Theoretical study of bacteriochlorophyll aggregates using methods of quantum chemistry and molecular mechanics
Abstrakt
This bachelor thesis is focused on the theoretical study of bacteriochlorophyll aggregates.
Bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) is a photosynthetic pigment found in light-harvesting antenna
systems called chlorosomes. It has been found, that in chlorosomes these aggregates have a
lamellar nature, and form distinct curvature. The aim of the thesis was to attempt to identify
the origin of curvature formation in chlorosomes aggregates from a local energy perspective,
by geometrically optimizing the system and calculating the local interaction energy of
tetramer structures located in different sections of BChl aggregates employing different
methods of computational chemistry. The results suggest that curvature does not originate
from local interactions.