Triplet-minus-singlet absorbance difference spectra of reaction centers of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides R-26 in the temperature range 24–290 K measured by Magneto-Optical Difference Spectroscopy (MODS)

The recently developed technique of Magneto-Optical Difference Spectroscopy (MODS) [10] has been applied to reaction centers (RC) of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides R-26. Absorbance changes induced by a magnetic field are measured as a function of wavelength yielding the triplet-minus-singlet (T-S) absorbance difference spectrum. (T-S) spectra thus obtained have been measured from 24–290 K. Going from low to high temperature the (T-S) spectra show the following features: (a) A rapid decrease of positive absorption bands at 809 and 819 nm. (b) A slow appearance of a band shift at 798 nm. (c) A shift of the peak wavelength of the Qy absorbance band of the primary donor P-860 from 992 to 861 nm, and of its Qx band from 603 to 600 nm.