1
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Rockwell NC, Lagarias JC. Cyanobacteriochromes from Gloeobacterales Provide New Insight into the Diversification of Cyanobacterial Photoreceptors. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168313. [PMID: 37839679 PMCID: PMC11218821 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The phytochrome superfamily comprises three groups of photoreceptors sharing a conserved GAF (cGMP-specific phosphodiesterases, cyanobacterial adenylate cyclases, and formate hydrogen lyase transcription activator FhlA) domain that uses a covalently attached linear tetrapyrrole (bilin) chromophore to sense light. Knotted red/far-red phytochromes are widespread in both bacteria and eukaryotes, but cyanobacteria also contain knotless red/far-red phytochromes and cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs). Unlike typical phytochromes, CBCRs require only the GAF domain for bilin binding, chromophore ligation, and full, reversible photoconversion. CBCRs can sense a wide range of wavelengths (ca. 330-750 nm) and can regulate phototaxis, second messenger metabolism, and optimization of the cyanobacterial light-harvesting apparatus. However, the origins of CBCRs are not well understood: we do not know when or why CBCRs evolved, or what selective advantages led to retention of early CBCRs in cyanobacterial genomes. In the current work, we use the increasing availability of genomes and metagenome-assembled-genomes from early-branching cyanobacteria to explore the origins of CBCRs. We reaffirm the earliest branches in CBCR evolution. We also show that early-branching cyanobacteria contain late-branching CBCRs, implicating early appearance of CBCRs during cyanobacterial evolution. Moreover, we show that early-branching CBCRs behave as integrators of light and pH, providing a potential unique function for early CBCRs that led to their retention and subsequent diversification. Our results thus provide new insight into the origins of these diverse cyanobacterial photoreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan C Rockwell
- 31 Briggs Hall, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, One Shields Avenue, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - J Clark Lagarias
- 31 Briggs Hall, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, One Shields Avenue, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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2
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Kim Y, Alia A, Kurle-Tucholski P, Wiebeler C, Matysik J. Electronic Structures of Radical-Pair-Forming Cofactors in a Heliobacterial Reaction Center. Molecules 2024; 29:1021. [PMID: 38474533 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29051021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) are membrane proteins converting photonic excitations into electric gradients. The heliobacterial RCs (HbRCs) are assumed to be the precursors of all known RCs, making them a compelling subject for investigating structural and functional relationships. A comprehensive picture of the electronic structure of the HbRCs is still missing. In this work, the combination of selective isotope labelling of 13C and 15N nuclei and the utilization of photo-CIDNP MAS NMR (photochemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance) allows for highly enhanced signals from the radical-pair-forming cofactors. The remarkable magnetic-field dependence of the solid-state photo-CIDNP effect allows for observation of positive signals of the electron donor cofactor at 4.7 T, which is interpreted in terms of a dominant contribution of the differential relaxation (DR) mechanism. Conversely, at 9.4 T, the emissive signals mainly originate from the electron acceptor, due to the strong activation of the three-spin mixing (TSM) mechanism. Consequently, we have utilized two-dimensional homonuclear photo-CIDNP MAS NMR at both 4.7 T and 9.4 T. These findings from experimental investigations are corroborated by calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). This allows us to present a comprehensive investigation of the electronic structure of the cofactors involved in electron transfer (ET).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunmi Kim
- Institut für Analytische Chemie, Universität Leipzig, Linnéstraße 3, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - A Alia
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2301 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik, Universität Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Patrick Kurle-Tucholski
- Institut für Analytische Chemie, Universität Leipzig, Linnéstraße 3, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Wiebeler
