Photosystem I: The Light-driven Plastocyanin: Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase

This book summarizes the advances made in the last decade in the biophysics, biochemistry, and molecular biology of the enzyme known as Photosystem I, the light-induced plastocyanin: ferredoxin oxidoreductase. Photosystem I participates along with Photosystem II in harvesting solar energy to supply photosynthetic organisms with stored chemical energy in the form of ATP and stored reducing power in the form of NADPH for processes such as metabolism, growth, and reproduction.

This volume is a unique compilation of chapters that include information on molecular architecture, protein-pigment interactions, excitation and electron transfer dynamics, protein-cofactor interactions, kinetics of electron transfer and bioassembly of proteins and cofactors.

The volume begins with a series of historical perspectives that provide a solid background to the field, and ends with information on modelling of light-harvesting and electron transfer reactions, and the evolution of the reaction center. Particular attention is paid to spectroscopy, including the theory of the measurement and the interpretation of the data. The book is intended to be a comprehensive and up-to-date source of background information on the Photosystem I reaction center for seasoned researchers, those who are just entering the field, Ph.D. students, researchers and undergraduates in the fields of biophysics, biochemistry, microbiology, agriculture, and ecology.