Ca2+ binding to the oxygen evolving enzyme varies with the redox state of the Mn cluster

From manganese oxidation to water oxidation: assembly and evolution of the water-splitting complex in photosystem II

The manganese cluster of photosystem II has been the focus of intense research aiming to understand the mechanism of H₂O-oxidation. Great effort has also been applied to investigating its oxidative photoassembly process, termed photoactivation that involves the light-driven incorporation of metal ions into the active Mn₄CaO₅ cluster. The knowledge gained on these topics has fundamental scientific significance, but may also provide the blueprints for the development of biomimetic devices capable of splitting water for solar energy applications. Accordingly, synthetic chemical approaches inspired by the native Mn cluster are actively being explored, for which the native catalyst is a useful benchmark. For both the natural and artificial catalysts, the assembly process of incorporating Mn ions into catalytically active Mn oxide complexes is an oxidative process. In both cases this process appears to share certain chemical features, such as producing an optimal fraction of open coordination sites on the metals to facilitate the binding of substrate water, as well as the involvement of alkali metals (e.g., Ca²⁺) to facilitate assembly and activate water-splitting catalysis. This review discusses the structure and formation of the metal cluster of the PSII H₂O-oxidizing complex in the context of what is known about the formation and chemical properties of different Mn oxides. Additionally, the evolutionary origin of the Mn₄CaO₅ is considered in light of hypotheses that soluble Mn²⁺ was an ancient source of reductant for some early photosynthetic reaction centers ('photomanganotrophy'), and recent evidence that PSII can form Mn oxides with structural resemblance to the geologically abundant birnessite class of minerals. A new functional role for Ca²⁺ to facilitate sustained Mn²⁺ oxidation during photomanganotrophy is proposed, which may explain proposed physiological intermediates during the likely evolutionary transition from anoxygenic to oxygenic photosynthesis.

Photosystem 2 and the oxygen evolving complex: a brief overview

These special issues of photosynthesis research present papers documenting progress in revealing the many aspects of photosystem 2, a unique, one-of-a-kind complex system that can reduce a plastoquinone to a plastoquinol on every second flash of light and oxidize 2 H₂O to an O₂ on every fourth flash. This overview is a brief personal assessment of the progress observed by the author over a four-decade research career, including a discussion of some remaining unsolved issues. It will come as no surprise to readers that there are remaining questions given the complexity of PS2, and the efforts that have been needed so far to uncover its secrets. In fact, most readers will have their own lists of outstanding questions.

The role of Ca2+ and protein scaffolding in the formation of nature's water oxidizing complex

Photosynthetic O₂ evolution is catalyzed by the Mn₄CaO₅ cluster of the water oxidation complex of the photosystem II (PSII) complex. The photooxidative self-assembly of the Mn₄CaO₅ cluster, termed photoactivation, utilizes the same highly oxidizing species that drive the water oxidation in order to drive the incorporation of Mn²⁺ into the high-valence Mn₄CaO₅ cluster. This multistep process proceeds with low quantum efficiency, involves a molecular rearrangement between light-activated steps, and is prone to photoinactivation and misassembly. A sensitive polarographic technique was used to track the assembly process under flash illumination as a function of the constituent Mn²⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions in genetically engineered membranes of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 to elucidate the action of Ca²⁺ and peripheral proteins. We show that the protein scaffolding organizing this process is allosterically modulated by the assembly protein Psb27, which together with Ca²⁺ stabilizes the intermediates of photoactivation, a feature especially evident at long intervals between photoactivating flashes. The results indicate three critical metal-binding sites: two Mn and one Ca, with occupation of the Ca site by Ca²⁺ critical for the suppression of photoinactivation. The long-observed competition between Mn²⁺ and Ca²⁺ occurs at the second Mn site, and its occupation by competing Ca²⁺ slows the rearrangement. The relatively low overall quantum efficiency of photoactivation is explained by the requirement of correct occupancy of these metal-binding sites coupled to a slow restructuring of the protein ligation environment, which are jointly necessary for the photooxidative trapping of the first stable assembly intermediate.

The basic properties of the electronic structure of the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II are not perturbed by Ca2+ removal

Ca(2+) is an integral component of the Mn(4)O(5)Ca cluster of the oxygen-evolving complex in photosystem II (PS II). Its removal leads to the loss of the water oxidizing functionality. The S(2)' state of the Ca(2+)-depleted cluster from spinach is examined by X- and Q-band EPR and (55)Mn electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy. Spectral simulations demonstrate that upon Ca(2+) removal, its electronic structure remains essentially unaltered, i.e. that of a manganese tetramer. No redistribution of the manganese valence states and only minor perturbation of the exchange interactions between the manganese ions were found. Interestingly, the S(2)' state in spinach PS II is very similar to the native S(2) state of Thermosynechococcus elongatus in terms of spin state energies and insensitivity to methanol addition. These results assign the Ca(2+) a functional as opposed to a structural role in water splitting catalysis, such as (i) being essential for efficient proton-coupled electron transfer between Y(Z) and the manganese cluster and/or (ii) providing an initial binding site for substrate water. Additionally, a novel (55)Mn(2+) signal, detected by Q-band pulse EPR and ENDOR, was observed in Ca(2+)-depleted PS II. Mn(2+) titration, monitored by (55)Mn ENDOR, revealed a specific Mn(2+) binding site with a submicromolar K(D). Ca(2+) titration of Mn(2+)-loaded, Ca(2+)-depleted PS II demonstrated that the site is reversibly made accessible to Mn(2+) by Ca(2+) depletion and reconstitution. Mn(2+) is proposed to bind at one of the extrinsic subunits. This process is possibly relevant for the formation of the Mn(4)O(5)Ca cluster during photoassembly and/or D1 repair.

