Peripheral Complexes of Purple Bacteria

Abstract

This chapter uses the LH2 complex from Rhodopseudomonas acidophila strain 10050 as an example to describe the current understanding of the structure of purple bacterial peripheral antenna complexes. It summarizes both what is and what is not understood. So far the structures of `standard' LH2 complexes, such as those from Rhodopseudomonas acidophila, are rather well characterized. In contrast, there is a dearth of structural information on complexes with more unusual spectroscopic properties. There is also very little information available on how these antenna complexes are assembled.