[Intermediate states formed during discharge separation in the reaction centers of Rhodospirillum rubrum in the presence of a low-redox potential].

The intermediate short-lived states arising in reaction centre preparations (RC) of purple bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum are investigated under the conditions of low redox potential. Excitation by 353 and 530 nm laser pulses produced two states characterized by optical absorption changes in the range of 350--650 nm and lifetimes: 10--30 ns for the first state and 2.5 +/- 0.5 microseconds for the second one. The first state is similar to the state PF, described previously by Parson et al. for RC from Rps. sphaeroides. Carotenoid extraction with isooctane resulted in changing the spectrum with tau = 2.5 microseconds and in the appearance of new absorption changes similar to those for the R state observed before in carotenoidless bacterial strains within microsecond time range. The comparison of the microsecond spectra with difference spectra (continuous light minus dark) of RC from R. rubrum in the range of 350--650 nm made it possible to identify the states with tau = 2.5 microseconds as carotenoid triplet states. The ratio of quantum yields of PR and carotenoid triplet states production was determined as being 1 : 1. The conclusion was made that triplet-triplet energy transfer from state PR to carotenoid is responsible for the production of carotenoid triplet states.