Back-reactions, short-circuits, leaks and other energy wasteful reactions in biological electron transfer: redox tuning to survive life in O(2)

The energy-converting redox enzymes perform productive reactions efficiently despite the involvement of high energy intermediates in their catalytic cycles. This is achieved by kinetic control: with forward reactions being faster than competing, energy-wasteful reactions. This requires appropriate cofactor spacing, driving forces and reorganizational energies. These features evolved in ancestral enzymes in a low O(2) environment. When O(2) appeared, energy-converting enzymes had to deal with its troublesome chemistry. Various protective mechanisms duly evolved that are not directly related to the enzymes' principal redox roles. These protective mechanisms involve fine-tuning of reduction potentials, switching of pathways and the use of short circuits, back-reactions and side-paths, all of which compromise efficiency. This energetic loss is worth it since it minimises damage from reactive derivatives of O(2) and thus gives the organism a better chance of survival. We examine photosynthetic reaction centres, bc(1) and b(6)f complexes from this view point. In particular, the evolution of the heterodimeric PSI from its homodimeric ancestors is explained as providing a protective back-reaction pathway. This "sacrifice-of-efficiency-for-protection" concept should be generally applicable to bioenergetic enzymes in aerobic environments.

Probing the topography of the photosystem II oxygen evolving complex: PsbO is required for efficient calcium protection of the manganese cluster against dark-inhibition by an artificial reductant

The photosystem II (PSII) manganese-stabilizing protein (PsbO) is known to be the essential PSII extrinsic subunit for stabilization and retention of the Mn and Cl(-) cofactors in the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of PSII, but its function relative to Ca(2+) is less clear. To obtain a better insight into the relationship, if any, between PsbO and Ca(2+) binding in the OEC, samples with altered PsbO-PSII binding properties were probed for their potential to promote the ability of Ca(2+) to protect the Mn cluster against dark-inhibition by an exogenous artificial reductant, N,N-dimethylhydroxylamine. In the absence of the PsbP and PsbQ extrinsic subunits, Ca(2+) and its surrogates (Sr(2+), Cd(2+)) shield Mn atoms from inhibitory reduction (Kuntzleman et al., Phys Chem Chem Phys 6:4897, 2004). The results presented here show that PsbO exhibits a positive effect on Ca(2+) binding in the OEC by facilitating the ability of the metal to prevent inhibition of activity by the reductant. The data presented here suggest that PsbO may have a role in the formation of the OEC-associated Ca(2+) binding site by promoting the equilibrium between bound and free Ca(2+) that favors the bound metal.

The electronic structures of the S(2) states of the oxygen-evolving complexes of photosystem II in plants and cyanobacteria in the presence and absence of methanol

The electronic properties of the Mn(4)O(x)Ca cluster in the S(2) state of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) were studied using X- and Q-band EPR and Q-band (55)Mn-ENDOR using photosystem II preparations isolated from the thermophilic cyanobacterium T. elongatus and higher plants (spinach). The data presented here show that there is very little difference between the two species. Specifically it is shown that: (i) only small changes are seen in the fitted isotropic hyperfine values, suggesting that there is no significant difference in the overall spin distribution (electronic coupling scheme) between the two species; (ii) the inferred fine-structure tensor of the only Mn(III) ion in the cluster is of the same magnitude and geometry for both species types, suggesting that the Mn(III) ion has the same coordination sphere in both sample preparations; and (iii) the data from both species are consistent with only one structural model available in the literature, namely the Siegbahn structure [Siegbahn, P. E. M. Accounts Chem. Res.2009, 42, 1871-1880, Pantazis, D. A. et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.2009, 11, 6788-6798]. These measurements were made in the presence of methanol because it confers favorable magnetic relaxation properties to the cluster that facilitate pulse-EPR techniques. In the absence of methanol the separation of the ground state and the first excited state of the spin system is smaller. For cyanobacteria this effect is minor but in plant PS II it leads to a break-down of the S(T)=½ spin model of the S(2) state. This suggests that the methanol-OEC interaction is species dependent. It is proposed that the effect of small organic solvents on the electronic structure of the cluster is to change the coupling between the outer Mn (Mn(A)) and the other three Mn ions that form the trimeric part of the cluster (Mn(B), Mn(C), Mn(D)), by perturbing the linking bis-μ-oxo bridge. The flexibility of this bridging unit is discussed with regard to the mechanism of O-O bond formation.

Calcium in the oxygen-evolving complex: structural and mechanistic role determined by X-ray spectroscopy

This review describes the results from X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy studies that have contributed to an understanding of the role of Ca in the photosynthetic water-oxidation reaction. The results include the first Mn, Ca and Sr X-ray spectroscopy studies using Ca or Sr-substituted PS II samples that established the presence of a MnCa heteronuclear structure and its orientation, and the most recent Sr X-ray spectroscopy study using biosynthetically prepared Sr-containing PS II in the various S-states that provide important insights into the requirement for Ca in the mechanism of the Mn(4)Ca catalytic center.

Conversion of the g=4.1 EPR signal to the multiline conformation during the S(2) to S(3) transition of the oxygen evolving complex of Photosystem II

The oxygen evolving complex of Photosystem II undergoes four light-induced oxidation transitions, S(0)-S(1),...,S(3)-(S(4))S(0) during its catalytic cycle. The oxidizing equivalents are stored at a (Mn)(4)Ca cluster, the site of water oxidation. EPR spectroscopy has yielded valuable information on the S states. S(2) shows a notable heterogeneity with two spectral forms; a g=2 (S=1/2) multiline, and a g=4.1 (S=5/2) signal. These oscillate in parallel during the period-four cycle. Cyanobacteria show only the multiline signal, but upon advancement to S(3) they exhibit the same characteristic g=10 (S=3) absorption with plant preparations, implying that this latter signal results from the multiline configuration. The fate of the g=4.1 conformation during advancement to S(3) is accordingly unknown. We searched for light-induced transient changes in the EPR spectra at temperatures below and above the half-inhibition temperature for the S(2) to S(3) transition (ca 230K). We observed that, above about 220K the g=4.1 signal converts to a multiline form prior to advancement to S(3). We cannot exclude that the conversion results from visible-light excitation of the Mn cluster itself. The fact however, that the conversion coincides with the onset of the S(2) to S(3) transition, suggests that it is triggered by the charge-separation process, possibly the oxidation of tyr Z and the accompanying proton relocations. It therefore appears that a configuration of (Mn)(4)Ca with a low-spin ground state advances to S(3).

