1
|
Timpmann K, Rätsep M, Freiberg A. Enhancing solar spectrum utilization in photosynthesis: exploring exciton and site energy shifts as key mechanisms. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22299. [PMID: 38102394 PMCID: PMC10724156 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49729-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Photosynthesis is a critical process that harnesses solar energy to sustain life across Earth's intricate ecosystems. Central to this phenomenon is nuanced adaptation to a spectrum spanning approximately from 300 nm to nearly 1100 nm of solar irradiation, a trait enabling plants, algae, and phototrophic bacteria to flourish in their respective ecological niches. While the Sun's thermal radiance and the Earth's atmospheric translucence naturally constrain the ultraviolet extent of this range, a comprehension of how to optimize the utilization of near-infrared light has remained an enduring pursuit. This study unveils the remarkable capacity of the bacteriochlorophyll b-containing purple photosynthetic bacterium Blastochloris viridis to harness solar energy at extreme long wavelengths, a property attributed to a synergistic interplay of exciton and site energy shift mechanisms. Understanding the unique native adaptation mechanisms offers promising prospects for advancing sustainable energy technologies of solar energy conversion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kõu Timpmann
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Margus Rätsep
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Arvi Freiberg
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
- Estonian Academy of Sciences, Kohtu 6, 10130, Tallinn, Estonia.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Timpmann K, Rätsep M, Freiberg A. Dominant role of excitons in photosynthetic color-tuning and light-harvesting. Front Chem 2023; 11:1231431. [PMID: 37908232 PMCID: PMC10613661 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1231431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Photosynthesis is a vital process that converts sunlight into energy for the Earth's ecosystems. Color adaptation is crucial for different photosynthetic organisms to thrive in their ecological niches. Although the presence of collective excitons in light-harvesting complexes is well known, the role of delocalized excited states in color tuning and excitation energy transfer remains unclear. This study evaluates the characteristics of photosynthetic excitons in sulfur and non-sulfur purple bacteria using advanced optical spectroscopic techniques at reduced temperatures. The exciton effects in these bacteriochlorophyll a-containing species are generally much stronger than in plant systems that rely on chlorophylls. Their exciton bandwidth varies based on multiple factors such as chromoprotein structure, surroundings of the pigments, carotenoid content, hydrogen bonding, and metal ion inclusion. The study nevertheless establishes a linear relationship between the exciton bandwidth and Qy singlet exciton absorption peak, which in case of LH1 core complexes from different species covers almost 130 nm. These findings provide important insights into bacterial color tuning and light-harvesting, which can inspire sustainable energy strategies and devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kõu Timpmann
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Margus Rätsep
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Arvi Freiberg
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Estonian Academy of Sciences, Tallinn, Estonia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tani K, Kanno R, Ji XC, Satoh I, Kobayashi Y, Hall M, Yu LJ, Kimura Y, Mizoguchi A, Humbel BM, Madigan MT, Wang-Otomo ZY. Rhodobacter capsulatus forms a compact crescent-shaped LH1-RC photocomplex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:846. [PMID: 36792596 PMCID: PMC9932092 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36460-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhodobacter (Rba.) capsulatus has been a favored model for studies of all aspects of bacterial photosynthesis. This purple phototroph contains PufX, a polypeptide crucial for dimerization of the light-harvesting 1-reaction center (LH1-RC) complex, but lacks protein-U, a U-shaped polypeptide in the LH1-RC of its close relative Rba. sphaeroides. Here we present a cryo-EM structure of the Rba. capsulatus LH1-RC purified by DEAE chromatography. The crescent-shaped LH1-RC exhibits a compact structure containing only 10 LH1 αβ-subunits. Four αβ-subunits corresponding to those adjacent to protein-U in Rba. sphaeroides were absent. PufX in Rba. capsulatus exhibits a unique conformation in its N-terminus that self-associates with amino acids in its own transmembrane domain and interacts with nearby polypeptides, preventing it from interacting with proteins in other complexes and forming dimeric structures. These features are discussed in relation to the minimal requirements for the formation of LH1-RC monomers and dimers, the spectroscopic behavior of both the LH1 and RC, and the bioenergetics of energy transfer from LH1 to the RC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazutoshi Tani
- Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu, Japan.
| | - Ryo Kanno
- Scientific Imaging Section, Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-Son, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa, Japan.,Quantum wave microscopy unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-Son, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa, Japan
| | | | | | | | - Malgorzata Hall
- Scientific Imaging Section, Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-Son, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yukihiro Kimura
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, Japan
| | | | - Bruno M Humbel
- Scientific Imaging Section, Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-Son, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa, Japan.,Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Juntendo University, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michael T Madigan
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Allochromatium tepidum, sp. nov., a hot spring species of purple sulfur bacteria. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:115. [PMID: 34984587 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-021-02715-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
We describe a new species of purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatiaceae, anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria) isolated from a microbial mat in the sulfidic geothermal outflow of a hot spring in Rotorua, New Zealand. This phototroph, designated as strain NZ, grew optimally near 45 °C but did not show an absorption maximum at 915 nm for the light-harvesting-reaction center core complex (LH1-RC) characteristic of other thermophilic purple sulfur bacteria. Strain NZ had a similar carotenoid composition as Thermochromatium tepidum, but unlike Tch. tepidum, grew photoheterotrophically on acetate in the absence of sulfide and metabolized thiosulfate. The genome of strain NZ was significantly larger than that of Tch. tepidum but slightly smaller than that of Allochromatium vinosum. Strain NZ was phylogenetically more closely related to mesophilic purple sulfur bacteria of the genus Allochromatium than to Tch. tepidum. This conclusion was reached from phylogenetic analyses of strain NZ genes encoding 16S rRNA and the photosynthetic functional gene pufM, from phylogenetic analyses of entire genomes, and from a phylogenetic tree constructed from the concatenated sequence of 1090 orthologous proteins. Moreover, average nucleotide identities and digital DNA:DNA hybridizations of the strain NZ genome against those of related species of Chromatiaceae supported the phylogenetic analyses. From this collection of properties, we describe strain NZ here as the first thermophilic species of the genus Allochromatium, Allochromatium tepidum NZT, sp. nov.
