Fluorescence and absorption detected magnetic resonance of membranes from the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium limicola.: Full assignment of detected triplet states

Optically detected magnetic resonance of chlorosomes-containing membranes from the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium limicola has been performed both by fluorescence and absorption detection. Triplet states localized in the chlorosomes and in the FMO complex have been characterized. After chemical reduction with dithionite followed by illumination at 200 K, a recombination triplet state localized in the primary donor P840 becomes populated under illumination at low temperature. A reaction center triplet state characterized by slightly different ZFS parameters, grows; up irreversibly after prolonged illumination at low temperature in the presence of reductant. We were able to obtain the T-S spectra of the FMO complex and of the primary donor P840 in their native environment and to compare them to the spectra obtained in isolated complexes previously published, revealing differences in the spectra. Fluorescence detected magnetic resonance measurements demonstrate that the BChl c antenna pigments are connected via energy transfer to the BChl a molecules at the low temperature of the measurements (1.8 K) and that all the pigments carrying the triplet states are sensitive to the redox treatment. Dithionite reduction, in fact, induces an enhancement of the BChl c and, at a major extent, of the BChl a fluorescence yield accompanied by an increase of the yield of all the triplet states of the pigments. Evidence for the presence of BChl c excited states quenchers in the core chlorosome and for their selective effect at low temperature is provided, and the location of the quenchers close to BChl c molecules absorbing at longer wavelengths discussed.