Evidence that D1-His332 in photosystem II from Thermosynechococcus elongatus interacts with the S3-state and not with the S2-state

Oxygen evolution by Photosystem II (PSII) is catalyzed by a Mn(4)Ca cluster. Thus far, from the crystallographic three-dimensional (3D) structures, seven amino acid residues have been identified as possible ligands of the Mn(4)Ca cluster. Among them, there is only one histidine, His332, which belongs to the D1 polypeptide. The relationships of the D1-His332 amino acid with kinetics and thermodynamic properties of the Mn(4)Ca cluster in the S(2)- and S(3)-states of the catalytic cycle were investigated in purified PSII from Thermosynechococcus elongatus. This was done by examining site-directed D1-His332Gln and D1-His332Ser mutants by a variety of spectroscopic techniques such as time-resolved UV-visible absorption change spectroscopy, cw- and pulse-EPR, thermoluminescence, and measurement of substrate water exchange. Both mutants grew photo-autotrophically and active PSII could be purified. On the basis of the parameters assessed in this work, the D1-His332(Gln, Ser) mutations had no effect in the S(2)-state. Electron spin-echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopy also showed that possible interactions between the nuclear spin of the nitrogen(s) of D1-His332 with the electronic spin S = 1/2 of the Mn(4)Ca cluster in the S(2)-state were not detectable and that the D1-His332Ser mutation did not affect the detected hyperfine couplings. In contrast, the following changes were observed in the S(3)-state of the D1-His332 mutants: (1) The redox potential of the S(3)/S(2) couple was slightly increased by < or = 20 meV, (2) The S(3)-EPR spectrum was slightly modified, (3) The D1-His332Gln mutation resulted in a approximately 3 fold decrease of the slow (tightly bound) exchange rate and a approximately 2 fold increase of the fast exchange rate of the water substrate molecules. All these results suggest that the D1-His332 would be more involved in S(3) than in S(2). This could be one element of the conformational changes put forward in the S(2) to S(3) transition.

Effects of methanol on the Si-state transitions in photosynthetic water-splitting

From a chemical point of view methanol is one of the closest analogues of water. Consistent with this idea EPR spectroscopy studies have shown that methanol binds at-or at least very close to-the Mn(4)O(x)Ca cluster of photosystem II (PSII). In contrast, Clark-type oxygen rate measurements demonstrate that the O(2) evolving activity of PSII is surprisingly unaffected by methanol concentrations of up to 10%. Here we study for the first time in detail the effect of methanol on photosynthetic water-splitting by employing a Joliot-type bare platinum electrode. We demonstrate a linear dependence of the miss parameter for S( i ) state advancement on the methanol concentrations in the range of 0-10% (v/v). This finding is consistent with the idea that methanol binds in PSII with similar affinity as water to one or both substrate binding sites at the Mn(4)O(x)Ca cluster. The possibility is discussed that the two substrate water molecules bind at different stages of the cycle, one during the S(4) --> S(0) and the other during the S(2) --> S(3) transition.

Structural changes in the Mn4Ca cluster and the mechanism of photosynthetic water splitting

Photosynthetic water oxidation, where water is oxidized to dioxygen, is a fundamental chemical reaction that sustains the biosphere. This reaction is catalyzed by a Mn4Ca complex in the photosystem II (PS II) oxygen-evolving complex (OEC): a multiprotein assembly embedded in the thylakoid membranes of green plants, cyanobacteria, and algae. The mechanism of photosynthetic water oxidation by the Mn4Ca cluster in photosystem II is the subject of much debate, although lacking structural characterization of the catalytic intermediates. Biosynthetically exchanged Ca/Sr-PS II preparations and x-ray spectroscopy, including extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), allowed us to monitor Mn-Mn and Ca(Sr)-Mn distances in the four intermediate S states, S0 through S3, of the catalytic cycle that couples the one-electron photochemistry occurring at the PS II reaction center with the four-electron water-oxidation chemistry taking place at the Mn4Ca(Sr) cluster. We have detected significant changes in the structure of the complex, especially in the Mn-Mn and Ca(Sr)-Mn distances, on the S2-to-S3 and S3-to-S0 transitions. These results implicate the involvement of at least one common bridging oxygen atom between the Mn-Mn and Mn-Ca(Sr) atoms in the O-O bond formation. Because PS II cannot advance beyond the S2 state in preparations that lack Ca(Sr), these results show that Ca(Sr) is one of the critical components in the mechanism of the enzyme. The results also show that Ca is not just a spectator atom involved in providing a structural framework, but is actively involved in the mechanism of water oxidation and represents a rare example of a catalytically active Ca cofactor.

The PSII calcium site revisited

Oxidation of H2O by photosystem II is a unique redox reaction in that it requires Ca2+ as well as Cl- as obligatory activators/cofactors of the reaction, which is catalyzed by Mn atoms. The properties of the binding site for Ca2+ in this reaction resemble those of other Ca2+ binding proteins, and recent X-ray structural data confirm that the metal is in fact ligated at least in part by amino acid side chain oxo anions. Removal of Ca2+ blocks water oxidation chemistry at an early stage in the cycle of redox reactions that result in O-O bond formation, and the intimate involvement of Ca2+ in this reaction that is implied by this result is confirmed by an ever-improving set of crystal structures of the cyanobacterial enzyme. Here, we revisit the photosystem II Ca2+ site, in part to discuss the additional information that has appeared since our earlier review of this subject (van Gorkom HJ, Yocum CF In: Wydrzynski TJ, Satoh K (eds) Photosystem II: the light-driven water:plastoquinone oxidoreductase), and also to reexamine earlier data, which lead us to conclude that all S-state transitions require Ca2+.

