured from the y-axis with linearly polarized light were significantly different from those measured from the x-axis. Deconvolution of spectra into components revealed the presence of two major forms of Bchl c with peaks at 744 nm and 727 nm. The degrees of polarization of the 744 and 727 nm spectral forms were 0.76 and 0.59 from the y-axis and 0.48 and 0.39 from the x-axis, respectively. The degrees of polarization of Bchl a794 were –0.21 from the y-axis and 0.12 from the x-axis. These values indicate that the direction of the Q_y transition moment of Bchl c744 is almost completely parallel to the longest axis of chlorosomes and that of Bchl c727 is also nearly, but slightly less so, parallel to the longest axis of the chlorosomes. The Q_y transition moment of the baseplate Bchl a peak at 794 nm is nearly perpendicular to the longest axis and parallel to the shortest axis: that is, it is perpendicular to the associated membrane plane in the cell. These alignments of Bchl transition moments in chlorosomes were lost after suspending the chlorosomes in a solution saturated with 1-hexanol accompanying a shift in the peak position from 742 nm to 670 nm. The alignment recovered after the hexanol concentration was decreased. The presence of two major spectral forms of Bchl c was supported by the deconvolution of CD spectra and absorption spectra.     

Contribution of stress wave and cavitation bubble in evaluation of cell–cell adhesion by femtosecond laser-induced impulse

When an intense femtosecond laser is focused in a cell culture medium, shock wave, stress wave, and cavitation bubble are generated at the laser focal point. Cell–cell adhesion can be broken at the cellular level by the impacts of these factors. We have applied this breaking of the adhesion to an estimation of the cell–cell adhesion strength. In this application, it is important to identify which of these factors is the dominant factor that breaks the adhesion. Here we investigated this issue using streptavidin-coated microbeads adhering to a biotin-coated substrate as a mimic of the cell–cell adhesion. The results indicated that the break was induced mainly by the stress wave, not by the impact of the cavitation bubble.     

Electron and positron induced processes. POSMOL 2013

POSMOL 2013, the international meeting on electron and positron induced processes comprising the XVII International Workshop on Low-Energy Positron and Positronium Physics and the XVIII International Symposium on Electron-Molecule Collisions and Swarms, was held at Kanazawa Bunka Hall, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, from 19–21 July 2013. The XVII Workshop encompassed all aspects of positron, positronium and antiproton interactions with electrons, atoms, molecules and solid surfaces, and topics related to these, whereas the XVIII Symposium encompassed all aspects of electron interactions with molecules in both gaseous and condensed phases. Particular topics include studies of electron interactions with biomolecules, electron induced surface chemistry and the study of plasma processes. Recent research on the study of electron swarms was also highlighted.     

Interaction between Dyes and Polyelectrolytes. XV. Effect of Mixed Dimer Formation on the Excitation Energy Transfer between Bound Dyes

The effect of polyanions on the formation of mixed dimers of methylene blue (MB) and trypaflavine (TF), MB and phenosafranine (PhS), and MB and pyronine G (PG) was investigated spectrophotometrically. The following polyanions were used: potassium poly(vinyl sulfate) (PVSK), potassium poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSSK), sodium poly(methacrylate) (PMANa), and sodium poly-(acrylate) (PAANa). The formation of mixed dimers was dependent on the kind of polyanion and polyanion-dye ratio. MB-photo-sensitized isomerization of cis-p-(phenylazo)-phenyltrimethyl-ammonium iodide (cis-PTA) to the trans-isomer was used advantageously to investigate the triplet excitation energy transfer between cationic dyes bound to polyanions. Although the efficiency of the excitation energy transfer between MB and cis-PTA was enhanced by the addition of polyanions, the formation of mixed dimer of MB with TF, PhS, or PG reduced the efficiency of the excitation energy transfer. Correlation with the formation of mixed dimer of MB with TF, PhS, or PG and the efficiency of the excitation energy transfer from MB to cis-PTA is discussed.