Exciton states of the antenna and energy trapping by the reaction center

Abstract

Forward and back energy transfer between antenna and RC in the photosynthetic apparatus of purple bacteria was studied taking into account the exciton states of the antenna. The exciton states were calculated for core antenna configuration in the form of a circular aggregate of N identical BChl molecules with the C_N-symmetry. The influence of pigment inhomogeneity on the proposed exciton description of the antenna and its interaction with RC was investigated. The ratio between the rate constants of forward and back energy transfer between the exciton levels of the antenna and RC was obtained as a function of the temperature, the number of antenna BChls and the antenna exciton level position with respect to BChl special pair level of RC. A versatile analytical expression for this ratio which is independent of the BChl special pair level position and its dipole orientation was derived. The proposed model results in an irreversible excitation trapping by RC even at room temperature.