Biosynthetic Ca2+/Sr2+ Exchange in the Photosystem II Oxygen-evolving Enzyme of Thermosynechococcus elongatus

The thermophilic cyanobacterium, Thermosynechococcus elongatus, has been grown in the presence of Sr2+ instead of Ca2+ with the aim of biosynthetically replacing the Ca2+ of the oxygen-evolving enzyme with Sr2+. Not only were the cells able to grow normally with Sr2+, they actively accumulated the ion to levels higher than those of Ca2+ in the normal cultures. A protocol was developed to purify a fully active Sr(2+)-containing photosystem II (PSII). The modified enzyme contained a normal polypeptide profile and 1 strontium/4 manganese, indicating that the normal enzyme contains 1 calcium/4 manganese. The Sr(2+)- and Ca(2+)-containing enzymes were compared using EPR spectroscopy, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and O2 polarography. The Ca2+/Sr2+ exchange resulted in the modification of the EPR spectrum of the manganese cluster and a slower turnover of the redox cycle (the so-called S-state cycle), resulting in diminished O2 evolution activity under continuous saturating light: all features reported previously by biochemical Ca2+/Sr2+ exchange in plant PSII. This allays doubts that these changes could be because of secondary effects induced by the biochemical treatments themselves. In addition, the Sr(2+)-containing PSII has other kinetics modifications: 1) it has an increased stability of the S3 redox state; 2) it shows an increase in the rate of electron donation from TyrD, the redox-active tyrosine of the D2 protein, to the oxygen-evolving complex in the S3-state forming S2; 3) the rate of oxidation of the S0-state to the S1-state by TyrD* is increased; and 4) the release of O2 is slowed down to an extent similar to that seen for the slowdown of the S3TyrZ* to S0TyrZ transition, consistent with the latter constituting the limiting step of the water oxidation mechanism in Sr(2+)-substituted enzyme as well as in the normal enzyme. The replacement of Ca2+ by Sr2+ appears to have multiple effects on kinetics properties of the enzyme that may be explained by S-state-dependent shifts in the redox properties of both the manganese complex and TyrZ as well as structural effects.

(18)O isotope exchange measurements reveal that calcium is involved in the binding of one substrate-water molecule to the oxygen-evolving complex in photosystem II

Direct evidence is presented to show that calcium is inherently involved in the binding of one of the two substrate-water molecules to the oxygen-evolving complex in photosystem II. Previous rapid (millisecond range) (18)O isotope exchange measurements between added H(2)(18)O and the photogenerated O(2) have shown that the two substrate-water molecules bind to separate sites throughout the S-state cycle, as revealed by their kinetically distinct rates of (18)O exchange [Hillier, W., and Wydrzynski, T. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 4399-4405]. Upon extraction of the functionally bound calcium using a either a low-pH/citrate treatment or a NaCl/A23187/EGTA treatment and subsequent reconstitution of activity with strontium, we show for the first time a specific increase in the slow rate of (18)O exchange by a factor of 3-4. This increase in the slow rate of exchange is consistently observed across the S(1), S(2), and S(3) states. In contrast, the fast phase of (18)O exchange in the S(3) state appears to be affected little upon strontium reconstitution, while the fast phases of exchange in the S(1) and S(2) states remain largely unresolvable, at the detectable limits of the current techniques. The results are discussed in terms of a possible substrate bridging structure between the functional calcium and a catalytic manganese ion that gives rise to the slowly exchanging component.

Photosystem II and photosynthetic oxidation of water: an overview

Conceptually, photosystem II, the oxygen-evolving enzyme, can be divided into two parts: the photochemical part and the catalytic part. The photochemical part contains the ultra-fast and ultra-efficient light-induced charge separation and stabilization steps that occur when light is absorbed by chlorophyll. The catalytic part, where water is oxidized, involves a cluster of Mn ions close to a redox-active tyrosine residue. Our current understanding of the catalytic mechanism is mainly based on spectroscopic studies. Here, we present an overview of the current state of knowledge of photosystem II, attempting to delineate the open questions and the directions of current research.

Calcium depletion modifies the structure of the photosystem II O(2)-evolving complex

A 5 min exposure of photosystem II to a pH 3 citric acid solution is a simple method for selective removal of Ca(2+) from the O(2)-evolving complex. The resulting preparation retains the 23 and 17 kDa extrinsic polypeptides, but the activity of this material is only 10-20% of that of an untreated control sample. Biochemical characterization of citrate-treated photosystem II reveals that some reaction centers lose the extrinsic proteins during citrate treatment. Furthermore, a comparison of photosystem II preparations treated with citrate, or depleted of 23 and 17 kDa extrinsic polypeptides by high-salt treatment, shows that low concentrations of a small reductant, NH(2)OH, which has little effect on the activity of intact photosystem II, can reduce and inhibit the Mn cluster in both types of preparations. In contrast, a large reductant, hydroquinone, cannot access the majority of O(2)-evolving centers in citrate-treated preparations, while 23 and 17 kDa-depleted material is rapidly inactivated by the reductant. Incubation of the citrate-treated samples in high ( approximately 60 mM) concentrations of CaCl(2) restores 50% of the lost activity; this Ca(2+)-reconstituted activity is chelator-insensitive, indicating that rebinding of Ca(2+) restores the structural integrity of the O(2)-evolving complex. A characterization of Ca(2+) and Cl(-) affinities in steady-state activity assays shows that citrate-treated preparations exhibit a Cl(-) requirement similar to that of polypeptide-depleted photosystem II, while Ca(2+) reactivation of O(2) evolution appears to occur at two structurally distinct sites. One site exhibits a high Ca(2+) affinity, similar to that found in polypeptide-depleted samples, but a second, lower-affinity site also exists, with a K(M) that is approximately 10 times greater than that of the high-affinity site, which is associated with centers that retain the extrinsic polypeptides. These data indicate that citrate-induced Ca(2+) depletion causes release of the 23 and 17 kDa extrinsic polypeptides from some photosystem II reaction centers, and also modifies the structure of the polypeptide-retaining O(2)-evolving centers so that the Mn cluster is exposed to small, but not large, reductants. This change may be due to subtle modifications to the structure of the photosystem II extrinsic proteins that produces a new pathway between the solvent and the Mn cluster or, alternatively, to the opening of an existing channel in the intrinsic lumenal polypeptide domain, between the solvent and the Mn cluster, that is normally occluded by a bound Ca(2+) atom.

Ca(2+) function in photosynthetic oxygen evolution studied by alkali metal cations substitution

Effects of adding monovalent alkali metal cations to Ca(2+)-depleted photosystem (PS)II membranes on the biochemical and spectroscopic properties of the oxygen-evolving complex were studied. The Ca(2+)-dependent oxygen evolution was competitively inhibited by K(+), Rb(+), and Cs(+), the ionic radii of which are larger than the radius of Ca(2+) but not inhibited significantly by Li(+) and Na(+), the ionic radii of which are smaller than that of Ca(2+). Ca(2+)-depleted membranes without metal cation supplementation showed normal S(2) multiline electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal and an S(2)Q(A)(-) thermoluminescence (TL) band with a normal peak temperature after illumination under conditions for single turnover of PSII. Membranes supplemented with Li(+) or Na(+) showed properties similar to those of the Ca(2+)-depleted membranes, except for a small difference in the TL peak temperatures. The peak temperature of the TL band of membranes supplemented with K(+), Rb(+), or Cs(+) was elevated to approximately 38 degrees C which coincided with that of Y(D)(+)Q(A)(-) TL band, and no S(2) EPR signals were detected. The K(+)-induced high-temperature TL band and the S(2)Q(A)(-) TL band were interconvertible by the addition of K(+) or Ca(2+) in the dark. Both the Ca(2+)-depleted and the K(+)-substituted membranes showed the narrow EPR signal corresponding to the S(2)Y(Z)(+) state at g = 2 by illuminating the membranes under multiple turnover conditions. These results indicate that the ionic radii of the cations occupying Ca(2+)-binding site crucially affect the properties of the manganese cluster.

Quantifying the ion selectivity of the Ca2+ site in photosystem II: evidence for direct involvement of Ca2+ in O2 formation

Calcium is an essential cofactor in the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII). The removal of Ca2+ or its substitution by any metal ion except Sr2+ inhibits oxygen evolution. We used steady-state enzyme kinetics to measure the rate of O2 evolution in PSII samples treated with an extensive series of mono-, di-, and trivalent metal ions in order to determine the basis for the affinity of metal ions for the Ca2+-binding site. Our results show that the Ca2+-binding site in PSII behaves very similarly to the Ca2+-binding sites in other proteins, and we discuss the implications this has for the structure of the site in PSII. Activity measurements as a function of time show that the binding site achieves equilibrium in 4 h for all of the PSII samples investigated. The binding affinities of the metal ions are modulated by the 17 and 23 kDa extrinsic polypeptides; their removal decreases the free energy of binding of the metal ions by 2.5 kcal/mol, but does not significantly change the time required to reach equilibrium. Monovalent ions are effectively excluded from the Ca2+-binding site, exhibiting no inhibition of O2 evolution. Di- and trivalent metal ions with ionic radii similar to that of Ca2+ (0.99 A) bind competitively with Ca2+ and have the highest binding affinity, while smaller metal ions bind more weakly and much larger ones do not bind competitively. This is consistent with a size-selective Ca2+-binding site that has a rigid array of coordinating ligands. Despite the large number of metal ions that competitively replace Ca2+ in the OEC, only Sr2+ is capable of partially restoring activity. Comparing the physical characteristics of the metal ions studied, we identify the pK(a) of the aqua ion as the factor that determines the functional competence of the metal ion. This suggests that Ca2+ is directly involved in the chemistry of water oxidation and is not only a structural cofactor in the OEC. We propose that the role of Ca2+ is to act as a Lewis acid, binding a substrate water molecule and tuning its reactivity.

Conformationally controlled pK-switching in membrane proteins: one more mechanism specific to the enzyme catalysis?

Internal proton displacements in several membrane photosynthetic enzymes are analyzed in relation to general mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis. In the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center (RC) and in bacteriorhodopsin (BR), carboxy residues (Glu-212 in the RC L-subunit and Asp-96 in BR) serve as indispensable intrinsic proton donors. Both carboxyls are protonated prior to the proton-donation step, because their pK values are shifted to >/=12.0 by the interaction with the protein and/or substrate. In both cases, the proton transfer reactions are preceded by conformational changes that, supposedly, let water interact with the carboxyls. These changes switch over the pK values of the carboxyls to </=6.0 and 7.1 in the RC and BR, respectively. The sharp increase in the proton-donating ability of the carboxyls drives the reaction cycles. This kind of catalytic mechanism, where a strong general acid or base emerges, when needed, as a result of a conformational change can be denoted as a conformationally controlled pK-switching. Generally, the ability of enzymes to go between isoenergetic conformations that differ widely in the reactivity of the catalytic group(s) may be of crucial importance to the understanding of enzymatic catalysis. Particularly, the pK-switching concept could help to reconcile the contradictory views on the functional protonation state of the redox-active tyrosine Y(Z) in the oxygen-evolving photosystem II. It is conceivable that Y(Z) switches its pK from approximately 4.5 to >/=10.0 upon the last, rate-limiting step of water oxidation. By turning into a strong base, tyrosine assists then in abstracting a proton from the bound substrate water and helps to drive the dioxygen formation.

