title: Ultrafast infrared spectroscopy in photosynthesis.
abstract: In recent years visible pump/mid-infrared (IR) probe spectroscopy has established itself as a key technology to unravel structure-function relationships underlying the photo-dynamics of complex molecular systems. In this contribution we review the most important applications of mid-infrared absorption difference spectroscopy with sub-picosecond time-resolution to photosynthetic complexes. Considering several examples, such as energy transfer in photosynthetic antennas and electron transfer in reaction centers and even more intact structures, we show that the acquisition of ultrafast time resolved mid-IR spectra has led to new insights into the photo-dynamics of the considered systems and allows establishing a direct link between dynamics and structure, further strengthened by the possibility of investigating the protein response signal to the energy or electron transfer processes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Vibrational spectroscopies and bioenergetic systems.
authors: LENS (European laboratory for non linear spectroscopy), via N. Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy; Dipartimento di Chimica 'Ugo Schiff', Universita' di Firenze, via della Lastruccia 13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy; INO (Istituto Nazionale di Ottica), Largo Fermi 6, 50125 Firenze, Italy.
authors: Mariangela
authors: M
authors: Di Donato
authors: VU University Amsterdam, Department of Sciences-Physics, LaserLab Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.l.groot@vu.nl.
authors: Marie Louise
authors: ML
authors: Groot
mesh_terms: D004579:Electron Transport; D004735:Energy Transfer; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins
keywords: Electron transfer; Energy transfer; Photosynthesis; Reaction center; Review; Ultrafast infrared spectroscopy