DECONVOLUTION OF THE RED P700 DIFFERENCE SPECTRUM BASED ON A SET OF THREE GAUSSIAN COMPONENTS: FURTHER EVIDENCE FROM LITERATURE SPECTRA

Abstract Literature data on the light induced difference spectrum of the photosynthetic reaction centre complex P700 were analysed in the spectral region from 670-700 nm. In accordance to our previous Gaussian deconvolution of the flash induced difference spectrum and the linear dichroism spectrum of photosystem I particles from green plants, we present here fits of three representative difference spectra that were recorded at room temperature and at low temperature conditions, respectively. These fits are generated by using the same set of only three Gaussian components that we specified previously: (1) a disappearing wide band around 695 nm representing the absorption of the reduced special-pair of chlorophyll- a ; (2) an appearing narrower band at slightly shorter wavelength (In agreement with our previous results, this band shows half the oscillatory strength of the former band. It is therefore attributed to the non-oxidized chlorophyll- a in the special pair); and (3) a bathochromic bandshift centered around 688 nm, which indicates the local electrochromic response of chlorophyll-a antennae molecule(s) close to the site of the primary donor. Among the reports by several authors we attribute the variation of the difference spectra of P700 in the region from 670-720 nm mainly to a variation in the magnitude of the third component, the local electrochromic one. We can also account for the peculiar shape of the low temperature spectra, mainly by alteration of the extent of the electrochromic component. It seems reasonable that the electrochromic component reacts most sensitively against structural changes of the reaction centre protein complex (brought forth by different degrees of depletion from antennae or by variation of the temperature).