- Institut für Analytische Chemie, Universität Leipzig, Linnéstraße 3, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, Universitätsstraße 1, D-86159 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Matysik
- Institut für Analytische Chemie, Universität Leipzig, Linnéstraße 3, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Kosumi D, Bandou-Uotani M, Kato S, Kawakami K, Yonekura K, Kamiya N. Reinvestigation on primary processes of PSII-dimer from Thermosynechococcus vulcanus by femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2024; 159:79-91. [PMID: 38363474 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-024-01076-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Cyanobacterial photosynthetic apparatus efficiently capture sunlight, and the energy is subsequently transferred to photosystem I (PSI) and II (PSII), to produce electrochemical potentials. PSII is a unique membrane protein complex that photo-catalyzes oxidation of water and majorly contains photosynthetic pigments of chlorophyll a and carotenoids. In the present study, the ultrafast energy transfer and charge separation dynamics of PSII from a thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus vulcanus were reinvestigated by femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopic measurements under low temperature and weak intensity excitation condition. The results imply the two possible models of the energy transfers and subsequent charge separation in PSII. One is the previously suggested "transfer-to-trapped limit" model. Another model suggests that the energy transfers from core CP43 and CP47 antennas to the primary electron donor ChlD1 with time-constants of 0.71 ps and 3.28 ps at 140 K (0.17 and 1.33 ps at 296 K), respectively and that the pheophytin anion (PheoD1-) is generated with the time-constant of 43.0 ps at 140 K (14.8 ps at 296 K) upon excitation into the Qy band of chlorophyll a at 670 nm. The secondary electron transfer to quinone QA: PheoD1-QA → PheoD1QA- is observed with the time-constant of 650 ps only at 296 K. On the other hand, an inefficient β-carotene → chlorophyll a energy transfer (33%) occurred after excitation to the S2 state of β-carotene at 500 nm. Instead, the carotenoid triplet state appeared in an ultrafast timescale after excitation at 500 nm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Kosumi
- Institute of Industrial Nanomaterials, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan.
| | - Miki Bandou-Uotani
- School of Graduate Studies, The Open University of Japan, 2-11 Wakaba, Mihama-Ku, Chiba, 261-8586, Japan
- Division of Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
| | - Shunya Kato
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
| | - Keisuke Kawakami
- Biostructual Mechanism Laboratory, RIKEN, SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo, Hyougo, 679-5148, Japan.
| | - Koji Yonekura
- Biostructual Mechanism Laboratory, RIKEN, SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo, Hyougo, 679-5148, Japan
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
| | - Nobuo Kamiya
- The OCU Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, Osaka Metropolitan University, 3-3-138Sumiyoshi-Ku, SugimotoOsaka City, Osaka, 558-8585, Japan
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4
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Brütting M, Foerster JM, Kümmel S. Understanding Primary Charge Separation in the Heliobacterial Reaction Center. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:3092-3102. [PMID: 36951395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The homodimeric reaction center of heliobacteria retains features of the ancestral reaction center and can thus provide insights into the evolution of photosynthesis. Primary charge separation is expected to proceed in a two-step mechanism along either of the two reaction center branches. We reveal the first charge-separation step from first-principles calculations based on time-dependent density functional theory with an optimally tuned range-separated hybrid and ab initio Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics: the electron is most likely localized on the electron transfer cofactor 3 (EC3, OH-chlorophyll a), and the hole on the adjacent EC2. Including substantial parts of the surrounding protein environment into the calculations shows that a distinct structural mechanism is decisive for the relative energetic positioning of the electronic excitations: specific charged amino acids in the vicinity of EC3 lower the energy of charge-transfer excitations and thus facilitate efficient charge separation. These results are discussed considering recent experimental insights.
