1
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Wang J, Luo Q, Liang X, Liu H, Wu C, Fang H, Zhang X, Ding S, Yu J, Shi K. Glucose-G protein signaling plays a crucial role in tomato resilience to high temperature and elevated CO2. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 195:1025-1037. [PMID: 38447060 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Global climate change is accompanied by carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment and high temperature (HT) stress; however, how plants adapt to the combined environments and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. In this study, we show that elevated CO2 alleviated plant sensitivity to HT stress, with significantly increased apoplastic glucose (Glc) levels in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves. Exogenous Glc treatment enhanced tomato resilience to HT stress under ambient CO2 conditions. Cell-based biolayer interferometry, subcellular localization, and Split-luciferase assays revealed that Glc bound to the tomato regulator of G protein signaling 1 (RGS1) and induced RGS1 endocytosis and thereby RGS1-G protein α subunit (GPA1) dissociation in a concentration-dependent manner. Using rgs1 and gpa1 mutants, we found that RGS1 negatively regulated thermotolerance and was required for elevated CO2-Glc-induced thermotolerance. GPA1 positively regulated the elevated CO2-Glc-induced thermotolerance. A combined transcriptome and chlorophyll fluorescence parameter analysis further revealed that GPA1 integrated photosynthesis- and photoprotection-related mechanisms to regulate thermotolerance. These results demonstrate that Glc-RGS1-GPA1 signaling plays a crucial role in the elevated CO2-induced thermotolerance in tomato. This information enhances our understanding of the Glc-G protein signaling function in stress resilience in response to global climate change and will be helpful for genetic engineering approaches to improve plant resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Wang
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qian Luo
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiao Liang
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hua Liu
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Changqi Wu
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hanmo Fang
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xuanbo Zhang
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Shuting Ding
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jingquan Yu
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya 572025, China
| | - Kai Shi
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya 572025, China
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2
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Betti E, Saraceno P, Cignoni E, Cupellini L, Mennucci B. Insights into Energy Transfer in Light-Harvesting Complex II Through Machine-Learning Assisted Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:5188-5200. [PMID: 38761151 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c01494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) is the major antenna of higher plants. Energy transfer processes taking place inside its aggregate of chlorophylls have been experimentally investigated with time-resolved techniques, but a complete understanding of the most relevant energy transfer pathways and relative characteristic times remains elusive. Theoretical models to disentangle experimental data in LHCII have long been challenged by the large size and complex nature of the system. Here, we show that a fully first-principles approach combining molecular dynamics and machine learning can be successfully used to reproduce transient absorption spectra and characterize the EET pathways and the involved times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Betti
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Piermarco Saraceno
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Edoardo Cignoni
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Cupellini
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Benedetta Mennucci
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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3
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Sarngadharan P, Holtkamp Y, Kleinekathöfer U. Protein Effects on the Excitation Energies and Exciton Dynamics of the CP24 Antenna Complex. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:5201-5217. [PMID: 38756003 PMCID: PMC11145653 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c01637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
In this study, the site energy fluctuations, energy transfer dynamics, and some spectroscopic properties of the minor light-harvesting complex CP24 in a membrane environment were determined. For this purpose, a 3 μs-long classical molecular dynamics simulation was performed for the CP24 complex. Furthermore, using the density functional tight binding/molecular mechanics molecular dynamics (DFTB/MM MD) approach, we performed excited state calculations for the chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b molecules in the complex starting from five different positions of the MD trajectory. During the extended simulations, we observed variations in the site energies of the different sets as a result of the fluctuating protein environment. In particular, a water coordination to Chl-b 608 occurred only after about 1 μs in the simulations, demonstrating dynamic changes in the environment of this pigment. From the classical and the DFTB/MM MD simulations, spectral densities and the (time-dependent) Hamiltonian of the complex were determined. Based on these results, three independent strongly coupled chlorophyll clusters were revealed within the complex. In addition, absorption and fluorescence spectra were determined together with the exciton relaxation dynamics, which reasonably well agrees with experimental time scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Sarngadharan
- School of Science, Constructor
University, Campus Ring
1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Yannick Holtkamp
- School of Science, Constructor
University, Campus Ring
1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
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4
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Bhattacharjee S, Arra S, Daidone I, Pantazis DA. Excitation landscape of the CP43 photosynthetic antenna complex from multiscale simulations. Chem Sci 2024; 15:7269-7284. [PMID: 38756808 PMCID: PMC11095388 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc06714a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Photosystem II (PSII), the principal enzyme of oxygenic photosynthesis, contains two integral light harvesting proteins (CP43 and CP47) that bind chlorophylls and carotenoids. The two intrinsic antennae play crucial roles in excitation energy transfer and photoprotection. CP43 interacts most closely with the reaction center of PSII, specifically with the branch of the reaction center (D1) that is responsible for primary charge separation and electron transfer. Deciphering the function of CP43 requires detailed atomic-level insights into the properties of the embedded pigments. To advance this goal, we employ a range of multiscale computational approaches to determine the site energies and excitonic profile of CP43 chlorophylls, using large all-atom models of a membrane-bound PSII monomer. In addition to time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) used in the context of a quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics setup (QM/MM), we present a thorough analysis using the perturbed matrix method (PMM), which enables us to utilize information from long-timescale molecular dynamics simulations of native PSII-complexed CP43. The excited state energetics and excitonic couplings have both similarities and differences compared with previous experimental fits and theoretical calculations. Both static TD-DFT and dynamic PMM results indicate a layered distribution of site energies and reveal specific groups of chlorophylls that have shared contributions to low-energy excitations. Importantly, the contribution to the lowest energy exciton does not arise from the same chlorophylls at each system configuration, but rather changes as a function of conformational dynamics. An unexpected finding is the identification of a low-energy charge-transfer excited state within CP43 that involves a lumenal (C2) and the central (C10) chlorophyll of the complex. The results provide a refined basis for structure-based interpretation of spectroscopic observations and for further deciphering excitation energy transfer in oxygenic photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinjini Bhattacharjee
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
| | - Srilatha Arra
- Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of L'Aquila Via Vetoio (Coppito 1) 67010 L'Aquila Italy
| | - Isabella Daidone
- Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of L'Aquila Via Vetoio (Coppito 1) 67010 L'Aquila Italy
| | - Dimitrios A Pantazis
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
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5
