A two-dimensional many-body system with competing interactions as a model for segregation of photosystems in thylakoids of green plants.
We address the segregation of photosystems I (PSI) and II (PSII) in thylakoid membranes by means of a molecular dynamics method. We assume a two-dimensional (in-plane) problem with PSI and PSII being represented by particles with different values of negative charge. The pair interactions between particles include a screened Coulomb repulsive part and am exponentially decaying attractive part. Our modeling results suggest that the system may have a complicated phase behavior, including a quasi-crystalline phase at low ionic screening, a disordered phase and, in addition, a possible "clotting" agglomerate phase at high screening where the photosystems tend to clot together. The relevance of the observed phenomena to the stacking of thylakoid membranes is discussed.
Rojdestvenski
I
I
Department of Plant Physiology, Umea University, Sweden. igor.rojdestvenski@plantphys.umu.se
Ivanov
A G
AG
Cottam
M G
MG
Oquist
G
G
D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D007477:Ions; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D020524:Thylakoids / Q000737:chemistry*
D007477:Ions; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins