Probing native-like orientation of pigments in modified reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides R26 by linear dichroism

Four Routes to 3-(3-Methoxy-1,3-dioxopropyl)pyrrole, a Core Motif of Rings C and E in Photosynthetic Tetrapyrroles

The photosynthetic tetrapyrroles share a common structural feature comprised of a β-ketoester motif embedded in an exocyclic ring (ring E). As part of a total synthesis program aimed at preparing native structures and analogues, 3-(3-methoxy-1,3-dioxopropyl)pyrrole was sought. The pyrrole is a precursor to analogues of ring C and the external framework of ring E. Four routes were developed. Routes 1-3 entail a Pd-mediated coupling process of a 3-iodopyrrole with potassium methyl malonate, whereas route 4 relies on electrophilic substitution of TIPS-pyrrole with methyl malonyl chloride. Together, the four routes afford considerable latitude. A long-term objective is to gain the capacity to create chlorophylls and bacteriochlorophylls and analogues thereof by facile de novo means for diverse studies across the photosynthetic sciences.

On the Mechanism of Selective Chemical Exchange of Bacteriopheophytins in the Reaction Centers of Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26

To elucidate the mechanism of site-selective chemical replacement of chromophores in the reaction centers (RCs) of photosynthetic bacteria by external pigments, we investigated how the efficiency of incorporation of plant pheophytin a (Pheo) into the binding sites for bacteriopheophytin a molecules (BPheo) in the isolated Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26 RCs depended on the incubation medium temperature, Pheo aggregation state, and the presence of organic solvent (acetone). When Pheo was in a form of monomers in free detergent micelles in a water-detergent incubation medium, the degree of selective replacement of photochemically inactive BPheo H_B molecules upon incubation of the RC/Pheo mixture at 5°C was ~15%. The exchange efficiency increased to 40% upon incubation at 25°C and reached 100% at the same temperature when 10% acetone was added to the incubation medium. At both 5 and 25°C, the degree of pigment exchange increased approximately twice, when a mixture of Pheo monomers and dimers in the presence of 10% acetone was used as the incubation medium. The removal of acetone from this medium with the preservation of pigment forms led to a significant decrease in the efficiency of Pheo incorporation. The effect of acetone on the pigment exchange was also observed at an elevated incubation temperature (43.5°C), when functionally active BPheo H_A molecules were partially replaced. The results are discussed in terms of the mechanism according to which (i) the temperature-dependent internal movements of the RC protein facilitate the release of the BPheo molecule from the binding site with simultaneous insertion of the Pheo molecule into the same site in a coupled process, (ii) the role of temperature largely depends on the steric accessibility of binding pockets in the RC protein, (iii) the incorporation of Pheo occurs from a pool of monomeric molecules included in the RC-detergent micelles, and (iv) the presence of acetone in the incubation medium facilitates the exchange of Pheo monomers between micelles in the solution and the detergent belt of the RC complex.

In Situ, Protein-Mediated Generation of a Photochemically Active Chlorophyll Analogue in a Mutant Bacterial Photosynthetic Reaction Center

All possible natural amino acids have been substituted for the native LeuL185 positioned near the B-side bacteriopheophytin (H_B) in the bacterial reaction center (RC) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Additional mutations that enhance electron transfer to the normally inactive B-side cofactors are present. Approximately half of the isolated RCs with Glu at L185 contain a magnesium chlorin (C_B) in place of H_B. The chlorin is not the common BChl a oxidation product 3-desvinyl-3-acetyl chlorophyll a with a C-C bond in ring D and a C═C bond in ring B but has properties consistent with reversal of these bond orders, giving 17,18-didehydro BChl a. In such RCs, charge-separated state P⁺C_B^- forms in ∼5% yield. The other half of the GluL185-containing RCs have a bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a) denoted β_B in place of H_B. Residues His, Asp, Asn, and Gln at L185 yield RCs with ≥85% β_B in the H_B site, while most other amino acids result in RCs that retain H_B (≥95%). To the best of our knowledge, neither bacterial RCs that harbor five BChl a molecules and one chlorophyll analogue nor those with six BChl a molecules have been reported previously. The finding that altering the local environment within a cofactor binding site of a transmembrane complex leads to in situ generation of a photoactive chlorin with an unusual ring oxidation pattern suggests new strategies for amino acid control over pigment type at specific sites in photosynthetic proteins.

Absorption and Fluorescence Spectral Database of Chlorophylls and Analogues

Absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra are essential for use across the photosciences, yet such spectra along with the all-important values for molar absorption coefficient (ε) and fluorescence quantum yield (Φ_f ) often are found with great difficulty. Here, a literature survey concerning the vital class of chlorophyll compounds has led to identification of spectra for 150 members. Spectra in print form have been digitized (with baseline corrections) and assembled into a database along with literature references, solvent identity and values for ε and Φ_f (where available). The database encompasses photosynthetic tetrapyrroles wherein the chromophore is a porphyrin (e.g. chlorophyll c₁ , protochlorophyll a), chlorin (e.g. chlorophyll a, bacteriochlorophyll c) or bacteriochlorin (e.g. bacteriochlorophyll a). Altogether, the database contains 305 absorption spectra (from 19 porphyrins, 109 chlorins and 22 bacteriochlorins) and 72 fluorescence spectra (from 10 porphyrins, 30 chlorins and 4 bacteriochlorins). The spectral database should facilitate comparisons and quantitative calculations. All spectra are available in print form in the Supporting Information. The entire database in digital form is available with the PhotochemCAD program for free downloading and further use at http://www.photochemcad.com.

Characterization of pheophytin ground states in Rhodobacter sphaeroides R26 photosynthetic reaction centers from multispin pheophytin enrichment and 2-D 13C MAS NMR dipolar correlation spectroscopy

The electronic ground states of pheophytin cofactors potentially involved in symmetry breaking between the A and B branch for electron transport in the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center have been investigated through a characterization of the electron densities at individual atomic positions of pheophytin a from 13C chemical shift data. A new experimental approach involving multispin 13C labeling and 2-D NMR is presented. Bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers of Rhodobacter sphaeroides R26 were reconstituted with uniformly 13C biosynthetically labeled (plant) Pheo a in the two pheophytin binding sites. From the multispin labeled samples 1-D and 2-D solid-state 13C magic angle spinning NMR spectra could be obtained and used to characterize the pheophytin a ground state in the Rb. sphaeroides R26 RCs, i.e., without a necessity for time-consuming selective labeling strategies involving organic synthesis. From the 2-D solid state 13C-13C correlation spectra collected with spinning speeds of 8 and 10 kHz, with mixing times of 1 and 0.8 ms, many 13C resonances of the [U-13C]Pheo a molecules reconstituted in the RCs could be assigned in a single set of experiments. Parts of the pheophytins interacting with the protein, at the level of 13C shifts modified by binding, could be identified. Small reconstitution shifts are detected for the 17(2) side chain of ring IV. In contrast, there is no evidence for electrostatic differences between the two Pheo a, for instance, due to a possibly strong selective electrostatic interaction with Glu L104 on the active branch. The protonation states appear the same, and the NMR suggests a strong overall similarity between the ground states of the two Pheo a, which is of interest in view of the asymmetry of the electron transfer.

Electrostatic influence of QA reduction on the IR vibrational mode of the 10a-ester C==O of HA demonstrated by mutations at residues Glu L104 and Trp L100 in reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides

The light-induced QA-/QA FTIR difference spectrum of the photoreduction of the primary quinone (QA) in reaction centers (RCs) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides exhibits a set of complex differential bands between 1750 and 1715 cm(-1). Several of these features correspond in frequency to bands that bleach in the HA-/HA FTIR difference spectra of the photoreduction of the bacteriopheophytin electron acceptor (HA). Since the 10a-ester C==O from HA and the side chains of protonated carboxylic acids would be expected to contribute in this spectral region, mutations were designed at Trp L100 and Glu L104, which have been proposed to form hydrogen bonds to the 10a-ester and the 9-keto carbonyls on ring V of HA, respectively. The QA/-/QA spectra measured in IH2O and 2H2O of RCs from wild type (WT) were compared to those of RCs with the mutation Trp to Phe at L100 [WF(L100)], Glu to Leu at L104 [EL(L104)], or both mutations [EL(L104)/WF(L100)]. The spectra of the mutants in the 1800-1400 cm(-1) frequency range exhibit only limited perturbations compared to those of WT, indicating the absence of significant structural changes due to the mutations. Part of a differential signal centered around 1732 cm(-1) in the spectrum of WT RCs is downshifted by approximately 7 cm(-1) in EL(L104), while it is upshifted by approximately 11 cm(-1) in WF(L100). This upshift of the differential signal is assigned to the frequency change of the 10a-ester C==O of HA induced by the rupture of the hydrogen bond with Trp L100. The 1H2O-minus-2H2O double-difference spectrum of WT RCs exhibits a characteristic differential signal positive at 1730 cm-1 and negative at 1724 cm-1 that is absent in the corresponding spectra of EL(L104) and of the double mutant, implicating Glu L104 in the QA-/QA spectral changes. This differential signal is strongly modified in frequency and amplitude in the 1H2O-minus-2H2O spectrum of WF(L100), indicating that it does not correspond to a direct response of the C==O mode of the Glu L104 side chain upon QA reduction. Instead, perturbation of the hydrogen bond of the 9-keto C==O with Glu L104 is proposed to induce a change of electron density on ring V of HA, thereby altering the frequency of the 10a-ester C==O that is in partial conjugation with ring V. The loss of the hydrogen bond to the 9-keto C==O of HA due to the Glu L104 to Leu mutation or the alteration of the strength of the hydrogen bond by 1H/2H exchange on Glu L104 appears to produce such effects. Thus, the QA-/QA spectra above 1700 cm-1 are dominated by contributions from the 10a-ester C==O of HA, with most of the differential signals assigned to a small frequency downshift of the 10a-ester C==O of HA in response to QA reduction. The complexity of the signals implies a structural heterogeneity of the conformation and hydrogen bonding of the 10a-ester C==O of HA, which may be related to the functional heterogeneity observed in electron transfer kinetics. The present FTIR results show that the reduction of QA can induce a pronounced electrostatic effect on molecular vibrations of chemical groups located about 10 A away from QA. They also demonstrate that, within experimental limits, the proton uptake observed at pH 7 upon QA photoreduction [McPherson, P. H., Okamura, M. Y., & Feher, G. (1988) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 934, 348-368] involves none of the exchangeable carboxylic groups of the RC.