Stark effect in wild-type and heterodimer-containing reaction centers from Rhodobacter capsulatus

The effect of an external electric field on the optical absorption spectra of wild-type Rhodobacter capsulatus and two Rb. capsulatus reaction centers that have been genetically modified through site-directed mutagenesis (HisM200----LeuM200 and HisM200----PheM200) was measured at 77 K. The two genetically modified reaction centers replace histidine M200, the axial ligand to the M-side bacteriochlorophyll of the special pair, with either leucine or phenylalanine. These substitutions result in the replacement of the M-side bacteriochlorophyll with bacteriopheophytin, forming a bacteriochlorophyll-bacteriopheophytin heterodimer. The magnitude of the change in dipole moment from the ground to excited state (delta mu app) and the angle delta between the Qy transition moment and the direction of delta mu app were measured for the special pair absorption band for all three reaction centers. The values for delta mu app and delta obtained for wild-type Rb. capsulatus (delta mu app = 6.7 +/- 1.0 D, delta = 38 +/- 3 degrees) were the same within experimental error as those of Rhodobacter sphaeroides and Rhodopseudomonas viridis. The values for delta mu app and delta obtained for the red-most Stark band of both heterodimers were the same, but delta mu was substantially different from that of wild-type reaction centers (HisM200----LeuM200, delta mu app greater than or equal to 14.1 D and delta = 33 +/- 3 degrees; HisM200----PheM200, delta mu app greater than or equal to 15.7 D and delta = 31 +/- 4 degrees).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)