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Pirnia A, Maqdisi R, Mittal S, Sener M, Singharoy A. Perspective on Integrative Simulations of Bioenergetic Domains. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3302-3319. [PMID: 38562105 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Bioenergetic processes in cells, such as photosynthesis or respiration, integrate many time and length scales, which makes the simulation of energy conversion with a mere single level of theory impossible. Just like the myriad of experimental techniques required to examine each level of organization, an array of overlapping computational techniques is necessary to model energy conversion. Here, a perspective is presented on recent efforts for modeling bioenergetic phenomena with a focus on molecular dynamics simulations and its variants as a primary method. An overview of the various classical, quantum mechanical, enhanced sampling, coarse-grained, Brownian dynamics, and Monte Carlo methods is presented. Example applications discussed include multiscale simulations of membrane-wide electron transport, rate kinetics of ATP turnover from electrochemical gradients, and finally, integrative modeling of the chromatophore, a photosynthetic pseudo-organelle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Pirnia
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1004, United States
| | - Ranel Maqdisi
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1004, United States
| | - Sumit Mittal
- VIT Bhopal University, Sehore 466114, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Melih Sener
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1004, United States
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Abhishek Singharoy
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1004, United States
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6
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Shahab M, Ziyu P, Waqas M, Zheng G, Bin Jardan YA, Fentahun Wondmie G, Bouhrhia M. Targeting human progesterone receptor (PR), through pharmacophore-based screening and molecular simulation revealed potent inhibitors against breast cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6768. [PMID: 38514638 PMCID: PMC10958019 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55321-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer, the prevailing malignant tumor among women, is linked to progesterone and its receptor (PR) in both tumorigenesis and treatment responsiveness. Despite thorough investigation, the precise molecular mechanisms of progesterone in breast cancer remain unclear. The human progesterone receptor (PR) serves as an essential therapeutic target for breast cancer treatment, warranting the rapid design of small molecule therapeutics that can effectively inhibit HPR. By employing cutting-edge computational techniques like molecular screening, simulation, and free energy calculation, the process of identifying potential lead molecules from natural products has been significantly expedited. In this study, we employed pharmacophore-based virtual screening and molecular simulations to identify natural product-based inhibitors of human progesterone receptor (PR) in breast cancer treatment. High-throughput molecular screening of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and zinc databases was performed, leading to the identification of potential lead compounds. The analysis of binding modes for the top five compounds from both database provides valuable structural insights into the inhibition of HPR for breast cancer treatment. The top five hits exhibited enhanced stability and compactness compared to the reference compound. In conclusion, our study provides valuable insights for identifying and refining lead compounds as HPR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Shahab
- State Key Laboratories of Chemical Resources Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Ziyu
- School of chemistry and chemical engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Waqas
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Birkat Al-Mouz, 616, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Guojun Zheng
- State Key Laboratories of Chemical Resources Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yousef A Bin Jardan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P. O. BOX 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohammed Bouhrhia
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Natural Resources Valorization, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, 80060, Agadir, Morocco
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7
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Marulanda Valencia W, Pandit A. Photosystem II Subunit S (PsbS): A Nano Regulator of Plant Photosynthesis. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168407. [PMID: 38109993 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Light is required for photosynthesis, but plants are often exposed to excess light, which can lead to photodamage and eventually cell death. To prevent this, they evolved photoprotective feedback mechanisms that regulate photosynthesis and trigger processes that dissipate light energy as heat, called non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). In excess light conditions, the light reaction and activity of Photosystem II (PSII) generates acidification of the thylakoid lumen, which is sensed by special pH-sensitive proteins called Photosystem II Subunit S (PsbS), actuating a photoprotective "switch" in the light-harvesting antenna. Despite its central role in regulating photosynthetic energy conversion, the molecular mechanism of PsbS as well as its interaction with partner proteins are not well understood. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the molecular structure and mechanistic aspects of the light-stress sensor PsbS and addresses open questions and challenges in the field regarding a full understanding of its functional mechanism and role in NPQ.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anjali Pandit
- Leiden Inst. of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratory, Einsteinweg 55, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
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8
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Manna P, Hoffmann M, Davies T, Richardson KH, Johnson MP, Schlau-Cohen GS. Energetic driving force for LHCII clustering in plant membranes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadj0807. [PMID: 38134273 PMCID: PMC10745693 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj0807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Plants capture and convert solar energy in a complex network of membrane proteins. Under high light, the luminal pH drops and induces a reorganization of the protein network, particularly clustering of the major light-harvesting complex (LHCII). While the structures of the network have been resolved in exquisite detail, the thermodynamics that control the assembly and reorganization had not been determined, largely because the interaction energies of membrane proteins have been inaccessible. Here, we describe a method to quantify these energies and its application to LHCII. Using single-molecule measurements, LHCII proteoliposomes, and statistical thermodynamic modeling, we quantified the LHCII-LHCII interaction energy as ~-5 kBT at neutral pH and at least -7 kBT at acidic pH. These values revealed an enthalpic thermodynamic driving force behind LHCII clustering. Collectively, this work captures the interactions that drive the organization of membrane protein networks from the perspective of equilibrium statistical thermodynamics, which has a long and rich tradition in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Premashis Manna
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Madeline Hoffmann
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Thomas Davies
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Matthew P. Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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9
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Sirohiwal A, Pantazis DA. Reaction Center Excitation in Photosystem II: From Multiscale Modeling to Functional Principles. Acc Chem Res 2023; 56:2921-2932. [PMID: 37844298 PMCID: PMC10634305 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.3c00392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Oxygenic photosynthesis is the fundamental energy-converting process that utilizes sunlight to generate molecular oxygen and the organic compounds that sustain life. Protein-pigment complexes harvest light and transfer excitation energy to specialized pigment assemblies, reaction centers (RC), where electron transfer cascades are initiated. A molecular-level understanding of the primary events is indispensable for elucidating the principles of natural photosynthesis and enabling development of bioinspired technologies. The primary enzyme in oxygenic photosynthesis is Photosystem II (PSII), a membrane-embedded multisubunit complex, that catalyzes the light-driven oxidation of water. The RC of PSII consists of four chlorophyll a and two pheophytin a pigments symmetrically arranged along two core polypeptides; only one branch participates in electron transfer. Despite decades of research, fundamental questions remain, including the origin of this functional asymmetry, the nature of primary charge-transfer states and the identity of the initial electron donor, the origin of the capability of PSII to enact charge separation with far-red photons, i.e., beyond the "red limit" where individual chlorophylls absorb, and the role of protein conformational dynamics in modulating charge-separation pathways.In this Account, we highlight developments in quantum-chemistry based excited-state computations for multipigment assemblies and the refinement of protocols for computing protein-induced electrochromic shifts and charge-transfer excitations calibrated with modern local correlation coupled cluster methods. We emphasize the importance of multiscale atomistic quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, which enabled direct and accurate modeling of primary processes in RC excitation at the quantum mechanical level.Our findings show how differential protein electrostatics enable spectral tuning of RC pigments and generate functional asymmetry in PSII. A chlorophyll pigment on the active branch (ChlD1) has the lowest site energy in PSII and is the primary electron donor. The complete absence of low-lying charge-transfer states within the central pair of chlorophylls excludes a long-held assumption about the initial charge separation. Instead, we identify two primary charge separation pathways, both with the same pheophytin acceptor (PheoD1): a fast pathway with ChlD1 as the primary electron donor (short-range charge-separation) and a slow pathway with PD1PD2 as the initial donor (long-range charge separation). The low-energy spectrum is dominated by two states with significant charge-transfer character, ChlD1δ+PheoD1δ- and PD1δ+PheoD1δ-. The conformational dynamics of PSII allows these charge-transfer states to span wide energy ranges, pushing oxygenic photosynthesis beyond the "red limit". These results provide a quantum mechanical picture of the primary events in the RC of oxygenic photosynthesis, forming a solid basis for interpreting experimental observations and for extending photosynthesis research in new directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Sirohiwal
- Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dimitrios A. Pantazis
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
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10
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Shahab M, Zulfat M, Zheng G. Structure-based virtual screening, molecular simulation and free energy calculations of traditional Chinese medicine, ZINC database revealed potent inhibitors of estrogen-receptor α (ERα). J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-14. [PMID: 37904521 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2275174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Breast Cancer, a heterogeneous disease at the molecular level, is the most common cause of woman mortality worldwide. We used molecular screening and simulation approaches to target nuclear receptor protein-estrogen receptor alpha (Erα) protein to design and develop of specific and compelling drugs from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and ZINC database against pathophysiology of breast cancer. Using virtual screening, only six hits TCM22717, TCM23524, TCM31953, while ZINC05632920, ZINC05773243, and ZINC12780336 demonstrated better pharmacological potential than the 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHT) taken as control. Binding mode of each of the top hit revealed that these compounds could block the main active site residues and block the function of Erα protein. Moreover, molecular simulation revealed that the identified compounds exhibit stable dynamics and may induce stronger therapeutic effects in experimental setup. All the complexes reported tighter structural packing and less flexible behaviour. We found that the average hydrogen bonds in the identified complexes remained higher than the control drug. Finally, the total binding free energy demonstrated the best hits among the all. The BF energy results revealed -30.4525 ± 3.3565 for the 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHT)/Erα complex, for the TCM22717/Erα -57.0597 ± 3.4852 kcal/mol, for the TCM23524/Erα complex the BF energy was -56.9084 ± 3.3737 kcal/mol, for the TCM31953/Erα the BF energy was -32.4191 ± 3.8864 kcal/mol while for the ZINC05632920/Erα complex -46.3182 ± 2.7380, ZINC05773243/Erα complex -38.3690 ± 2.8240, and ZINC12780336/Erα complex the BF energy was calculated to be -35.8048 ± 4.1571 kcal/mol.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Shahab
- State Key Laboratories of Chemical Resources Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Maryam Zulfat
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Guojun Zheng
- State Key Laboratories of Chemical Resources Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
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11
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Saini R, Debnath A. Thylakoid Composition Facilitates Chlorophyll a Dimerization through Stronger Interlipid Interactions. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:9082-9094. [PMID: 37819861 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c04942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Plant thylakoid membrane serves as a crucial matrix for the aggregation of chlororophyll a (CLA) pigments, essential for light harvesting. To understand the role of lipid compositions in the stability of CLA aggregates, dimerization of chlorophyll a molecules (CLA) is studied in the presence of the thylakoid and the bilayers comprising either the least or the highest unsaturated lipids by using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. The thylakoid membrane enhances the stability of the CLA dimer compared with other membranes due to very strong lipid-lipid interactions. The thylakoid exhibits a distinct distribution of lipids around the CLA dimer. Less unsaturated lipids reside in close proximity to the dimer, promoting increased order and efficient packing. Conversely, higher unsaturated lipids are depleted from the dimer, imparting flexibility to the membrane. The combination of tight packing near the dimer and membrane flexibility away from the dimer enhances the stability of the dimer in the thylakoid membrane. Our results suggest that lipid mixing, rather than lipid unsaturation, plays a critical role in facilitating CLA dimerization by modulating the membrane microenvironment through stronger lipid-lipid interactions. These insights will be useful in understanding how lipid compositions affect efficient light absorption and energy transfer during photosynthesis in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renu Saini
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Ananya Debnath
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
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12
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Mishima K, Kano N. Contribution Factors of the First Kind Calculated for the Marcus Electron-Transfer Rate and Their Applications. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:8509-8524. [PMID: 37782079 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c03420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we applied the concept of the "contribution factor of the first kind (CFFK)" to the original electron-transfer (ET) rate theory proposed by Marcus. Mathematical derivations provided simple and convenient formulas for estimating the relative contributions of ten physical and chemical parameters involved in the Marcus ET rate formula: (1) the maximum strength of the electronic coupling energy between two molecules, (2) the exponential decay rate of the electronic coupling energy versus the distance between both molecules, (3) the distance between both molecules, (4) the equilibrium distance between both molecules, (5) the Gibbs free energy, (6) reorganization free energy in the prefactor of the Marcus ET rate equation, (7) reorganization free energy in the denominator of the exponential term, (8) reorganization free energy in the argument of the exponential term, (9) Boltzmann constant times absolute temperature in the prefactor of the rate equation, and (10) Boltzmann constant times absolute temperature in the denominator of the exponential term. We applied our theories to (i) ET reactions at bacterial photosynthesis reaction centers, PSI and PSII, and soluble ferredoxins (Fd); (ii) intraprotein ET reactions for designed azurin mutants; and (iii) ET reactions in flavodoxin (Fld). The formulas and calculations suggest that the theory behind the CFFK is useful for quantitatively identifying major and minor physical and chemical factors and corresponding trade-offs, all of which affect the magnitude of the Marcus ET rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Mishima
- Independent Researcher, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0024, Japan
| | - Naoki Kano
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Niigata University, 8050 Ikarashi 2-Nocho, Nishi-ku, Niigata 950-2181, Japan
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13
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Novoderezhkin VI. Excitation energy equilibration in a trimeric LHCII complex involves unusual pathways. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:26360-26369. [PMID: 37750240 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp02836d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
We explore the energy equilibration within the LHCII trimer using various approaches, including the Redfield-Förster method (with different compartmentalization schemes) and the exact hierarchical equation of motion (HEOM). We demonstrate that the inter-monomeric migration in the trimeric LHCII complex is not limited to direct transfers between quasi-equilibrated chlorophylls (Chls) a, but also involves additional pathways with uphill transfers from Chls a to the stromal-side Chls b (connecting the Chls a clusters from different monomeric subunits). Although these uphill transfers are slow they still can increase the total rate of inter-monomeric transfers by a factor of 1.5. The same stromal-side Chls b also promote a depopulation of the Chl a604 long-lived state (blue-shifted and mixed with the lumenal-side Chls b). Due to the connection between the stromal- and lumenal-side Chls b clusters the intra- and inter-monomeric transfers from a604 to the main Chls a become faster by a factor of 1.6 and 1.75, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir I Novoderezhkin
- A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 119992, Moscow, Russia.
