Mechanisms of chlorophyll fluorescence revisited: Prompt or delayed emission from photosystem II with closed reaction...

This paper proposes a model which correlates the exciton decay kinetics observed in picosecond fluorescence studies with the primary processes of charge separation in the reaction center of photosystem II. We conclude that the experimental results from green algae and chloroplasts from higher plants are inconsistent with the concept that delayed luminescence after charge recombination should account for the long-lived (approx. 2 ns) fluorescence decay component of closed photosystem II centers. Instead, we show that the experimental data are in agreement with a model in which the long-lived fluorescence is also prompt fluorescence. The model suggests furthermore that the rate constant of primary charge separation is regulated by the oxidation state of the quinone acceptor QA.