Physical origins and models of energy transfer in photosynthetic light-harvesting

Abstract

We perform a quantitative comparison of different energy transfer theories, i.e. modified Redfield, standard and generalized Förster theories, as well as combined Redfield–Förster approach. Physical limitations of these approaches are illustrated and critical values of the key parameters indicating their validity are found. We model at a quantitative level the spectra and dynamics in two photosynthetic antenna complexes: in phycoerythrin 545 from cryptophyte algae and in trimeric LHCII complex from higher plants. These two examples show how the structural organization determines a directed energy transfer and how equilibration within antenna subunits and migration between subunits are superimposed.