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14
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Wu J, Gao T, Guo H, Zhao L, Lv S, Lv J, Yao R, Yu Y, Ma F. Application of molecular dynamics simulation for exploring the roles of plant biomolecules in promoting environmental health. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 869:161871. [PMID: 36708839 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161871] [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: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the dynamic changes of plant biomolecules is vital for exploring their mechanisms in the environment. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation has been widely used to study structural evolution and corresponding properties of plant biomolecules at the microscopic scale. Here, this review (i) outlines structural properties of plant biomolecules, and the crucial role of MD simulation in advancing studies of the biomolecules; (ii) describes the development of MD simulation in plant biomolecules, determinants of simulation, and analysis parameters; (iii) introduces the applications of MD simulation in plant biomolecules, including the response of the biomolecules to multiple stresses, their roles in corrosive environments, and their contributions in improving environmental health; (iv) reviews techniques integrated with MD simulation, such as molecular biology, quantum mechanics, molecular docking, and machine learning modeling, which bridge gaps in MD simulation. Finally, we make suggestions on determination of force field types, investigation of plant biomolecule mechanisms, and use of MD simulation in combination with other techniques. This review provides comprehensive summaries of the mechanisms of plant biomolecules in the environment revealed by MD simulation and validates it as an applicable tool for bridging gaps between macroscopic and microscopic behavior, providing insights into the wide application of MD simulation in plant biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieting Wu
- School of Environmental Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tian Gao
- School of Environmental Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Haijuan Guo
- School of Environmental Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, People's Republic of China
| | - Sidi Lv
- School of Environmental Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Lv
- School of Environmental Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruyi Yao
- School of Environmental Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanyi Yu
- School of Environmental Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, People's Republic of China
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15
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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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16
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Svoboda V, Oung HMO, Koochak H, Yarbrough R, Mckenzie SD, Puthiyaveetil S, Kirchhoff H. Quantification of energy-converting protein complexes in plant thylakoid membranes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2023; 1864:148945. [PMID: 36442511 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2022.148945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge about the exact abundance and ratio of photosynthetic protein complexes in thylakoid membranes is central to understanding structure-function relationships in energy conversion. Recent modeling approaches for studying light harvesting and electron transport reactions rely on quantitative information on the constituent complexes in thylakoid membranes. Over the last decades several quantitative methods have been established and refined, enabling precise stoichiometric information on the five main energy-converting building blocks in the thylakoid membrane: Light-harvesting complex II (LHCII), Photosystem II (PSII), Photosystem I (PSI), cytochrome b6f complex (cyt b6f complex), and ATPase. This paper summarizes a few quantitative spectroscopic and biochemical methods that are currently available for quantification of plant thylakoid protein complexes. Two new methods are presented for quantification of LHCII and the cyt b6f complex, which agree well with established methods. In addition, recent improvements in mass spectrometry (MS) allow deeper compositional information on thylakoid membranes. The comparison between mass spectrometric and more classical protein quantification methods shows similar quantities of complexes, confirming the potential of thylakoid protein complex quantification by MS. The quantitative information on PSII, PSI, and LHCII reveal that about one third of LHCII must be associated with PSI for a balanced light energy absorption by the two photosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaclav Svoboda
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Hui Min Olivia Oung
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Haniyeh Koochak
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Robert Yarbrough
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Steven D Mckenzie
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Sujith Puthiyaveetil
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Helmut Kirchhoff
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
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17
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Mao R, Zhang H, Bie L, Liu LN, Gao J. Million-atom molecular dynamics simulations reveal the interfacial interactions and assembly of plant PSII-LHCII supercomplex. RSC Adv 2023; 13:6699-6712. [PMID: 36860540 PMCID: PMC9969236 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra08240c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interface interactions dictate efficient excitation energy transfer from light-harvesting antennas to the photosystem II (PSII) core. In this work, we construct a 1.2 million atom-scale model of plant C2S2-type PSII-LHCII supercomplex and perform microsecond-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the interactions and assembly mechanisms of the sizeable PSII-LHCII supercomplex. We optimize the nonbonding interactions of the PSII-LHCII cryo-EM structure using microsecond-scale MD simulations. Binding free energy calculations with component decompositions reveal that hydrophobic interactions predominantly drive antenna-core association and the antenna-antenna interactions are relatively weak. Despite the positive electrostatic interaction energies, hydrogen bonds and salt bridges mainly provide directional or anchoring forces for interface binding. Analysis of the roles of small intrinsic subunits of PSII suggests that LHCII and CP26 first interact with small intrinsic subunits and then bind to the core proteins, whereas CP29 adopts a one-step binding process to the PSII core without the assistance of other factors. Our study provides insights into the molecular underpinnings of the self-organization and regulation of plant PSII-LHCII. It lays the framework for deciphering the general assembly principles of photosynthetic supercomplexes and possibly other macromolecular structures. The finding also has implications for repurposing photosynthetic systems to enhance photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruichao Mao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University Wuhan 430070 Hubei China
| | - Han Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University Wuhan 430070 Hubei China
| | - Lihua Bie
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University Wuhan 430070 Hubei China
| | - Lu-Ning Liu
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool Liverpool L69 7ZB UK .,Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China Qingdao 266003 China
| | - Jun Gao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University Wuhan 430070 Hubei China
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18
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Elias E, Liguori N, Croce R. The origin of pigment-binding differences in CP29 and LHCII: the role of protein structure and dynamics. PHOTOCHEMICAL & PHOTOBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN PHOTOCHEMISTRY ASSOCIATION AND THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR PHOTOBIOLOGY 2023:10.1007/s43630-023-00368-7. [PMID: 36740636 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-023-00368-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The first step of photosynthesis in plants is performed by the light-harvesting complexes (LHC), a large family of pigment-binding proteins embedded in the photosynthetic membranes. These complexes are conserved across species, suggesting that each has a distinct role. However, they display a high degree of sequence homology and their static structures are almost identical. What are then the structural features that determine their different properties? In this work, we compared the two best-characterized LHCs of plants: LHCII and CP29. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we could rationalize the difference between them in terms of pigment-binding properties. The data also show that while the loops between the helices are very flexible, the structure of the transmembrane regions remains very similar in the crystal and the membranes. However, the small structural differences significantly affect the excitonic coupling between some pigment pairs. Finally, we analyzed in detail the structure of the long N-terminus of CP29, showing that it is structurally stable and it remains on top of the membrane even in the absence of other proteins. Although the structural changes upon phosphorylation are minor, they can explain the differences in the absorption properties of the pigments observed experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduard Elias
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicoletta Liguori
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roberta Croce
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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19
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Electronic and vibrational contributions to the reorganization energy of photosynthetic pigments. Chem Phys Lett 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2023.140384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
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20
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Watkins SL. Current Trends and Changes in Use of Membrane Molecular Dynamics Simulations within Academia and the Pharmaceutical Industry. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:148. [PMID: 36837651 PMCID: PMC9961006 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13020148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
There has been an almost exponential increase in the use of molecular dynamics simulations in basic research and industry over the last 5 years, with almost a doubling in the number of publications each year. Many of these are focused on neurological membranes, and biological membranes in general, applied to the medical industry. A smaller portion have utilized membrane simulations to answer more basic questions related to the function of specific proteins, chemicals or biological processes. This review covers some newer studies, alongside studies from the last two decades, to determine changes in the field. Some of these are basic, while others are more profound, such as multi-component embedded membrane machinery. It is clear that many facets of the discipline remain the same, while the focus on and uses of the technology are broadening in scope and utilization as a general research tool. Analysis of recent literature provides an overview of the current methodologies, covers some of the recent trends or advances and tries to make predictions of the overall path membrane molecular dynamics will follow in the coming years. In general, the overview presented is geared towards the general scientific community, who may wish to introduce the use of these methodologies in light of these changes, making molecular dynamic simulations more feasible for general scientific or medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan L Watkins
- Plant Pathology and CRGB, Oregon State University, 2701 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
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21
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Lv Y, Wang Y, Zhang Q, Chen C, Qian Q, Guo L. WAL3 encoding a PLS-type PPR protein regulates chloroplast development in rice. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 323:111382. [PMID: 35850283 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Chloroplast development is a complex process that is critical for the growth and development of plants. Pentapeptide repeat (PPR) proteins contain large members but only few of them have been characterized in rice. In this study, we identified a new PLS-type protein, WAL3 (Whole Albino Leaf on Chromosome 3), playing important roles in plant chloroplast development. Knockout of WAL3 gene in Nipponbare variety caused abnormal chloroplast development and showed an albino lethal phenotype. Expression analysis showed that WAL3 gene was constitutively expressed with the highest expression in leaves. The WAL3 protein localized in chloroplasts and affected the splicing of multiple group II introns. Transcriptome sequencing showed that WAL3 involved in multiple metabolic pathways including the chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthetic related metabolic pathways. The decreased abundance of photosynthesis-related proteins in wal3 mutants indicated WAL3 influence photosynthesis. In summary, our study revealed that WAL3 is essential for chloroplast development in rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Lv
- Rice Research Institute, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; State Key Lab of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Yueying Wang
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Changzhao Chen
- Rice Research Institute, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Qian Qian
- Rice Research Institute, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; State Key Lab of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 310006, China.
| | - Longbiao Guo
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 310006, China.
