Molecular aspects of biological energy and electron transport: photosynthesis

Pulse radiolysis and flash photolysis have been applied to chemical systems involved in biological energy and electron transport processes. The processes of particular interest are those that take place in mitochondria (i.e. oxidative phosphorylation), in chloroplasts (i.e. photosynthesis) and in photo-receptors (i.e. vision). Pulse radiation techniques can be applied either to the intact biological membranes (see, for example, Witt, Quart. Rev. Biophys.; 4:365 (1971)), or to simple solutions of individual components of the various excitation and electron transport chains. The two approaches are complementary. In this paper a description is given of some data obtained from simple solutions which are helpful in interpreting information similarly gained from intact photosynthetic membranes, and hence in understanding certain aspects of photosynthesis. (author)