Synthesis and energy transfer of model conjugate of phycobilisome rods

The conjugate of R-phycoerythrin (R-PE) and C-phycocyanin (C-PC) was synthesized through a heterobifunctional coupling reagent, N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate. The molar ratio of R-PE to C-PC was determined by absorption spectra, and the result was 2:1. The energy transfer phenomena were observed from steady-state fluorescence spectra. The calculated result showed that the energy transfer efficiency from R-PE to C-PC was 88%. The energy transfer kinetics was determined by picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectra. The time constant of energy transfer from R-PE to C-PC was 80 ps, which was much longer than that in the rod of native phycobilisomes.