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22
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Zhu XG, Hasanuzzaman M, Jajoo A, Lawson T, Lin R, Liu CM, Liu LN, Liu Z, Lu C, Moustakas M, Roach T, Song Q, Yin X, Zhang W. Improving photosynthesis through multidisciplinary efforts: The next frontier of photosynthesis research. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:967203. [PMID: 36247611 PMCID: PMC9563237 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.967203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Guang Zhu
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Mirza Hasanuzzaman
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Anjana Jajoo
- School of Biotechnology, Devi Ahilya University, Indore, India
| | - Tracy Lawson
- School of Life Science, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Rongcheng Lin
- Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chun-Ming Liu
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lu-Ning Liu
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Zhenfeng Liu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Congming Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
| | - Michael Moustakas
- Department of Botany, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Thomas Roach
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Qingfeng Song
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyou Yin
- Department of Plant Sciences, Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Wangfeng Zhang
- Department of Agronomy, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
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23
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Abstract
Glycoscience assembles all the scientific disciplines involved in studying various molecules and macromolecules containing carbohydrates and complex glycans. Such an ensemble involves one of the most extensive sets of molecules in quantity and occurrence since they occur in all microorganisms and higher organisms. Once the compositions and sequences of these molecules are established, the determination of their three-dimensional structural and dynamical features is a step toward understanding the molecular basis underlying their properties and functions. The range of the relevant computational methods capable of addressing such issues is anchored by the specificity of stereoelectronic effects from quantum chemistry to mesoscale modeling throughout molecular dynamics and mechanics and coarse-grained and docking calculations. The Review leads the reader through the detailed presentations of the applications of computational modeling. The illustrations cover carbohydrate-carbohydrate interactions, glycolipids, and N- and O-linked glycans, emphasizing their role in SARS-CoV-2. The presentation continues with the structure of polysaccharides in solution and solid-state and lipopolysaccharides in membranes. The full range of protein-carbohydrate interactions is presented, as exemplified by carbohydrate-active enzymes, transporters, lectins, antibodies, and glycosaminoglycan binding proteins. A final section features a list of 150 tools and databases to help address the many issues of structural glycobioinformatics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Perez
- Centre de Recherche sur les Macromolecules Vegetales, University of Grenoble-Alpes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Grenoble F-38041, France
| | - Olga Makshakova
- FRC Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Kazan 420111, Russia
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24
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Pandit A. Structural dynamics of light harvesting proteins, photosynthetic membranes and cells observed with spectral editing solid-state NMR. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:025101. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0094446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes have a remarkable capacity to perform robust photo physics at ambient temperatures and in fluctuating environments. Protein conformational dynamics and membrane mobility are processes that contribute to the light-harvesting efficiencies and control photoprotective responses. This short review describes the application of Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy for characterizing the structural dynamics of pigment, protein and thylakoid membrane components related to light harvesting and photoprotection. I will discuss the use of dynamics-based spectral editing solid-state NMR for distinguishing rigid and mobile components and assessing protein, pigment and lipid dynamics on sub-nanosecond to millisecond timescales. Dynamic spectral editing NMR has been applied to investigate Light-Harvesting Complex II (LHCII) protein conformational dynamics inside lipid bilayers and in native membranes. Furthermore, we used the NMR approach to assess thylakoid membrane dynamics. Finally, it is shown that dynamics-based spectral editing NMR, for reducing spectral complexity, by filtering motion-dependent signals, enabled us to follow processes in live photosynthetic cells.
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25
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Integration of machine learning with computational structural biology of plants. Biochem J 2022; 479:921-928. [PMID: 35484946 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Computational structural biology of proteins has developed rapidly in recent decades with the development of new computational tools and the advancement of computing hardware. However, while these techniques have widely been used to make advancements in human medicine, these methods have seen less utilization in the plant sciences. In the last several years, machine learning methods have gained popularity in computational structural biology. These methods have enabled the development of new tools which are able to address the major challenges that have hampered the wide adoption of the computational structural biology of plants. This perspective examines the remaining challenges in computational structural biology and how the development of machine learning techniques enables more in-depth computational structural biology of plants.
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26
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Yadav M, Abdalla M, Madhavi M, Chopra I, Bhrdwaj A, Soni L, Shaheen U, Prajapati L, Sharma M, Sikarwar MS, Albogami S, Hussain T, Nayarisseri A, Singh SK. Structure-Based Virtual Screening, Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Pharmacokinetic modelling of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor for the clinical treatment of Colorectal Cancer. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2022.2068799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manasi Yadav
- In silico Research Laboratory, Eminent Biosciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Mohnad Abdalla
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, PR People’s Republic of China
| | - Maddala Madhavi
- Department of Zoology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana State, India
| | - Ishita Chopra
- In silico Research Laboratory, Eminent Biosciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Bioinformatics Research Laboratory, LeGene Biosciences Pvt Ltd, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Anushka Bhrdwaj
- In silico Research Laboratory, Eminent Biosciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Computer Aided Drug Designing and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Lovely Soni
- In silico Research Laboratory, Eminent Biosciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Uzma Shaheen
- In silico Research Laboratory, Eminent Biosciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Leena Prajapati
- In silico Research Laboratory, Eminent Biosciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Megha Sharma
- In silico Research Laboratory, Eminent Biosciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | | | - Sarah Albogami
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tajamul Hussain
- Research Chair for Biomedical Applications of Nanomaterials, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anuraj Nayarisseri
- In silico Research Laboratory, Eminent Biosciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Bioinformatics Research Laboratory, LeGene Biosciences Pvt Ltd, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Research Chair for Biomedical Applications of Nanomaterials, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Computer Aided Drug Designing and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sanjeev Kumar Singh
- Computer Aided Drug Designing and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
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27
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Salahub DR. Multiscale molecular modelling: from electronic structure to dynamics of nanosystems and beyond. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:9051-9081. [PMID: 35389399 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05928a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Important contemporary biological and materials problems often depend on interactions that span orders of magnitude differences in spatial and temporal dimensions. This Tutorial Review attempts to provide an introduction to such fascinating problems through a series of case studies, aimed at beginning researchers, graduate students, postdocs and more senior colleagues who are changing direction to focus on multiscale aspects of their research. The choice of specific examples is highly personal, with examples either chosen from our own work or outstanding multiscale efforts from the literature. I start with various embedding schemes, as exemplified by polarizable continuum models, 3-D RISM, molecular DFT and frozen-density embedding. Next, QM/MM (quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical) techniques are the workhorse of pm-to-nm/ps-to-ns simulations; examples are drawn from enzymes and from nanocatalysis for oil-sands upgrading. Using polarizable force-fields in the QM/MM framework represents a burgeoning subfield; with examples from ion channels and electron dynamics in molecules subject to strong external fields, probing the atto-second dynamics of the electrons with RT-TDDFT (real-time - time-dependent density functional theory) eventually coupled with nuclear motion through the Ehrenfest approximation. This is followed by a section on coarse graining, bridging dimensions from atoms to cells. The penultimate chapter gives a quick overview of multiscale approaches that extend into the meso- and macro-scales, building on atomistic and coarse-grained techniques to enter the world of materials engineering, on the one hand, and cell biology, on the other. A final chapter gives just a glimpse of the burgeoning impact of machine learning on the structure-dynamics front. I aim to capture the excitement of contemporary leading-edge breakthroughs in the description of physico-chemical systems and processes in complex environments, with only enough historical content to provide context and aid the next generation of methodological development. While I aim also for a clear description of the essence of methodological breakthroughs, equations are kept to a minimum and detailed formalism and implementation details are left to the references. My approach is very selective (case studies) rather than exhaustive. I think that these case studies should provide fodder to build as complete a reference tree on multiscale modelling as the reader may wish, through forward and backward citation analysis. I hope that my choices of cases will excite interest in newcomers and help to fuel the growth of multiscale modelling in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis R Salahub
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Physics and Astronomy, CMS-Centre for Molecular Simulation, IQST-Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, Quantum Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.
