The BLUF domain of the transcriptional anti-repressor protein AppA from the non-sulfur anoxyphototrophic purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides was characterized by absorption and emission spectroscopy. The BLUF domain constructs AppA 148 (consisting of amino-acid residues 1–148) and AppA 126 (amino-acid residues 1–126) are investigated. The cofactor of the investigated domains is found to consist of a mixture of the flavins riboflavin, FMN, and FAD. The dark-adapted domains exist in two different active receptor conformations (receptor states) with different sub-nanosecond fluorescence lifetimes (BLUF r,f and BLUF r,sl ) and a small non-interacting conformation (BLUF nc ). The active receptor conformations are transformed to putative signalling states (BLUF s,f and BLUF s,sl ) of low fluorescence efficiency and picosecond fluorescence lifetime by blue-light excitation (light-adapted domains). In the dark at room temperature both signalling states recover back to the initial receptor states with a time constant of about 17min. A quantum yield of signalling state formation of about 25% was determined by intensity dependent transmission measurements. A photo-cycle scheme is presented including photo-induced charge transfer complex formation, charge recombination, and protein binding pocket reorganisation.