Slow exciton trapping in Photosystem II: A possible physiological role

Photosystem II, which has a primary photochemical charge separation time of about 300 ps, is the slowest trapping of all photosystems. On the basis of an analysis of data from the literature this is shown to be due to a number of partly independent factors: a shallow energy funnel in the antenna, an energetically shallow trap, exciton dynamics which are partly 'trap limited' and a large antenna. It is argued that the first three of these properties of Photosystem II can be understood in terms of protective mechanisms against photoinhibition. These protective mechanisms, based on the generation of non photochemical quenching states mostly in the peripheral antenna, are able to decrease pheophytin reduction under conditions in which the primary quinone, QA, is already reduced, due to the slow trapping properties. The shallow antenna funnel is important in allowing quenching state-protective mechanisms in the peripheral antenna.