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28
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Cignoni E, Slama V, Cupellini L, Mennucci B. The atomistic modeling of light-harvesting complexes from the physical models to the computational protocol. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:120901. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0086275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The function of light-harvesting complexes is determined by a complex network of dynamic interactions among all the different components: the aggregate of pigments, the protein, and the surrounding environment. Complete and reliable predictions on these types of composite systems can be only achieved with an atomistic description. In the last few decades, there have been important advances in the atomistic modeling of light-harvesting complexes. These advances have involved both the completeness of the physical models and the accuracy and effectiveness of the computational protocols. In this Perspective, we present an overview of the main theoretical and computational breakthroughs attained so far in the field, with particular focus on the important role played by the protein and its dynamics. We then discuss the open problems in their accurate modeling that still need to be addressed. To illustrate an effective computational workflow for the modeling of light harvesting complexes, we take as an example the plant antenna complex CP29 and its H111N mutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Cignoni
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, University of Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Vladislav Slama
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, University of Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Cupellini
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, University of Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Benedetta Mennucci
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, University of Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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Azadi-Chegeni F, Thallmair S, Ward ME, Perin G, Marrink SJ, Baldus M, Morosinotto T, Pandit A. Protein dynamics and lipid affinity of monomeric, zeaxanthin-binding LHCII in thylakoid membranes. Biophys J 2022; 121:396-409. [PMID: 34971616 PMCID: PMC8822613 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The xanthophyll cycle in the antenna of photosynthetic organisms under light stress is one of the most well-known processes in photosynthesis, but its role is not well understood. In the xanthophyll cycle, violaxanthin (Vio) is reversibly transformed to zeaxanthin (Zea) that occupies Vio binding sites of light-harvesting antenna proteins. Higher monomer/trimer ratios of the most abundant light-harvesting protein, the light-harvesting complex II (LHCII), usually occur in Zea accumulating membranes and have been observed in plants after prolonged illumination and during high-light acclimation. We present a combined NMR and coarse-grained simulation study on monomeric LHCII from the npq2 mutant that constitutively binds Zea in the Vio binding pocket. LHCII was isolated from 13C-enriched npq2 Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Cr) cells and reconstituted in thylakoid lipid membranes. NMR results reveal selective changes in the fold and dynamics of npq2 LHCII compared with the trimeric, wild-type and show that npq2 LHCII contains multiple mono- or digalactosyl diacylglycerol lipids (MGDG and DGDG) that are strongly protein bound. Coarse-grained simulations on npq2 LHCII embedded in a thylakoid lipid membrane agree with these observations. The simulations show that LHCII monomers have more extensive lipid contacts than LHCII trimers and that protein-lipid contacts are influenced by Zea. We propose that both monomerization and Zea binding could have a functional role in modulating membrane fluidity and influence the aggregation and conformational dynamics of LHCII with a likely impact on photoprotection ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Azadi-Chegeni
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Department of Solid-State NMR, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Thallmair
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Meaghan E Ward
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Giorgio Perin
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marc Baldus
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Anjali Pandit
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Department of Solid-State NMR, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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30
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Coutinho JVP, Macedo-da-Silva J, Mule SN, Kronenberger T, Rosa-Fernandes L, Wrenger C, Palmisano G. Glycoprotein molecular dynamics analysis: SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein case study. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2022; 131:277-309. [PMID: 35871894 PMCID: PMC9181370 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Molecular Dynamics (MD) is a method used to calculate the movement of atoms and molecules broadly applied to several aspects of science. It involves computational simulation, which makes it, at first glance, not easily accessible. The rise of several automated tools to perform molecular simulations has allowed researchers to navigate through the various steps of MD. This enables to elucidate structural properties of proteins that could not be analyzed otherwise, such as the impact of glycosylation. Glycosylation dictates the physicochemical and biological properties of a protein modulating its solubility, stability, resistance to proteolysis, interaction partners, enzymatic activity, binding and recognition. Given the high conformational and compositional diversity of the glycan chains, assessing their influence on the protein structure is challenging using conventional analytical techniques. In this manuscript, we present a step-by-step workflow to build and perform MD analysis of glycoproteins focusing on the SPIKE glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 to appraise the impact of glycans in structure stabilization and antibody occlusion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Janaina Macedo-da-Silva
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Simon Ngao Mule
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Department of Internal Medicine VIII, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany,Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tuebingen, Germany,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies”, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany,Tuebingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery & Development (TüCAD2), Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Livia Rosa-Fernandes
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carsten Wrenger
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,Faculty of Science and engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Corresponding author:
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31
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Narzi D, Guidoni L. Structural and dynamic insights into Mn 4Ca cluster-depleted Photosystem II. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:27428-27436. [PMID: 34860219 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02367e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In the first steps of natural oxygenic photosynthesis, sunlight is used to oxidize water molecules to protons, electrons and molecular oxygen. This reaction takes place on the Mn4Ca cluster located in the reaction centre of Photosystem II (PSII), where the cluster is assembled and continuously repaired through a process known as photoactivation. Understanding the molecular details of such a process has important implications in different fields, in particular inspiring synthesis and repair strategies for artificial photosynthesis devices. In this regard, a detailed structural and dynamic characterization of Photosystem II lacking a Mn4Ca cluster, namely apo PSII, is a prerequisite for the full comprehension of the photoactivation. Recently, the structure of the apo PSII was resolved at 2.55 Å resolution [Zhang et al., eLife, 2017, 6, e26933], suggesting a pre-organized structure of the protein cavity hosting the cluster. Anyway, the question of whether these findings are a feature of the method used remains open. Here, by means of classical Molecular Dynamics simulations, we characterized the structural and dynamic features of the apo PSII for different protonation states of the cluster cavity. Albeit an overall conformational stability common to all investigated systems, we found significant deviations in the conformation of the side chains of the active site with respect to the X-ray positions. Our findings suggest that not all residues acting as Mn ligands are pre-organized prior to the Mn4Ca formation and previous local conformational changes are required in order to bind the first Mn ion in the high-affinity binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Narzi
- Department of Physical and Chemical Science, Università dellAquila, LAquila, Italy.
| | - Leonardo Guidoni
- Department of Physical and Chemical Science, Università dellAquila, LAquila, Italy.
