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Structure and function of the photosynthetic reaction center fromRhodobacter sphaeroides

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Abstract

The three-dimensional structure of the photosynthetic reaction center fromRhodobacter sphaeroides is described. The reaction center is a transmembrane protein that converts light into chemical energy. The protein has three subunits: L, M, and H. The mostly helical L and M subunits provide the scaffolding and the finely tuned environment in which the chromophores carry out electron transfer. The details of the protein-chromophore interactions are from studies of a trigonal crystal form that diffracted to 2.65-Å resolution. Functional studies of the multi-subunit complex by site-specific replacement of key amino acid residues are summarized in the context of the molecular structure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysik, Abt. Molekulare Membranbiologie, Heinrich-Hoffmann-Str. 7, D-6000, Frankfurt/M 71, Germany

    U. Ermler & H. Michel

  2. Argonne National Laboratory, Center for Mechanistic Biology and Biotechnology, 60439, Argonne, Illinois

    M. Schiffer

Authors
  1. U. Ermler
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  2. H. Michel
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  3. M. Schiffer
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This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research, under Contract No. W-31-109-ENG-38 and by Public Health Service Grant GM36598.

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Ermler, U., Michel, H. & Schiffer, M. Structure and function of the photosynthetic reaction center fromRhodobacter sphaeroides . J Bioenerg Biomembr 26, 5–15 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00763216

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00763216

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