Photodynamics of two kinds of peripheral antenna complexes (LH2 of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, native LH2 (RS601) and B800-released LH2 where B800-BChls were partially or completely removed with different pH treatments), were studied using femtosecond pump-probe technique at different laser wavelengths. The obtained results for these samples with different B800/B850 ratios demonstrated that under the excitation around B800 nm, the photoabsorption and photobleaching dynamics were caused by the direct excitation of upper excitonic levels of B850 and excited state of B800 pigments, respectively. Furthermore, the removal of B800 pigments had little effect on the energy transfer processes of B850 interband/intraband transfer.

Key words: Light-harvesting complex (LH2); B800 partially or completely released LH2;Ffemtosecond pump-probe; and energy transfer.