Thermoluminescence measurements on chloride-depleted and calcium-depleted photosystem II

Photosystem II (PSII) in which O2 evolution was inhibited by depletion of either chloride or calcium ions was studied by thermoluminescence (TL) and luminescence (L) measurements in the presence and absence of 3-(3',4'-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea (DCMU). Cl--depleted PSII gives rise to TL and L signals which are similar to those in untreated controls i.e., DCMU shifts the TL band from 30 degreesC to 8 degreesC and suppresses the L component with t1/2=10-15 s. In Ca2+-depleted PSII a TL-band at around 50 degreesC and a slow luminescence decay (t1/2=60 s) is observed. Under these conditions, DCMU does not lead to a downshift of the peak temperature of the TL-band nor does it accelerate the decay kinetics of the luminescence. This indicates that in Ca2+-depleted PSII the QA/QB electron transfer is inhibited prior to the addition of DCMU while in Cl--depleted PSII QA/QB electron transfer seems unaffected. These results are consistent with previous fluorescence measurements which showed that the midpoint potential of the redox couple QA/QA- is unchanged in Cl--depleted PSII compared to the control while in Ca2+-depleted PSII it is shifted towards a more positive value [A. Krieger, A.W. Rutherford, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1319 (1997) 91-98]. In the literature there are several conflicting reports concerning the TL in Ca2+ and Cl--depleted material so we attempted to understand the origin of some of these discrepancies. We find that in the absence of cryoprotectants, excitation of TL at low temperatures leads to an upshift of TL-bands in Cl--depleted PSII, both in the presence and absence of DCMU, while the peak temperature of TL-bands in control and Ca2+-depleted PSII are downshifted. When TL is excited at 20 degreesC or at low temperature in the presence of a cryoprotectant then there was no shift of the peak temperature of TL-bands. These unexpected results suggest that the formation of the charge pair triggers modifications in its environment and that the exact nature of these modifications differs depending on the temperature of excitation. It seems that once these modifications have occurred at a given temperature they remain 'locked in' being unaffected by subsequent temperature changes until charge recombination has occurred. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

Calcium binding studies of photosystem II using a calcium-selective electrode

The identification of Ca2+ as a cofactor in photosynthetic O2 evolution has encouraged research into the role of Ca2+ in photosystem II (PSII). Previous methods used to identify the number of binding sites and their affinities were not able to measure Ca2+ binding at thermodynamic equilibrium. We introduce the use of a Ca2(+)-selective electrode to study equilibrium binding of Ca2+ to PSII. The number and affinities of binding sites were determined via Scatchard analysis on a series of PSII membrane preparations progressively depleted of the extrinsic polypeptides and Mn. Untreated PSII membranes bound approximately 4 Ca2+ per PSII with high affinity (K = 1.8 microM) and a larger number of Ca2+ with lower affinity. The high-affinity sites are assigned to divalent cation-binding sites on the light-harvesting complex II that are involved in membrane stacking, and the lower-affinity sites are attributed to nonspecific surface-binding sites. These sites were also observed in all of the extrinsic polypeptide- and Mn-depleted preparations. Depletion of the extrinsic polypeptides and/or Mn exposed additional very high-affinity Ca2(+)-binding sites which were not in equilibrium with free Ca2+ in untreated PSII, owing to the diffusion barrier created by the extrinsic polypeptides. Ca2(+)-depleted PSII membranes lacking the 23 and 17 kDa extrinsic proteins bound an additional 2.5 Ca2+ per PSII with K = 0.15 microM. This number of very high-affinity Ca2(+)-binding sites agrees with the previous work of Cheniae and co-workers [Kalosaka, K., et al. (1990) in Current Research in Photosynthesis (Baltscheffsky, M., Ed.) pp 721-724, Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands] whose procedure for Ca2+ depletion was used. Further depletion of the 33 kDa extrinsic protein yielded a sample that bound only 0.7 very high-affinity Ca2+ per PSII with K = 0.19 microM. The loss of 2 very high-affinity Ca2(+)-binding sites upon depletion of the 33 kDa extrinsic protein could be due to a structural change of the O2-evolving complex which lost 2-3 of the 4 Mn ions in this sample. Finally, PSII membranes depleted of Mn and the 33, 23, and 17 kDa extrinsic proteins bound approximately 4 very high-affinity Ca2+ per PSII with K = 0.08 microM. These sites are assigned to Ca2+ binding to the vacant Mn sites.

The role of the extrinsic 33 kDa protein in Ca2+ binding in photosystem II

The role of the 33 kDa protein in Ca2+ binding was studied by comparing the EPR properties of photosystem II in the presence and absence of the 33 kDa protein and Ca2+. When the removal of the 33 kDa protein was carried out in the dark, a normal manganese multiline EPR signal could be observed when the S2 state was generated. In addition, the split S3 signal could not be generated by illumination at 273 K. Exposure of the 33 kDa protein-less photosystem II to room light did not lead to any change in the EPR properties of the S2 state, but the split S3 state signal at around g = 2 could then be generated, indicating that Ca2+ was released from this preparation during the exposure to light. Treatment of photosystem II lacking the 33 kDa protein with EGTA in the light led to a modification of the S2 state characterized by a dark-stable multiline EPR signal. Much lower EGTA concentrations were required in order to obtain this modification in the absence of the 33 kDa protein than was required when the 33 kDa protein was present. This indicates that the manganese cluster was more accessible to chelator binding when the 33 kDa protein was absent. When 33 kDa protein-less photosystem II was treated with EGTA in the dark, no modification of the multiline EPR signal of the S2 state of the manganese cluster occurred, nor was Ca2+ released as monitored by the inability to generate the split S3 signal. These chelator- and Ca(2+)-binding properties occurring in PSII lacking the 33 kDa protein are very similar to those observed previously in NaCl-washed PSII in which the 33 kDa protein is present (reviewed in Boussac & Rutherford, 1994a). It is concluded that the 33 kDa protein has little or no direct role in binding the Ca2+ ion which is required for oxygen evolution.

