title: Stabilization effect of single-walled carbon nanotubes on the functioning of photosynthetic reaction centers.
abstract: The interaction between single-walled carbon nanotubes and photosynthetic reaction centers purified from purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26 has been investigated. Atomic force microscopy studies provide evidence that reaction center protein can be attached effectively to the nanotubes. The typical diameter of the nanotube is 1-4 nm and 15 +/- 2 nm without and with the reaction centers, respectively. Light-induced absorption change measurements indicate the stabilization of the P+(Q(A)Q(B))- charge pair, which is formed after single saturating light excitation after the attachment to nanotubes. The separation of light-induced charges is followed by slow reorganization of the protein structure. The stabilization effect of light-initiated charges by the carbon nanotubes opens a possible direction of several applications, the most promising being in energy conversion and storage devices.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorogi
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Balint
authors.forename: Csilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mikó
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vileno
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milas
authors.forename: Klara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hernadi
authors.forename: Laszló
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forró
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varó
authors.forename: Laszló
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nagy
mesh_terms: D004563:Electrochemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D012242:Rhodobacter sphaeroides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins