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SUMMARY:Water Photolysis in Biology: Photosystem II - Professor Bill Ruthe
 rford\, Imperial College\, London
DTSTART:20111021T130000Z
DTEND:20111021T140000Z
UID:TALK32868@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Sian Bunnage
DESCRIPTION:Photosystem II\, the water oxidising enzyme of photosynthesis\
 , is in large part responsible for converting solar energy into the high e
 nergy chemicals that sustain life on the planet. Over time the excess ener
 gy stored has accumulated as the fossil fuels. This solar-driven enzyme al
 so put the oxygen into the atmosphere and thus made the biosphere aerobic 
 with all the associated repercussions for the planet (O2-based respiration
 \, multicelluar life\, UV screening by ozone etc). It is also one of very 
 few catalysts known that is able to oxidise water with a low overpotential
 \, i.e. at close to its thermodynamic optimum. As such it is the focus of 
 much attention with a view to producing bio-inspired catalysts that have p
 otential uses for more efficient (and sustainable) energy conversion proce
 sses: such as a) H2 production by electrolysis or by photolysis\, and b) i
 n electricity production in fuel cells. We have applied biophysical\, bioc
 hemical and molecular biological methods to investigate the photochemistry
  and molecular enzymology of this remarkable enzyme. While understanding a
 spects of both structure and function ( particularly of the photochemical 
 part) of the enzyme has advanced rapidly in recent years\, some basic enym
 ological questions remain to be answered. In parallel to the biochemical a
 nd biophysical studies\, we (in association with the University of Paris a
 t Orsay) also design\, synthesize and study chemical models that are aimed
  at mimicking certain features of the water oxidising enzyme. Mn-based cat
 alysts linked to photochemical charge separating systems have been constru
 cted and characterised.
LOCATION:Pfizer Lecture Theatre\, Department of Chemistry
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