Properties of the chloride-depleted oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II studied by electron paramagnetic resonance

The effects of different Cl- depletion treatments in photosystem II (PS-II)-enriched membranes have been investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and by measurements of oxygen-evolving activity. The results indicated that the oxygen-evolving complex of PS-II exhibits two distinct Cl(-)-dependent properties. (1) After Cl(-)-free washes at pH 6.3, a reversibly altered distribution of structural states of PS-II was observed, manifested as the appearance of a g = 4 EPR signal from the S2 state in a significant fraction of centers (20-40%) at the expense of the S2 multiline signal. In addition, small but significant changes in the shape of the S2 multiline EPR signal were observed. Reconstitution of Cl- to Cl(-)-free washed PS-II rapidly reversed the observed effects of the Cl(-)-free washing. The anions, SO4(2-) and F-, which are often used during Cl- depletion treatments, had no effect on the S2 EPR properties of PS-II under these conditions in the absence or presence of Cl-. Flash experiments and measurements of oxygen evolution versus light intensity indicated that the two structural states observed after the removal of Cl- at pH 6.3 originated from oxygen-evolving centers exhibiting a lowered quantum yield of water oxidation. (2) Depletion of Cl- in PS-II by pH 10 treatment reversibly inhibited the oxygen-evolving activity to approximately 15%. The pH 10 treatment depleted the Cl- from a site which is considered to be equivalent to that studied in most earlier work on Cl(-)-depleted PS-II. The S2 state in pH 10/Cl(-)-depleted PS-II was reversibly modified to a state from which no S2 multiline EPR signal was generated and which exhibited an intense S2 g = 4 EPR signal corresponding to at least 40% of the centers but possibly to a much larger fraction of centers. The state responsible for the intense S2 g = 4 signal generated under these conditions is unlike that observed after removal of Cl- from PS-II at pH 6.3, in that this state was more stable in the dark, showing a half-decay time of approximately 1.5 h at 0 degrees C, and was unable to undergo further charge accumulation. Nevertheless, a fraction of centers, probably different from those exhibiting the S2 g = 4 signal, was able to advance to the formal S3 state, giving rise to a narrow EPR signal around g = 2. Addition of the anions SO4(2-) or F- to pH 10/Cl(-)-depleted PS-II affected the properties of PS-II, resulting in EPR properties of the S2 state similar to those reported earlier following Cl- depletion treatment of PS-II in the presence of these anions. Surprisingly, after addition of F-, the g = 4 EPR signal showed a damped flash-dependent oscillation. In addition, a narrow signal around g = 2, corresponding to the formal S3 state, also showed a damped flash-dependent oscillation pattern. The presence of oscillating EPR signals (albeit damped) in F(-)-treated pH 10/Cl(-)-depleted PS-II indicates functional enzyme turnover. This was confirmed by measurements of the oxygen-evolving activity versus light intensity which indicated that in approximately 45% of oxygen-evolving centers the enzyme turnover was slowed by a factor of 2. The distinct Cl- depletion effects in PS-II observed under the two different Cl- depletion treatments are considered to reflect the presence of two distinct Cl(-)-binding sites in PS-II.

The role of calcium in the pH-dependent control of Photosystem II

pH-dependent inactivation of Photosystem (PS) II and related quenching of chlorophyll-a-fluorescence have been investigated in isolated thylakoids and PS II-particles and related to calcium release at the donor side of PS II. The capacity of oxygen evolution (measured under light saturation) decreases when the ΔpH is high and the pH in the thylakoid lumen decreases below 5.5. Oxygen evolution recovers upon uncoupling. The pH-response of inactivation can be described by a 1 H(+)-transition with an apparent pK-value of about 4.7. The yield of variable fluorescence decreases in parallel to the inactivation of oxygen evolution. pH-dependent quenching requires light and can be inhibited by DCMU. In PS II-particles, inactivation is accompanied by a reversible release of Ca(2+)-ions (one Ca(2+) released per 200 Chl). In isolated thylakoids, where a ΔpH was created by ATP-hydrolysis, both inactivation of oxygen evolution (and related fluorescence quenching) by internal acidification and the recovery of that inactivation can be suppressed by calcium-channel blockers. In the presence of the Ca(2+)-ionophore A23187, recovery of Chl-fluorescence (after relaxation of the ΔpH) is stimulated by external Ca(2+) and retarded by EGTA. As shown previously (Krieger and Weis 1993), inactivation of oxygen evolution at low pH is accompanied by an upward shift of the midpoint redox-potential, Em, of QA. Here, we show that in isolated PS II particles the pH-dependent redox-shift (about 160 mV, as measured from redox titration of Chl-fluorescence) is suppressed by Ca(2+)-channel blockers and DCMU. When a redox potential of -80 to -120mV was established in a suspension of isolated thylakoids, the primary quinone acceptor, QA, was largely reduced in presence of a ΔpH (created by ATP-hydrolysis) but oxidized in presence of an uncoupler. Ca(2+)-binding at the lumen side seems to control redox processes at the lumen- and stroma-side of PS II. We discuss Ca(2+)-release to be involved in the physiological process of 'high energy quenching'.