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A different perspective for nonphotochemical quenching in plant antenna complexes. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7152. [PMID: 34887401 PMCID: PMC8660843 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27526-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Light-harvesting complexes of plants exert a dual function of light-harvesting (LH) and photoprotection through processes collectively called nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ). While LH processes are relatively well characterized, those involved in NPQ are less understood. Here, we characterize the quenching mechanisms of CP29, a minor LHC of plants, through the integration of two complementary enhanced-sampling techniques, dimensionality reduction schemes, electronic calculations and the analysis of cryo-EM data in the light of the predicted conformational ensemble. Our study reveals that the switch between LH and quenching state is more complex than previously thought. Several conformations of the lumenal side of the protein occur and differently affect the pigments' relative geometries and interactions. Moreover, we show that a quenching mechanism localized on a single chlorophyll-carotenoid pair is not sufficient but many chlorophylls are simultaneously involved. In such a diffuse mechanism, short-range interactions between each carotenoid and different chlorophylls combined with a protein-mediated tuning of the carotenoid excitation energies have to be considered in addition to the commonly suggested Coulomb interactions.
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Ruban AV, Wilson S. The Mechanism of Non-Photochemical Quenching in Plants: Localization and Driving Forces. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 62:1063-1072. [PMID: 33351147 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcaa155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Non-photochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching (NPQ) remains one of the most studied topics of the 21st century in photosynthesis research. Over the past 30 years, profound knowledge has been obtained on the molecular mechanism of NPQ in higher plants. First, the largely overlooked significance of NPQ in protecting the reaction center of photosystem II (RCII) against damage, and the ways to assess its effectiveness are highlighted. Then, the key in vivo signals that can monitor the life of the major NPQ component, qE, are presented. Finally, recent knowledge on the site of qE and the possible molecular events that transmit ΔpH into the conformational change in the major LHCII [the major trimeric light harvesting complex of photosystem II (PSII)] antenna complex are discussed. Recently, number of reports on Arabidopsis mutants lacking various antenna components of PSII confirmed that the in vivo site of qE rests within the major trimeric LHCII complex. Experiments on biochemistry, spectroscopy, microscopy and molecular modeling suggest an interplay between thylakoid membrane geometry and the dynamics of LHCII, the PsbS (PSII subunit S) protein and thylakoid lipids. The molecular basis for the qE-related conformational change in the thylakoid membrane, including the possible onset of a hydrophobic mismatch between LHCII and lipids, potentiated by PsbS protein, begins to unfold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V Ruban
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Fogg Building, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Sam Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Fogg Building, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
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Chrysafoudi A, Maity S, Kleinekathöfer U, Daskalakis V. Robust Strategy for Photoprotection in the Light-Harvesting Antenna of Diatoms: A Molecular Dynamics Study. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:9626-9633. [PMID: 34585934 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c02498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Diatoms generate a large portion of the oxygen produced on earth due to their exceptional light-harvesting properties involving fucoxanthin and chlorophyll-binding proteins (FCP). At the same time, an efficient adaptation of these complexes to fluctuating light conditions is necessary to protect the diatoms against photodamage. So far, structural and dynamic data for the interaction between FCP and the photoprotective LHCX family of proteins in diatoms are lacking. In this computational study, we provide a structural basis for a remarkable pH-dependent adaptation at the molecular level. Upon binding of the LHCX1 protein to the FCP complex together with a change in pH, conformational changes within the FCP protein result in a variation of the electronic coupling in a specific chlorophyll-fucoxanthin pair, leading to a change in the exciton transfer rate by almost an order of magnitude. A common strategy for photoprotection between diatoms and higher plants is identified and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthi Chrysafoudi
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Sayan Maity
- Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kleinekathöfer
- Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Vangelis Daskalakis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Cyprus University of Technology, 30 Archbishop Kyprianou Str., 3603 Limassol, Cyprus
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35
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Lokstein H, Renger G, Götze JP. Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting (Antenna) Complexes-Structures and Functions. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26113378. [PMID: 34204994 PMCID: PMC8199901 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlorophylls and bacteriochlorophylls, together with carotenoids, serve, noncovalently bound to specific apoproteins, as principal light-harvesting and energy-transforming pigments in photosynthetic organisms. In recent years, enormous progress has been achieved in the elucidation of structures and functions of light-harvesting (antenna) complexes, photosynthetic reaction centers and even entire photosystems. It is becoming increasingly clear that light-harvesting complexes not only serve to enlarge the absorption cross sections of the respective reaction centers but are vitally important in short- and long-term adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus and regulation of the energy-transforming processes in response to external and internal conditions. Thus, the wide variety of structural diversity in photosynthetic antenna “designs” becomes conceivable. It is, however, common for LHCs to form trimeric (or multiples thereof) structures. We propose a simple, tentative explanation of the trimer issue, based on the 2D world created by photosynthetic membrane systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Lokstein
- Department of Chemical Physics and Optics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 12116 Prague, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
| | - Gernot Renger
- Max-Volmer-Laboratorium, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, D-10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan P. Götze
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 22, D-14195 Berlin, Germany;
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36
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Sen S, Mascoli V, Liguori N, Croce R, Visscher L. Understanding the Relation between Structural and Spectral Properties of Light-Harvesting Complex II. J Phys Chem A 2021; 125:4313-4322. [PMID: 33979158 PMCID: PMC8165694 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.1c01467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) is a pigment-protein complex present in higher plants and green algae. LHCII represents the main site of light absorption, and its role is to transfer the excitation energy toward the photosynthetic reaction centers, where primary energy conversion reactions take place. The optical properties of LHCII are known to depend on protein conformation. However, the relation between the structural and spectroscopic properties of the pigments is not fully understood yet. In this respect, previous classical molecular dynamics simulations of LHCII in a model membrane [Sci. Rep. 2015, 5, 1-10] have shown that the configuration and excitonic coupling of a chlorophyll (Chl) dimer functioning as the main terminal emitter of the complex are particularly sensitive to conformational changes. Here, we use quantum chemistry calculations to investigate in greater detail the effect of pigment-pigment interactions on the excited-state landscape. While most previous studies have used a local picture in which electrons are localized on single pigments, here we achieve a more accurate description of the Chl dimer by adopting a supramolecular picture where time-dependent density functional theory is applied to the whole system at once. Our results show that specific dimer configurations characterized by shorter inter-pigment distances can result in a sizable intensity decrease (up to 36%) of the Chl absorption bands in the visible spectral region. Such a decrease can be predicted only when accounting for Chl-Chl charge-transfer excitations, which is possible using the above-mentioned supramolecular approach. The charge-transfer character of the excitations is quantified by two types of analyses: one focusing on the composition of the excitations and the other directly on the observable total absorption intensities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souloke Sen
- Amsterdam Center for Multiscale Modeling, Division of Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincenzo Mascoli
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Dep. Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicoletta Liguori
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Dep. Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roberta Croce
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Dep. Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lucas Visscher
- Amsterdam Center for Multiscale Modeling, Division of Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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37