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5
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Orf GS, Gisriel CJ, Granstrom J, Baker PL, Redding KE. The PshX subunit of the photochemical reaction center from Heliobacterium modesticaldum acts as a low-energy antenna. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2022; 151:11-30. [PMID: 34480322 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-021-00871-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Heliobacterium modesticaldum contains a photochemical reaction center protein complex (called the HbRC) consisting of a homodimer of the PshA polypeptide and two copies of a newly discovered polypeptide called PshX, which is a single transmembrane helix that binds two bacteriochlorophyll g molecules. To assess the function of PshX, we produced a ∆pshX strain of Hbt. modesticaldum by leveraging the endogenous Hbt. modesticaldum Type I-A CRISPR-Cas system to aid in mutant selection. We optimized this system by separating the homologous recombination and CRISPR-based selection steps into two plasmid transformations, allowing for markerless gene replacement. Fluorescence and low-temperature absorbance of the purified HbRC from the wild-type and ∆pshX strains showed that the bacteriochlorophylls bound by PshX have the lowest site energies in the entire HbRC. This indicates that PshX acts as a low-energy antenna subunit, participating in entropy-assisted uphill energy transfer toward the P800 special bacteriochlorophyll g pair. We further discuss the role that PshX may play in stability of the HbRC, its conservation in other heliobacterial species, and the evolutionary pressure to produce and maintain single-TMH subunits in similar locations in other reaction centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory S Orf
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- Infectious Disease Research, Abbott Diagnostics Division, Abbott Park, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Christopher J Gisriel
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Jesse Granstrom
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Patricia L Baker
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Kevin E Redding
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
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6
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Gorka M, Baldansuren A, Malnati A, Gruszecki E, Golbeck JH, Lakshmi KV. Shedding Light on Primary Donors in Photosynthetic Reaction Centers. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:735666. [PMID: 34659164 PMCID: PMC8517396 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.735666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlorophylls (Chl)s exist in a variety of flavors and are ubiquitous in both the energy and electron transfer processes of photosynthesis. The functions they perform often occur on the ultrafast (fs-ns) time scale and until recently, these have been difficult to measure in real time. Further, the complexity of the binding pockets and the resulting protein-matrix effects that alter the respective electronic properties have rendered theoretical modeling of these states difficult. Recent advances in experimental methodology, computational modeling, and emergence of new reaction center (RC) structures have renewed interest in these processes and allowed researchers to elucidate previously ambiguous functions of Chls and related pheophytins. This is complemented by a wealth of experimental data obtained from decades of prior research. Studying the electronic properties of Chl molecules has advanced our understanding of both the nature of the primary charge separation and subsequent electron transfer processes of RCs. In this review, we examine the structures of primary electron donors in Type I and Type II RCs in relation to the vast body of spectroscopic research that has been performed on them to date. Further, we present density functional theory calculations on each oxidized primary donor to study both their electronic properties and our ability to model experimental spectroscopic data. This allows us to directly compare the electronic properties of hetero- and homodimeric RCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Gorka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Amgalanbaatar Baldansuren
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and The Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Amanda Malnati
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and The Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Elijah Gruszecki
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and The Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - John H. Golbeck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - K. V. Lakshmi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and The Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
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7
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Excitonic structure and charge separation in the heliobacterial reaction center probed by multispectral multidimensional spectroscopy. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2801. [PMID: 33990569 PMCID: PMC8121816 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23060-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Photochemical reaction centers are the engines that drive photosynthesis. The reaction center from heliobacteria (HbRC) has been proposed to most closely resemble the common ancestor of photosynthetic reaction centers, motivating a detailed understanding of its structure-function relationship. The recent elucidation of the HbRC crystal structure motivates advanced spectroscopic studies of its excitonic structure and charge separation mechanism. We perform multispectral two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy of the HbRC and corresponding numerical simulations, resolving the electronic structure and testing and refining recent excitonic models. Through extensive examination of the kinetic data by lifetime density analysis and global target analysis, we reveal that charge separation proceeds via a single pathway in which the distinct A0 chlorophyll a pigment is the primary electron acceptor. In addition, we find strong delocalization of the charge separation intermediate. Our findings have general implications for the understanding of photosynthetic charge separation mechanisms, and how they might be tuned to achieve different functional goals. The primary energy conversion step in photosynthesis, charge separation, takes place in the reaction center. Here the authors investigate the heliobacterial reaction center using multispectral two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy, identifying the primary electron acceptor and revealing the charge separation mechanism.
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8
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Brütting M, Foerster JM, Kümmel S. Investigating Primary Charge Separation in the Reaction Center of Heliobacterium modesticaldum. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:3468-3475. [PMID: 33788561 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c10283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We compute the primary charge separation step in the homodimeric reaction center (RC) of Heliobacterium modesticaldum from first principles. Using time-dependent density functional theory with the optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functional ωPBE, we calculate the excitations of a system comprising the special pair, the adjacent accessory bacteriochlorophylls, and the most relevant parts of the surrounding protein environment. The structure of the excitation spectrum can be rationalized from coupling of the individual bacteriochlorophyll pigments similar to molecular J- and H-aggregates. We find excited states corresponding to forward-charge transfer along the individual branches of the RC of H. modesticaldum. In the spectrum, these are located at an energy between the coupled Qy and Qx transitions. With ab initio Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations, we reveal the influence of thermal vibrations on the excited states. The results show that the energy gap between the coupled Qy and the forward-charge transfer excitations is ∼0.4 eV, which we consider to conflict with the concept of a direct transfer mechanism. Our calculations, however, reveal a certain spectral overlap of the forward-charge transfer and the coupled Qx excitations. The reliability and robustness of the results are demonstrated by several numerical tests.
