Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Sub-Nanosecond Regime in Photosynthesis

  • Chapter
Applications of Picosecond Spectroscopy to Chemistry

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 127))

  • 88 Accesses

Abstract

Photosynthesis is not only the most important of all photochemical and, indeed, chemical, reactions but its primary photochemical processes all occur on the sub-nanosecond time scale. The two principal phenomena are light harvesting of the absorbed energy in the antenna pigments of the photosynthetic unit and electron transfer chemistry in the reaction centre to which this energy is transferred. Picosecond studies of the former are mainly by time resolved fluorescence measurements on algae and the chloroplasts of green plants, and in the latter by absorption measurements on the isolated reaction centres from photo- synthetic bacteria. In the early experiments, high intensities led to unexpected results but these are now well understood and the effect can either be utilised or eliminated. The subject is developing very rapidly and further progress is more dependent on the availability of well characterised biological or model systems than on further developments of laser technology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Brody, S.S. and Rabinowitch, E. 1957, Science 125, PP. 555–558.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Briantais, J.M., Merkelo, H. and Govinjee 1972, Photosynthetica 6, pp. 133–141.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Borisov, A. Yu and Il’Ina, M.D. 1973, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 305, pp. 364–371.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Seibert, M. and Alfano, R.R. 1973, Biophys. J. 14, pp. 269 - 283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Paschenko, V.Z., Protazov, S., Rubin, A.B., Timofeev, K.N., Zamazova, L.M. and Rubin, L.B. 1975, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 408, pp. 143–153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kollman, V.H., Shapiro, S.L. and Campillo, A.J. 1975, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 63, pp. 917–923.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Beddard, G.S., Porter, G., Tredwell, C.J. and Barber, J. 1975, Nature 258, pp. 166–168.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mauzerall, D., 1976, Biophys. J. 16, pp. 87–91.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Campillo, A.J., Shapiro, S.L., Kollman, V.H., Winn, K.R. and Hyer, R.C. 1976, Biophys. J. 16. pp. 93–97.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Porter, G. and Wright, M.R. 1958, J. Chim. Phys. 55, pp. 705–712.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Breton, J. and Geacintov, N.E. 1976, FEBS Letters 69, pp. 86–89.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Porter, G., Synowiec, J.A. and Tredwell, C.J. 1977, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 459, pp. 329–336.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Paillotin, G., Swenberg, C.E., Breton, J. and Geacintov, N.E. 1979, Biophys. J. 25, pp. 513 - 534.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Grondell, R.V., Hunter, C.N., Bakker, J. and Kramer, H.J.M. 1983, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 723, pp. 30–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Porter, G., Tredwell, C.J., Searle, G.W.F. and Barber, J. 1978, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 501, pp. 232–235.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Searle, G.W.F., Barber, J., Porter, G. and Tredwell, C.J. 1978, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 501, pp. 246–256.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Searle, C.W.F. and Tredwell, C.J. 1979, “Chlorophyll Organization and Energy Transfer in Photosynthesis”, Excerpta Medica Amsterdam, pp. 257–277.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Brody, S.S., Porter, G., Tredwell, C.J. and Barber, J. 1981, Photobiochem. Photobiophys. 2, pp. 11–14.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Yamasaki, I,,Mimuro, M., Murao, T., Yamazaki, T., Yoshihara, K. and Fujita, private communication at this meeting to be published in Photochem. Photobiol.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Porter, G., Synowiec, J.A. and Tredwell, C.J. 1977, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 459, pp. 329–336.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Beddard, G.S., Fleming, G.R., Porter, G., Searle, G.F.W. and Synowiec, J.A. 1979, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 545, pp. 165–174.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Forster, T. 1947, Z. Naturfors. 26, pp. 174–182.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Montroll, E.W. 1969, J. Math. Phys. 10, p. 753

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Borisov, A. Yu, Danielus, R.V., Kudzumauskas, S.P., Piskarkas, A.S., Razjivin, A.P., Sirutkaitis, V.A. and Valkunas, L.L. 1983, Photochem. Photophys. 6, pp. 33–38.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Windsor, M.W. and Holten, D. 1980, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A298, pp. 335–349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Kelly, J.M. and Porter, G. 1970, Proc. Roy. Soc. A319, pp. 319–329.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Kelly, A.R. and Porter, G. 1970, Proc. Roy. Soc. A315, pp. 152–161.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Kalyanasundaram, K. and Porter, G. 1978, Proc. Roy. Soc. A364, pp. 29 - 44.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Wasielewski, M.R., Studier, M.H. and Katz, J.J. 1976, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 73, pp. 4282–4286.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Porter, G. 1978, Proc. Roy. Soc. A362, pp. 281–303.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Beddard, G.S., Carlin, S.E. and Porter, G. 1976, Chem. Phys. Letters U3, pp. 27–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Beddard, G.S. and Porter, G. 1976, Nature 260, pp. 366–367.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Fenna, R.E. and Mathews, B.W. 1975, Nature 258, pp. 573–577.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Davy Faraday Laboratory, The Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, London, W1X 4BS, UK

    George Porter

Authors
  1. George Porter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, USA

    Kenneth B. Eisenthal

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1984 D. Reidel Publishing Company

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Porter, G. (1984). The Sub-Nanosecond Regime in Photosynthesis. In: Eisenthal, K.B. (eds) Applications of Picosecond Spectroscopy to Chemistry. NATO ASI Series, vol 127. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6427-3_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6427-3_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-009-6429-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-6427-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation