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Govindjee G, Amesz B, Garab G, Stirbet A. Remembering Jan Amesz (1934-2001): a great gentleman, a major discoverer, and an internationally renowned biophysicist of both oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthesis a. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2024; 160:125-142. [PMID: 38687462 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-024-01102-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
We present here the research contributions of Jan Amesz (1934-2001) on deciphering the details of the early physico-chemical steps in oxygenic photosynthesis in plants, algae and cyanobacteria, as well as in anoxygenic photosynthesis in purple, green, and heliobacteria. His research included light absorption and the mechanism of excitation energy transfer, primary photochemistry, and electron transfer steps until the reduction of pyridine nucleotides. Among his many discoveries, we emphasize his 1961 proof, with L. N. M. Duysens, of the "series scheme" of oxygenic photosynthesis, through antagonistic effects of Light I and II on the redox state of cytochrome f. Further, we highlight the following research on oxygenic photosynthesis: the experimental direct proof that plastoquinone and plastocyanin function at their respective places in the Z-scheme. In addition, Amesz's major contributions were in unraveling the mechanism of excitation energy transfer and electron transport steps in anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria (purple, green and heliobacteria). Before we present his research, focusing on his key discoveries, we provide a glimpse of his personal life. We end this Tribute with reminiscences from three of his former doctoral students (Sigi Neerken; Hjalmar Pernentier, and Frank Kleinherenbrink) and from several scientists (Suleyman Allakhverdiev; Robert Blankenship; Richard Cogdell) including two of the authors (G. Garab and A. Stirbet) of this Tribute.
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Affiliation(s)
- Govindjee Govindjee
- Department of Plant Biology, Department of Biochemistry, and the Center of Biophysics & Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Bas Amesz
- Albertus Perkstraat 35, 1217 NL, Hilversum, The Netherlands
| | - Győző Garab
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Plant Biology, HUN-REN, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000, Ostrava, Czech Republic
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Magdaong NCM, Niedzwiedzki DM, Saer RG, Goodson C, Blankenship RE. Excitation energy transfer kinetics and efficiency in phototrophic green sulfur bacteria. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2018; 1859:1180-1190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2018.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Rätsep M, Freiberg A. Unusual temperature quenching of bacteriochlorophyll a fluorescence in FMO antenna protein trimers. Chem Phys Lett 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2006.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Picosecond measurements of the primary photochemical events in reaction centers isolated from the facultative green photosynthetic bacterium Chloroflexus aurantiacus. FEBS Lett 2001. [DOI: 10.1016/0014-5793(83)80679-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Freiberg A, Lin S, Timpmann K, Blankenship RE. Exciton dynamics in FMO bacteriochlorophyll protein at low temperatures. J Phys Chem B 2001; 101:7211-20. [PMID: 11542264 DOI: 10.1021/jp9633761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A time response over almost 5 decades (from 10(-13) to about 10(-8) s) to a (sub)picosecond laser pulse excitation has been observed in the Fenna, Matthews, and Olson (FMO) antenna protein trimer. The FMO protein is unique in having a fine-structured bacteriochiorophyll a Qy exciton absorption spectrum over the whole investigated temperature range between 6 and 160 K. As measured by a two-color pump-probe differential absorption, the population decay of the exciton states of seven strongly coupled bacteriochlorophyll a molecules in a protein monomer is the dominant dynamical process in the subpicosecond time domain. The through-band scattering takes a few picoseconds and depends only weakly on temperature, probably because of a low density of exciton states. At low temperatures, evidence for a slow pico-nanosecond relaxation process has also been obtained via time-dependent red-shift and broadening of the exciton emission spectrum. Two nonexclusive tentative interpretations to this effect have been provided. The phenomenon may be due to exciton solvation in the surrounding protein and water-glycerol matrix or/and due to slow scattering of closely spaced bacteriochlorophyll a exciton states in a protein trimer. The shape of the excited-state absorption spectrum (arising from transitions between singly and doubly excited exciton states) and its oscillator strength has been roughly estimated from the analysis of the pump-probe spectrum. The spectrum peaks at around 805 nm and is less featured compared to the ground-state absorption spectrum. Both spectra have comparable strength.
