We have obtained the magnetic resonance spectrum of the radical pair state pF by using reaction yield detected magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The magnetic resonance spectrum is quite sensitive to the local environment of pF. The data place limits on the lifetime of triplet pF and the distance of charge separation.(24). Optical measurements of the pR yield upon recombination show large magnetic field effects and have become one method of studying the radical pair state. In addition, we have found by optical measurements that the pR yield also is influenced by resonant microwaves applied to the radical pair. This is a convenient method to record the EPR spectrum of pF. Most of the transient states involved in the primary events of photosynthesis are paramagnetic, making magnetic resonance and magnetic field effects two convenient methods of studying the photosynthetic apparatus. Magnetic resonance spectros-'copy has been used extensively to help identify the radical intermediates and products of photosynthesis. In addition, the magnetic resonance spectrum and its electron spin polarization and the magnetic field dependence ofvarious reaction products have yielded some information about electron-electron dipolar interactions between radicals and about the exchange interactions that are so important for electron transfer. As attempts are made to see increasingly earlier intermediates, experimental difficulties arise due to the steadily decreasing lifetimes ofthese states. For example, in bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers, one of the earliest states is a radical pair consisting of the cation of the primary donor, P+, and the anion of a bacteriopheophytin intermediate acceptor, I-(1, 2). From the EPR spectrum of this radical pair, both the electron exchange interaction, J, and the electron-electron dipolar interaction (and hence distance of separation) can in principle be determined. However, the short lifetime of this radical pair state, pF (3) (which even in blocked reaction centers is only 10 nsec) has prevented its direct observation by conventional EPR techniques, and interactions within pF have been studied only indirectly by optical spectroscopy (3-10) or through magnetic field effects (11-16). We report here the observation ofthe magnetic resonance spectrum of this radical pair state pF at physiological temperatures by using reaction yield detected magnetic resonance (RYDMAR) spectroscopy (17-21).This radical pair state forms within about 5 psec (3, 4, 10) and decays within 200 psec or about 10 nsec (7, 8), depending on whether or not further electron transfer is blocked.When the transfer of an electron from I-to the iron-ubiquinone acceptor (22, 23), Fe-Q, is prevented by removal or chemical reduction of the quinone, charge recombination of a triplet radical pair produces the lowest excited triplet state of p, pR (7,8,(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30), while recombination ofa singlet radical pair produces both P and I in their singlet ground states (15, 24). The relative yields of pR and ground ...