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9
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Orf GS, Redding KE. Perturbation of the primary acceptor chlorophyll site in the heliobacterial reaction center by coordinating amino acid substitution. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2020; 1862:148324. [PMID: 33039349 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2020.148324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
All known Type I photochemical reaction center protein complexes contain a form of the pigment chlorophyll a in their primary electron acceptor site (termed ec3). In the reaction center from the primitive heliobacteria (HbRC), all of the pigment cofactors are bacteriochlorophyll g except in the ec3 sites, which contain 81-hydroxychlorophyll a. To explore the energetic flexibility of this site, we performed site-directed mutagenesis on two of the amino acids of the PshA core polypeptide responsible for coordinating the 81-hydroxychlorophyll a. These two amino acids are serine-545, which coordinates the central Mg(II) through an intermediary water molecule, and serine-553, which participates in a hydrogen bond with the 131-keto O atom. Mutagenesis of serine-545 to histidine (S545H) changes how the chlorophyll's central Mg(II) is coordinated, with the result of decreasing the chlorophyll's site energy. Mutagenesis of serine-545 to methionine (S545M), which was made to mimic the ec3 site of Photosystem I, abolishes chlorophyll binding and charge separation altogether. Mutagenesis of serine-553 to alanine (S553A) removes the aforementioned hydrogen bond, increasing the site energy of the chlorophyll. In the S545H and S553A mutants, the forward and reverse electron transfer rates from ec3 are both faster. This coincides with a decrease in both the quantum yield of initial charge separation and the overall photochemical quantum yield. Taken together, these data indicate that wild-type HbRC is optimized for overall photochemical efficiency, rather than just for maximizing the forward electron transfer rate. The necessity for a chlorophyll a derivative at the ec3 site is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory S Orf
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Kevin E Redding
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
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10
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Energy transfer and primary charge separation upon selective femtosecond excitation at 810 nm in the reaction center complex from Heliobacterium modesticaldum. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2020.112758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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11
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Taylor N, Kassal I. Why are photosynthetic reaction centres dimeric? Chem Sci 2019; 10:9576-9585. [PMID: 32055331 PMCID: PMC6993572 DOI: 10.1039/c9sc03712h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
All photosynthetic organisms convert solar energy into chemical energy through charge separation in dimeric reaction centres. It is unknown why early reaction centres dimerised and completely displaced their monomeric ancestors. Here, we discuss several proposed explanations for reaction-centre dimerism and conclude-with only weak assumptions about the primordial dimerisation event-that the most probable explanation for the dimerism is that it arose because it enhanced light-harvesting efficiency by deepening the excitonic trap, i.e., by enhancing the rate of exciton transfer from an antenna complex and decreasing the rate of back transfer. This effect would have outweighed the negative effect dimerisation would have had on charge transfer within the reaction centre. Our argument implies that dimerisation likely occurred after the evolution of the first antennas, and it explains why the lower-energy state of the special pair is bright.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Taylor
- School of Chemistry and University of Sydney Nano Institute , University of Queensland , QLD 4072 , Australia
| | - Ivan Kassal
- School of Chemistry , University of Sydney Nano Institute , University of Sydney , NSW 2006 , Australia .