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Mascoli V, Liguori N, Cupellini L, Elias E, Mennucci B, Croce R. Uncovering the interactions driving carotenoid binding in light-harvesting complexes. Chem Sci 2021; 12:5113-5122. [PMID: 34163750 PMCID: PMC8179543 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc00071c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Carotenoids are essential constituents of plant light-harvesting complexes (LHCs), being involved in protein stability, light harvesting, and photoprotection. Unlike chlorophylls, whose binding to LHCs is known to require coordination of the central magnesium, carotenoid binding relies on weaker intermolecular interactions (such as hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces), whose character is far more elusive. Here we addressed the key interactions responsible for carotenoid binding to LHCs by combining molecular dynamics simulations and polarizable quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations on the major LHC, LHCII. We found that carotenoid binding is mainly stabilized by van der Waals interactions with the surrounding chlorophyll macrocycles rather than by hydrogen bonds to the protein, the latter being more labile than predicted from structural data. Furthermore, the interaction network in the binding pockets is relatively insensitive to the chemical structure of the embedded carotenoid. Our results are consistent with a number of experimental data and challenge the role played by specific interactions in the assembly of pigment-protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Mascoli
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1081 1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Nicoletta Liguori
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1081 1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Lorenzo Cupellini
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pisa Via G. Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa Italy
| | - Eduard Elias
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1081 1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Benedetta Mennucci
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pisa Via G. Moruzzi 13 56124 Pisa Italy
| | - Roberta Croce
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1081 1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands
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38
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Osella S. Artificial Photosynthesis: Is Computation Ready for the Challenge Ahead? NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11020299. [PMID: 33498961 PMCID: PMC7911014 DOI: 10.3390/nano11020299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A tremendous effort is currently devoted to the generation of novel hybrid materials with enhanced electronic properties for the creation of artificial photosynthetic systems. This compelling and challenging problem is well-defined from an experimental point of view, as the design of such materials relies on combining organic materials or metals with biological systems like light harvesting and redox-active proteins. Such hybrid systems can be used, e.g., as bio-sensors, bio-fuel cells, biohybrid photoelectrochemical cells, and nanostructured photoelectronic devices. Despite these efforts, the main bottleneck is the formation of efficient interfaces between the biological and the organic/metal counterparts for efficient electron transfer (ET). It is within this aspect that computation can make the difference and improve the current understanding of the mechanisms underneath the interface formation and the charge transfer efficiency. Yet, the systems considered (i.e., light harvesting protein, self-assembly monolayer and surface assembly) are more and more complex, reaching (and often passing) the limit of current computation power. In this review, recent developments in computational methods for studying complex interfaces for artificial photosynthesis will be provided and selected cases discussed, to assess the inherent ability of computation to leave a mark in this field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Osella
- Chemical and Biological Systems Simulation Lab, Center of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2C, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
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39
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Interactions Determining the Structural Integrity of the Trimer of Plant Light Harvesting Complex in Lipid Membranes. J Membr Biol 2021; 254:157-173. [PMID: 33427943 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-020-00162-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The structural basis for the stability of the trimeric form of the light harvesting complex (LHCII), a pigmented protein from green plants pivotal for photosynthesis, remains elusive till date. The protein embedded in a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) lipid membrane is investigated using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to find out the interactions responsible for the structural integrity of the trimer and its relation to antenna function. Central association of chlorophyll a (CLA) molecules near the LHCII chains is attributed to a conserved coordination between the Mg of CLA and the oxygen of a specific residue of the first helix of a chain. The residue forms a salt-bridge with the fourth helix of the same chain of the trimer, not of the monomer. In an earlier experiment, three residues (WYR) at each chain of the trimer have been found indispensable for the trimerization and referred to as trimerization motif. We find that the residues of the trimerization motif are connected to the lipids or pigments by a chain of interactions rather than a direct contact. Synergistic effects of sequentially located hydrogen bonds and salt-bridges within monomers of the trimer keep the trimer conformation stable in association with the pigments or the lipids. These interactions are exclusively present in the pigmented trimer and not present in the monomer or in the unpigmented trimer. Thus, our results provide a molecular basis for the inherent stability of the LHCII trimer in a lipid membrane and explain many pre-existing experimental data.
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40
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Moreira RA, Guzman HV, Boopathi S, Baker JL, Poma AB. Characterization of Structural and Energetic Differences between Conformations of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 13:E5362. [PMID: 33255977 PMCID: PMC7730245 DOI: 10.3390/ma13235362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted modern societies and their economies. The resurgence in COVID-19 cases as part of the second wave is observed across Europe and the Americas. The scientific response has enabled a complete structural characterization of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-novel Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Among the most relevant proteins required by the novel coronavirus to facilitate the cell entry mechanism is the spike protein. This protein possesses a receptor-binding domain (RBD) that binds the cellular angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and then triggers the fusion of viral and host cell membranes. In this regard, a comprehensive characterization of the structural stability of the spike protein is a crucial step to find new therapeutics to interrupt the process of recognition. On the other hand, it has been suggested that the participation of more than one RBD is a possible mechanism to enhance cell entry. Here, we discuss the protein structural stability based on the computational determination of the dynamic contact map and the energetic difference of the spike protein conformations via the mapping of the hydration free energy by the Poisson-Boltzmann method. We expect our result to foster the discussion of the number of RBD involved during recognition and the repurposing of new drugs to disable the recognition by discovering new hotspots for drug targets apart from the flexible loop in the RBD that binds the ACE2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo A. Moreira
- Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5B, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Horacio V. Guzman
- Department of Theoretical Physics, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Subramanian Boopathi
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico;
| | - Joseph L. Baker
- Department of Chemistry, The College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing, NJ 08628, USA;
| | - Adolfo B. Poma
- Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5B, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland;
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41
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Analysis of Photosynthetic Systems and Their Applications with Mathematical and Computational Models. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10196821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In biological and life science applications, photosynthesis is an important process that involves the absorption and transformation of sunlight into chemical energy. During the photosynthesis process, the light photons are captured by the green chlorophyll pigments in their photosynthetic antennae and further funneled to the reaction center. One of the most important light harvesting complexes that are highly important in the study of photosynthesis is the membrane-attached Fenna–Matthews–Olson (FMO) complex found in the green sulfur bacteria. In this review, we discuss the mathematical formulations and computational modeling of some of the light harvesting complexes including FMO. The most recent research developments in the photosynthetic light harvesting complexes are thoroughly discussed. The theoretical background related to the spectral density, quantum coherence and density functional theory has been elaborated. Furthermore, details about the transfer and excitation of energy in different sites of the FMO complex along with other vital photosynthetic light harvesting complexes have also been provided. Finally, we conclude this review by providing the current and potential applications in environmental science, energy, health and medicine, where such mathematical and computational studies of the photosynthesis and the light harvesting complexes can be readily integrated.
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42
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Wientjes E, Lambrev P. Ultrafast processes in photosynthetic light-harvesting. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2020; 144:123-125. [PMID: 32346829 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-020-00755-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Wientjes
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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Daskalakis V, Papadatos S, Stergiannakos T. The conformational phase space of the photoprotective switch in the major light harvesting complex II. Chem Commun (Camb) 2020; 56:11215-11218. [DOI: 10.1039/d0cc04486e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Extensive conformational sampling of the major light harvesting complex II defines the collective variables of the photoprotective switch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vangelis Daskalakis
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Cyprus University of Technology
- 3603 Limassol
- Cyprus
| | - Sotiris Papadatos
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Cyprus University of Technology
- 3603 Limassol
- Cyprus
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