The mechanism of electron transfer between the primary and the secondary quinone of the photosynthetic reaction center of the Rhodobacter Sphaeroides has been studied theoretically, on the basis of the x-ray structure obtained under illumination. It is shown that in such a supramolecular aggregate where the different molecular blocks form a chain of H bonds, a mobile electron injected on one end of the chain can be carried to the opposite end by switching the positions of the H-bonded hydrogens, in a Bjerrium-type mechanism in which not only protons but also hydrogen atoms are involved. Energy estimates predict that the various steps of the mechanism are all slightly exergonic, so that the proposed mechanism appears to be at least plausible and worthy of further experimental investigations.
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22 August 2000
Research Article|
August 22 2000
An alternative way of thinking about electron transfer in proteins: Proton assisted electron transfer between the primary and the secondary quinones in photosynthetic reaction centers
Andrea Peluso;
Andrea Peluso
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Salerno, I-84081 Baronissi, Salerno, Italy
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Mariangela Di Donato;
Mariangela Di Donato
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Salerno, I-84081 Baronissi, Salerno, Italy
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Gloria Anna Ada Saracino
Gloria Anna Ada Saracino
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Salerno, I-84081 Baronissi, Salerno, Italy
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J. Chem. Phys. 113, 3212–3218 (2000)
Article history
Received:
January 14 2000
Accepted:
May 22 2000
Citation
Andrea Peluso, Mariangela Di Donato, Gloria Anna Ada Saracino; An alternative way of thinking about electron transfer in proteins: Proton assisted electron transfer between the primary and the secondary quinones in photosynthetic reaction centers. J. Chem. Phys. 22 August 2000; 113 (8): 3212–3218. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1286918
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