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12
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Orf GS, Gisriel C, Redding KE. Evolution of photosynthetic reaction centers: insights from the structure of the heliobacterial reaction center. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2018; 138:11-37. [PMID: 29603081 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-018-0503-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The proliferation of phototrophy within early-branching prokaryotes represented a significant step forward in metabolic evolution. All available evidence supports the hypothesis that the photosynthetic reaction center (RC)-the pigment-protein complex in which electromagnetic energy (i.e., photons of visible or near-infrared light) is converted to chemical energy usable by an organism-arose once in Earth's history. This event took place over 3 billion years ago and the basic architecture of the RC has diversified into the distinct versions that now exist. Using our recent 2.2-Å X-ray crystal structure of the homodimeric photosynthetic RC from heliobacteria, we have performed a robust comparison of all known RC types with available structural data. These comparisons have allowed us to generate hypotheses about structural and functional aspects of the common ancestors of extant RCs and to expand upon existing evolutionary schemes. Since the heliobacterial RC is homodimeric and loosely binds (and reduces) quinones, we support the view that it retains more ancestral features than its homologs from other groups. In the evolutionary scenario we propose, the ancestral RC predating the division between Type I and Type II RCs was homodimeric, loosely bound two mobile quinones, and performed an inefficient disproportionation reaction to reduce quinone to quinol. The changes leading to the diversification into Type I and Type II RCs were separate responses to the need to optimize this reaction: the Type I lineage added a [4Fe-4S] cluster to facilitate double reduction of a quinone, while the Type II lineage heterodimerized and specialized the two cofactor branches, fixing the quinone in the QA site. After the Type I/II split, an ancestor to photosystem I fixed its quinone sites and then heterodimerized to bind PsaC as a new subunit, as responses to rising O2 after the appearance of the oxygen-evolving complex in an ancestor of photosystem II. These pivotal events thus gave rise to the diversity that we observe today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory S Orf
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Christopher Gisriel
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- The Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Kevin E Redding
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
- Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
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13
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Gisriel C, Sarrou I, Ferlez B, Golbeck JH, Redding KE, Fromme R. Structure of a symmetric photosynthetic reaction center-photosystem. Science 2017; 357:1021-1025. [PMID: 28751471 DOI: 10.1126/science.aan5611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Reaction centers are pigment-protein complexes that drive photosynthesis by converting light into chemical energy. It is believed that they arose once from a homodimeric protein. The symmetry of a homodimer is broken in heterodimeric reaction-center structures, such as those reported previously. The 2.2-angstrom resolution x-ray structure of the homodimeric reaction center-photosystem from the phototroph Heliobacterium modesticaldum exhibits perfect C2 symmetry. The core polypeptide dimer and two small subunits coordinate 54 bacteriochlorophylls and 2 carotenoids that capture and transfer energy to the electron transfer chain at the center, which performs charge separation and consists of 6 (bacterio)chlorophylls and an iron-sulfur cluster; unlike other reaction centers, it lacks a bound quinone. This structure preserves characteristics of the ancestral reaction center, providing insight into the evolution of photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Gisriel
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Iosifina Sarrou
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bryan Ferlez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - John H Golbeck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kevin E Redding
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.,Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Raimund Fromme
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. .,Center of Applied Structural Discovery, Biodesign Institute, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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14
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Agarwal R, Chauvet AAP. Ultrafast dynamics of the photo-excited hemes b and c n in the cytochrome b 6f complex. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:3287-3296. [PMID: 28085168 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp08077d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The dynamics of hemes b and cn within the cytochrome b6f complex are investigated by means of ultrafast broad-band transient absorption spectroscopy. On the one hand, the data reveal that, subsequent to visible light excitation, part of the b hemes undergoes pulse-limited photo-oxidation, with the liberated electron supposedly being transferred to one of the adjacent aromatic amino acids. Photo-oxidation is followed by charge recombination in about 8.2 ps. Subsequent to charge recombination, heme b is promoted to a vibrationally excited ground state that relaxes in about 4.6 ps. On the other hand, heme cn undergoes ultrafast ground state recovery in about 140 fs. Interestingly, the data also show that, in contrast to previous beliefs, Chl a is involved in the photochemistry of hemes. Indeed, subsequent to heme excitation, Chl a bleaches and recovers to its ground state in 90 fs and 650 fs, respectively. Chl a bleaching allegedly corresponds to the formation of a short lived Chl a anion. Beyond the previously suggested structural role, this study provides unique evidence that Chl a is directly involved in the photochemistry of the hemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachna Agarwal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA and Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
| | - Adrien A P Chauvet
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Ultrarapide (LSU), ISIC, Faculté des Sciences de Base and Lausanne Centre for Ultrafast Science (LACUS), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. and The University of Sheffield, Department of Chemistry, Dainton Building, Brook Hill, Sheffield S3 7HF, UK
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15