Absorbance difference spectra of the S-state transitions in Photosystem II core particles

Redox changes of the oxygen evolving complex in PS II core particles were investigated by absorbance difference spectroscopy in the UV-region. The oscillation of the absorbance changes induced by a series of saturating flashes could not be explained by the minimal Kok model (Kok et al. 1970) consisting of a 4-step redox cycle, S0 → S1 → S2 → S3 → S0, although the values of most of the relevant parameters had been determined experimentally. Additional assumptions which allow a consistent fit of all data are a slow equilibration of the S3 state with an inactive state, perhaps related to Ca(2+)-release, and a low quantum efficiency for the first turnover after dark-adaptation. Difference spectra of the successive S-state transitions were determined. At wavelengths above 370 nm, they were very different due to the different contribution of a Chl bandshift in each spectrum. At shorter wavelengths, the S1 → S2 transition showed a difference spectrum similar to that reported by Dekker et al. 1984b and attributed to an Mn(III) to Mn(IV) oxidation. The spectrum of absorbance changes associated with the S2 → S3 transition was similar to that reported by Lavergne 1991 for PS II membranes. The S0 → S1 transition was associated with a smaller but still substantial absorbance increase in the UV. Differences with the spectra reported by Lavergne 1991 are attributed to electrostatic effects on electron transfer at the acceptor side associated with the S-state dependence of proton release in PS II membranes.

Structural and functional modulation of the manganese cluster in Ca(2+)-depleted photosystem II induced by binding of the 24-kilodalton extrinsic protein

Depletion of functional Ca2+ from photosystem (PS) II membranes impairs O2 evolution. Redox properties of the Mn cluster as probed by thermoluminescence were modified differently in Ca(2+)-depleted PSII depending on the procedure for Ca2+ extraction. Ca2+ depletion by low-pH treatment gave rise to an abnormally modified S2 state exhibiting a thermoluminescence band with elevated peak temperature accompanied by a marked upshift in threshold temperature for its formation, whereas Ca2+ depletion by NaCl washing in the light followed by the addition of EDTA could generate a similarly modified S2 state only when the Ca(2+)-depleted PSII was reconstituted with the 24-kDa extrinsic proteins. These results indicated that manifestation of the abnormal properties of the Ca(2+)-depleted S2 state is significantly contributed by the association of the 24-kDa extrinsic protein to PSII. It was inferred that the 24-kDa extrinsic protein regulates the structure and function of the Mn cluster in the absence of functional Ca2+ through a conformational modulation of the intrinsic protein(s) that bind(s) both Mn and Ca. Features of the extrinsic protein-dependent modulation of the Mn cluster were discussed in relation to the function of Ca2+ in O2 evolution.

The origin of the split S3 EPR signal in Ca(2+)-depleted photosystem II: histidine versus tyrosine

The radical formed as the formal S3 charge storage state in Ca(2+)-depleted photosystem II and detected as a split EPR signal was previously assigned to an oxidized histidine radical on the basis of its UV spectrum. In a recent paper [Hallahan, B. J., Nugent, J. H. A., Warden, J. T., & Evans, M. C. W. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 4562-4573], this assignment was challenged, and it was suggested that the signal arises instead from the well-known tyrosine radical Tyrz., the electron carrier between the photooxidized chlorophyll and the Mn cluster. Here, we provide evidence that the measurements of the Tyr., on which the new interpretation was based, are artifactual due to the use of saturating microwave powers. Other than a relaxation-enhancement effect, the formation of the split S3 signal is accompanied by no change in the Tyr. signal. Although essentially unrelated to the origin of the S3 radical, several other experimental and interpretational problems in the work of Hallahan et al. (1992) are pointed out and rationalized. For example, the inability of Hallahan et al. (1992) to observe the split S3 signal in samples containing DCMU or without a chelator, in contrast to our observations, is attributed to a number of technical problems including the incomplete inhibition of the enzyme. We thus conclude that the assignment of the split S3 signal as His., although not proven, remains the most reasonable on the basis of current data.

Stabilization of the water oxidizing polypeptide assembly on Photosystem II membranes by osmolytes and other solutes

The integrity of Photosystem II membranes isolated from chloroplast thylakoids is profoundly affected by the solute environment. Examples are given for stabilizing effects various solutes have on the binding of the 17 and 23 kDa extrinsic polypeptides under conditions conductive to their dissociation. It is concluded that these and many other solute effects on Photosystem II membranes can be accommodated readily in a concept developed by Timasheff and his coworkers according to which the responses of proteins to their solute environment are consequences of interaction preferences among the constituents of the solvent-protein-solute systems.

The role of light in formation of modified S2-state upon low pH-treatment of oxygen-evolving Photosystem II

An abnormal, structurally modified, kinetically stable S2-state has been reported to be induced when Photosystem II was treated with NaCl-EGTA (or EDTA) in the light or with pH in darkness, both are assumed to release functional Ca(2+). In order to compare the mechanism of induction of modified S2-state between the two treatments, effects of illumination during or before low pH-treatment on formation of the abnormal S2-state were investigated by means of thermoluminescence measurements and low temperature EPR spectroscopy. Following results have been obtained: Flash illumination during low pH-treatment did not practically induce the abnormal S2-state, whereas preflash illumination given immediately before low pH-treatment efficiently induced the abnormal S2-state, and its amplitude showed a period-four oscillation on varying the preflash number with maxima at the second and sixth flashes. The abnormal S2-state thus induced by preflashes was identical with the modified S2-state that could be induced in dark-low pH-treated Photosystem II by excitation at 0°C after neutralization to pH 6.5. It was inferred that in low pH-treatment, modified S2-state can be formed from both S2- and S3-states, but its yield from the latter is much higher than from the former, consistent with the early results by Boussac et al. obtained for NaCl-EGTA-light or NaCl-citrate-light treatment.