This research program is intended to elucidate the molecular structure and dynamics of the photocycling intermediates in native, and in a series of artificial bacteriorhodopsin (BR) systems. The proton pumping process which operates in BR membranes is triggered by retinal excitation and will be examined with time- resolved laser measurements of the vibration and electronic state properties of selected amino acids in the trans-membrane protein. Vibrational Raman, absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies measured with femto/pico (10-13 sec to 10-12 sec) times resolution will be used to determine the configurational and conformational changes that occur. These photocycles are related to the molecular mechanism of vision and may have relevance to the design and synthesis of new photochromic material for optical data storage and fast optical switching.