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Ferlez B, Cowgill J, Dong W, Gisriel C, Lin S, Flores M, Walters K, Cetnar D, Redding KE, Golbeck JH. Thermodynamics of the Electron Acceptors in Heliobacterium modesticaldum: An Exemplar of an Early Homodimeric Type I Photosynthetic Reaction Center. Biochemistry 2016; 55:2358-70. [PMID: 27033441 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b01320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The homodimeric type I reaction center in heliobacteria is arguably the simplest known pigment-protein complex capable of conducting (bacterio)chlorophyll-based conversion of light into chemical energy. Despite its structural simplicity, the thermodynamics of the electron transfer cofactors on the acceptor side have not been fully investigated. In this work, we measured the midpoint potential of the terminal [4Fe-4S](2+/1+) cluster (FX) in reaction centers from Heliobacterium modesticaldum. The FX cluster was titrated chemically and monitored by (i) the decrease in the level of stable P800 photobleaching by optical spectroscopy, (ii) the loss of the light-induced g ≈ 2 radical from P800(+•) following a single-turnover flash, (iii) the increase in the low-field resonance at 140 mT attributed to the S = (3)/2 ground spin state of FX(-), and (iv) the loss of the spin-correlated P800(+) FX(-) radical pair following a single-turnover flash. These four techniques led to similar estimations of the midpoint potential for FX of -502 ± 3 mV (n = 0.99), -496 ± 2 mV (n = 0.99), -517 ± 10 mV (n = 0.65), and -501 ± 4 mV (n = 0.84), respectively, with a consensus value of -504 ± 10 mV (converging to n = 1). Under conditions in which FX is reduced, the long-lived (∼15 ms) P800(+) FX(-) state is replaced by a rapidly recombining (∼15 ns) P800(+)A0(-) state, as shown by ultrafast optical experiments. There was no evidence of the presence of a P800(+) A1(-) spin-correlated radical pair by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) under these conditions. The midpoint potentials of the two [4Fe-4S](2+/1+) clusters in the low-molecular mass ferredoxins were found to be -480 ± 11 mV/-524 ± 13 mV for PshBI, -453 ± 6 mV/-527 ± 6 mV for PshBII, and -452 ± 5 mV/-533 ± 8 mV for HM1_2505 as determined by EPR spectroscopy. FX is therefore suitably poised to reduce one [4Fe-4S](2+/1+) cluster in these mobile electron carriers. Using the measured midpoint potential of FX and a quasi-equilibrium model of charge recombination, the midpoint potential of A0 was estimated to be -854 mV at room temperature. The midpoint potentials of A0 and FX are therefore 150-200 mV less reducing than their respective counterparts in Photosystem I of cyanobacteria and plants. This places the redox potential of the FX cluster in heliobacteria approximately equipotential to the highest-potential iron-sulfur cluster (FA) in Photosystem I, consistent with its assignment as the terminal electron acceptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Ferlez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - John Cowgill
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Weibing Dong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Christopher Gisriel
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Su Lin
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Marco Flores
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Karim Walters
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Daniel Cetnar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Kevin E Redding
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - John H Golbeck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States.,Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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16
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Nowicka B, Kruk J. Powered by light: Phototrophy and photosynthesis in prokaryotes and its evolution. Microbiol Res 2016; 186-187:99-118. [PMID: 27242148 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2016.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is a complex metabolic process enabling photosynthetic organisms to use solar energy for the reduction of carbon dioxide into biomass. This ancient pathway has revolutionized life on Earth. The most important event was the development of oxygenic photosynthesis. It had a tremendous impact on the Earth's geochemistry and the evolution of living beings, as the rise of atmospheric molecular oxygen enabled the development of a highly efficient aerobic metabolism, which later led to the evolution of complex multicellular organisms. The mechanism of photosynthesis has been the subject of intensive research and a great body of data has been accumulated. However, the evolution of this process is not fully understood, and the development of photosynthesis in prokaryota in particular remains an unresolved question. This review is devoted to the occurrence and main features of phototrophy and photosynthesis in prokaryotes. Hypotheses concerning the origin and spread of photosynthetic traits in bacteria are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrycze Nowicka
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Jerzy Kruk
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
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17
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Yang JH, Sarrou I, Martin-Garcia JM, Zhang S, Redding KE, Fromme P. Purification and biochemical characterization of the ATP synthase from Heliobacterium modesticaldum. Protein Expr Purif 2015; 114:1-8. [PMID: 25979464 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Heliobacterium modesticaldum is an anaerobic photosynthetic bacterium that grows optimally at pH 6-7 and 52°C and is the only phototrophic member of the Firmicutes phylum family (gram-positive bacteria with low GC content). The ATP synthase of H. modesticaldum was isolated and characterized at the biochemical and biophysical levels. The isolated holoenzyme exhibited the subunit patterns of F-type ATP synthases containing a 5-subunit hydrophilic F1 subcomplex and a 3-subunit hydrophobic F0 subcomplex. ATP hydrolysis by the isolated HF1F0 ATP synthase was successfully detected after pretreatment with different detergents by an in-gel ATPase activity assay, which showed that the highest activity was detected in the presence of mild detergents such as LDAO; moreover, high catalytic activity in the gel was already detected after the initial incubation period of 0.5h. In contrast, HF1F0 showed extremely low ATPase activity in harsher detergents such as TODC. The isolated fully functional enzyme will form the basis for future structural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay-How Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA; Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Iosifina Sarrou
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA; Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira 100, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Jose M Martin-Garcia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA; Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Shangji Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Kevin E Redding
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Petra Fromme
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA; Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA.
