The primary photoreactions in the complex cytochrome-P-890-P-760 (bacteriopheophytin760) of Chromatium minutissimum at low redox potentials.

Experimental evidence for electron transfer, photosensitized by bacteriochlorophyll, from cytochrome c to a pigment complex P-760 (involving bacteriopheophytin-760 and also bacteriochlorophyll-800) in the reaction centers of Chromatium minutissimum has been described. This photoreaction occurs between 77 and 293 degrees K at a redox potential of the medium between -250 and -530 mV. Photoreduction of P-760 is accompanied by development of a wide absorption band at 650 nm and of an EPR signal with g=2.0025+/-0.0005 and linewidth of 12.5+/-0.5 G, which are characteristic of the pigment radical anion. It is suggested that the photoreduction of P-760 occurs under the interaction of reduced cytochrome c with the reaction center state P+-890-P--760 which is induced by light. The existence of short-lived state P+-890-P--760 is indicated by the recombination luminescence with activation energy of 0.12 eV and t 1/2 less than or equal to 6 ns. This luminescence is exicted and emitted by bacteriochlorophyll and disappears when P-760 is reduced. At low redox potentials, the flash-induced absorbance changes related to the formation of the carotenoid triplet state with t 1/2 = 6 mus at 20 degreesC are observed. This state is not formed when P-760 is reduced at 293 and 160 degrees K. It is assumed that this state is formed from the reaction center state P+-890---760, which appears to be a primary product of light reaction in the bacterial reaction centers and which is probably identical with the state PF described in recent works.