P840-reaction centers from Chlorobium tepidum - Quinone analysis and functional reconstitution into lipid vesicles

Membranes of Chlorobium tepidum contain about 35, 45 and 2-10 molecules of menaquinone-7, chlorobium quinone (1'-oxo-menaquinone-7) and of the polar menaquinone (probably 1'-OH-menaquinone-7) per reaction center, respectively. None of these quinones was retained during the isolation of P840-reaction centers beyond the detection limit of about 0.2 quinones per reaction center, neither in the core complex nor in functionally intact reaction center preparations. The latter is shown to catalyze the formation of an electrochemical proton gradient in the presence of ascorbate and phenazinium methosulfate, when it is incorporated into lipid vesicles.