The most recent crystal structure of the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO)  protein complex indicates the presence of an additional eighth  chromophore, which has been proposed to serve as a link between the  chlorosome and the remaining seven chromophores. Here, we investigate  the implications of this scenario through numerical calculations with  the generalized Bloch-Redfield (GBR) equation and the noninteracting  blip approximation (NIBA). It is shown that the oscillations often  observed in the population relaxation of sites 1 and 2 may be  completely suppressed in the eight-site model due to the initial  preparation. Second it is demonstrated that while the presence of the  eighth chromophore does not cause a dramatic change in the  energy-transfer efficiency, it does however lead to a dominant  energy-transfer pathway that can be characterized by an effective  three-site system. Finally, we confirm that the energy-transfer  process in the eight-site complex remains efficient and robust  through computations of the optimal values of the bath parameters.

Influence of the eighth bacteriochlorophyll on the dynamics and efficiency in  FMO

244th National Meeting (2012)

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