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Vulto SIE, Neerken S, Louwe RJW, de Baat MA, Amesz J, Aartsma TJ. Excited-State Structure and Dynamics in FMO Antenna Complexes from Photosynthetic Green Sulfur Bacteria. J Phys Chem B 1998. [DOI: 10.1021/jp983003v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simone I. E. Vulto
- Department of Biophysics, Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sieglinde Neerken
- Department of Biophysics, Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robert J. W. Louwe
- Department of Biophysics, Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel A. de Baat
- Department of Biophysics, Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Amesz
- Department of Biophysics, Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Thijs J. Aartsma
- Department of Biophysics, Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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Franken EM, Neerken S, Louwe RJ, Amesz J, Aartsma TJ. A permanent hole burning study of the FMO antenna complex of the green sulfur bacterium Prosthecochloris aestuarii. Biochemistry 1998; 37:5046-51. [PMID: 9548735 DOI: 10.1021/bi972264c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A permanent hole burning study on the Fenna-Matthews-Olson, or FMO, antenna complex of the green sulfur bacterium Prosthecochloris aestuarii was carried out at 6 K. Excitation resulted not only in relatively sharp features resonant with the burn wavelength but also in broad absorbance changes in the wavelength region of 800-820 nm. The shape of the latter changes was almost independent of the wavelength of excitation. Evidence is given that they are induced by a different mechanism than that which causes the resonant holes and that they may be due to a conformational change of the protein. The original spectrum was restored upon warming to 60 K. The effective dephasing times T2, as obtained from the homogeneous line widths, increased from about 0.5 ps at 803 nm to >/=20 ps at 830 nm and are in good agreement with recent measurements of accumulated photon-echo and time-resolved absorbance changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Franken
- Department of Biophysics, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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Freiberg A, Ellervee A, Tars M, Timpmann K, Laisaar A. Electron transfer and electronic energy relaxation under high hydrostatic pressure. Biophys Chem 1997; 68:189-205. [PMID: 17029906 DOI: 10.1016/s0301-4622(97)00046-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/1997] [Revised: 03/20/1997] [Accepted: 03/20/1997] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The following question has been addressed in the present work. How external high (up to 8 kbar) hydrostatic pressure acts on photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer and on exciton relaxation processes? Unlike phenomena, as they are, have been studied in different systems: electron transfer in an artificial Zn-porphyrin-pyromellitimide (ZnP-PM) supramolecular electron donor-acceptor complex dissolved in toluene measured at room temperature; exciton relaxation in a natural photosynthetic antenna protein called FMO protein measured at low temperatures, between 4 and 100 K. Spectrally selective picosecond time-resolved emission technique has been used to detect pressure-induced changes in the systems. The following conclusions have been drawn from the electron transfer study: (i) External pressure may serve as a potential and sensitive tool not only to study, but also to control and tune elementary chemical reactions in solvents; (ii) Depending on the system parameters, pressure can both accelerate and inhibit electron transfer reactions; (iii) If competing pathways of the reaction are available, pressure can probably change the branching ratio between the pathways; (iv) The classical nonadiabatic electron transfer theory describes well the phenomena in the ZnP-PM complex, assuming that the driving force or/and reorganisation energy depend linearly on pressure; (v) A decrease in the ZnP-PM donor-acceptor distance under pressure exerts a minor effect on the electron transfer rate. The effect of pressure on the FMO protein exciton relaxation dynamics at low temperatures has been found marginal. This may probably be explained by a unique structure of the protein [D.E. Trondrud, M.F. Schmid, B.W. Matthews, J. Mol. Biol. 188 (1986) p. 443; Y.-F. Li, W. Zhou, E. Blankenship, J.P. Allen, J. Mol. Biol., submitted]. A barrel made of low compressibility beta-sheets may, like a diving bell, effectively screen internal bacteriochlorophyll a molecules from external influence of high pressure. The origin of the observed slow pico = and subnanosecond dynamics of the excitons at the exciton band bottom remains open. The phenomenon may be due to weak coupling of phonons to the exciton states or/and to low density of the relevant low-frequency ( approximately 50 cm(-1)) phonons. Exciton solvation in the surrounding protein and water-glycerol matrix may also contribute to this effect. Drastic changes of spectral, kinetic and dynamic properties have been observed due to protein denaturation, if the protein was compressed at room temperature and then cooled down, as compared to the samples, first cooled and then pressurised.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Freiberg
- Institute of Physics, Riia 142, EE2400 Tartu, Estonia.
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Louwe RJW, Aartsma TJ. On the Nature of Energy Transfer at Low Temperatures in the BChl a Pigment−Protein Complex of Green Sulfur Bacteria. J Phys Chem B 1997. [DOI: 10.1021/jp963370b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. J. W. Louwe
- Department of Biophysics, Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P. O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - T. J. Aartsma
- Department of Biophysics, Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P. O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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Kramer H, Aartsma TJ, Amesz J. Excited States and Charge Separation in Membranes of the Green Sulfur Bacterium Prosthecochloris aestuarii. Photochem Photobiol 1996. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1996.tb02417.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Optical and structural properties of chlorosomes of the photosynthetic green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium limicola. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 1986. [DOI: 10.1016/0005-2728(86)90162-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Siefermann-Harms D. Carotenoids in photosynthesis. I. Location in photosynthetic membranes and light-harvesting function. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1985. [DOI: 10.1016/0304-4173(85)90006-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Nuijs AM, Vasmel H, Joppe HP, Duysens LN, Amesz J. Excited states and primary charge separation in the pigment system of the green photosynthetic bacterium Prosthecochloris aestuarii as studied by picosecond absorbance difference spectroscopy. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 1985. [DOI: 10.1016/0005-2728(85)90049-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Van Bochove A, Swarthoff T, Kingma H, Hof R, Van Grondelle R, Duysens L, Amesz J. A study of the primary charge separation in green bacteria by means of flash spectroscopy. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 1984. [DOI: 10.1016/0005-2728(84)90105-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Vasmel H, Swarthoff T, Kramer HJ, Amesz J. Isolation and properties of a pigment-protein complex associated with the reaction center of the green photosynthetic sulfur bacterium Prosthecochloris aestuarii. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 1983. [DOI: 10.1016/0005-2728(83)90210-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Prompt and delayed fluorescence in pigment-protein complexes of a green photosynthetic bacterium. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 1982. [DOI: 10.1016/0005-2728(82)90176-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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