Work

Energy Transfer Observed in Live Cells Using Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: Two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) elucidates electronic structure and dynamics on a femtosecond time scale and has proven to be an incisive tool for probing congested linear spectra of biological systems. However, samples that scatter light intensely frustrate 2DES analysis, necessitating the use of isolated protein chromophore complexes when studying photosynthetic energy transfer processes. We present a method for conducting 2DES experiments that takes only seconds to acquire thousands of 2DES spectra and permits analysis of highly scattering samples, specifically whole cells of the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. These in vivo 2DES experiments reveal similar time scales for energy transfer within the antennae complex (light harvesting complex 2, LH2) both in the native photosynthetic membrane environment and in isolated detergent micelles.

Source: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

DOI: 10.1021/jz401944q

Authors: Peter D. Dahlberg, Andrew F. Fidler, Justin R. Caram, Phillip D. Long, Gregory S. Engel

Institution: University of Chicago

Language: English

Topic: Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green