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18
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Chauvet AAP, Al Haddad A, Kao WC, van Mourik F, Hunte C, Chergui M. Photo-induced dynamics of the heme centers in cytochrome bc1. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2015; 17:2143-51. [DOI: 10.1039/c4cp04805a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The ultrafast response of cytochromebc1is investigated for the first time,viatransient absorption spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien A. P. Chauvet
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
- Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Ultrarapide
- ISIC
- 1015 Lausanne
- Switzerland
| | - André Al Haddad
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
- Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Ultrarapide
- ISIC
- 1015 Lausanne
- Switzerland
| | - Wei-Chun Kao
- Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
- BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology
- 79104 Freiburg
- Germany
| | - Frank van Mourik
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
- Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Ultrarapide
- ISIC
- 1015 Lausanne
- Switzerland
| | - Carola Hunte
- Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
- BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology
- 79104 Freiburg
- Germany
| | - Majed Chergui
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
- Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Ultrarapide
- ISIC
- 1015 Lausanne
- Switzerland
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19
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Redding KE, Sarrou I, Rappaport F, Santabarbara S, Lin S, Reifschneider KT. Modulation of the fluorescence yield in heliobacterial cells by induction of charge recombination in the photosynthetic reaction center. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2014; 120:221-235. [PMID: 24318506 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-013-9957-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Heliobacteria contain a very simple photosynthetic apparatus, consisting of a homodimeric type I reaction center (RC) without a peripheral antenna system and using the unique pigment bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) g. They are thought to use a light-driven cyclic electron transport pathway to pump protons, and thereby phosphorylate ADP, although some of the details of this cycle are yet to be worked out. We previously reported that the fluorescence emission from the heliobacterial RC in vivo was increased by exposure to actinic light, although this variable fluorescence phenomenon exhibited very different characteristics to that in oxygenic phototrophs (Collins et al. 2010). Here, we describe the underlying mechanism behind the variable fluorescence in heliobacterial cells. We find that the ability to stably photobleach P800, the primary donor of the RC, using brief flashes is inversely correlated to the variable fluorescence. Using pump-probe spectroscopy in the nanosecond timescale, we found that illumination of cells with bright light for a few seconds put them in a state in which a significant fraction of the RCs underwent charge recombination from P800 (+)A0 (-) with a time constant of ~20 ns. The fraction of RCs in the rapidly back-reacting state correlated very well with the variable fluorescence, indicating that nearly all of the increase in fluorescence could be explained by charge recombination of P800 (+)A0 (-), some of which regenerated the singlet excited state. This hypothesis was tested directly by time-resolved fluorescence studies in the ps and ns timescales. The major decay component in whole cells had a 20-ps decay time, representing trapping by the RC. Treatment of cells with dithionite resulted in the appearance of a ~18-ns decay component, which accounted for ~0.6 % of the decay, but was almost undetectable in the untreated cells. We conclude that strong illumination of heliobacterial cells can result in saturation of the electron acceptor pool, leading to reduction of the acceptor side of the RC and the creation of a back-reacting RC state that gives rise to delayed fluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin E Redding
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, 1711 S. Rural Rd., Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA,
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