Collapse
|
5
|
Sattley WM, Swingley WD, Burchell BM, Dewey ED, Hayward MK, Renbarger TL, Shaffer KN, Stokes LM, Gurbani SA, Kujawa CM, Nuccio DA, Schladweiler J, Touchman JW, Wang-Otomo ZY, Blankenship RE, Madigan MT. Complete genome of the thermophilic purple sulfur Bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum compared to Allochromatium vinosum and other Chromatiaceae. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2022; 151:125-142. [PMID: 34669148 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-021-00870-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The complete genome sequence of the thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum strain MCT (DSM 3771T) is described and contrasted with that of its mesophilic relative Allochromatium vinosum strain D (DSM 180T) and other Chromatiaceae. The Tch. tepidum genome is a single circular chromosome of 2,958,290 base pairs with no plasmids and is substantially smaller than the genome of Alc. vinosum. The Tch. tepidum genome encodes two forms of RuBisCO and contains nifHDK and several other genes encoding a molybdenum nitrogenase but lacks a gene encoding a protein that assembles the Fe-S cluster required to form a functional nitrogenase molybdenum-iron cofactor, leaving the phototroph phenotypically Nif-. Tch. tepidum contains genes necessary for oxidizing sulfide to sulfate as photosynthetic electron donor but is genetically unequipped to either oxidize thiosulfate as an electron donor or carry out assimilative sulfate reduction, both of which are physiological hallmarks of Alc. vinosum. Also unlike Alc. vinosum, Tch. tepidum is obligately phototrophic and unable to grow chemotrophically in darkness by respiration. Several genes present in the Alc. vinosum genome that are absent from the genome of Tch. tepidum likely contribute to the major physiological differences observed between these related purple sulfur bacteria that inhabit distinct ecological niches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- W Matthew Sattley
- Division of Natural Sciences, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN, 46953, USA.
| | - Wesley D Swingley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, 60115, USA
| | - Brad M Burchell
- Division of Natural Sciences, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN, 46953, USA
| | - Emma D Dewey
- Division of Natural Sciences, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN, 46953, USA
| | - Mackenzie K Hayward
- Division of Natural Sciences, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN, 46953, USA
| | - Tara L Renbarger
- Division of Natural Sciences, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN, 46953, USA
| | - Kathryn N Shaffer
- Division of Natural Sciences, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN, 46953, USA
| | - Lynn M Stokes
- Division of Natural Sciences, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN, 46953, USA
| | - Sonja A Gurbani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, 60115, USA
| | - Catrina M Kujawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, 60115, USA
| | - D Adam Nuccio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, 60115, USA
| | - Jacob Schladweiler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, 60115, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Touchman
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AR, 85287, USA
| | | | - Robert E Blankenship
- Departments of Chemistry and Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Michael T Madigan
- Department of Microbiology, School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tani K, Kanno R, Ji XC, Hall M, Yu LJ, Kimura Y, Madigan MT, Mizoguchi A, Humbel BM, Wang-Otomo ZY. Cryo-EM Structure of the Photosynthetic LH1-RC Complex from Rhodospirillum rubrum. Biochemistry 2021; 60:2483-2491. [PMID: 34323477 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Rhodospirillum (Rsp.) rubrum is one of the most widely used model organisms in bacterial photosynthesis. This purple phototroph is characterized by the presence of both rhodoquinone (RQ) and ubiquinone as electron carriers and bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a esterified at the propionic acid side chain by geranylgeraniol (BChl aG) instead of phytol. Despite intensive efforts, the structure of the light-harvesting-reaction center (LH1-RC) core complex from Rsp. rubrum remains at low resolutions. Using cryo-EM, here we present a robust new view of the Rsp. rubrum LH1-RC at 2.76 Å resolution. The LH1 complex forms a closed, slightly elliptical ring structure with 16 αβ-polypeptides surrounding the RC. Our biochemical analysis detected RQ molecules in the purified LH1-RC, and the cryo-EM density map specifically positions RQ at the QA site in the RC. The geranylgeraniol side chains of BChl aG coordinated by LH1 β-polypeptides exhibit a highly homologous tail-up conformation that allows for interactions with the bacteriochlorin rings of nearby LH1 α-associated BChls aG. The structure also revealed key protein-protein interactions in both N- and C-terminal regions of the LH1 αβ-polypeptides, mainly within a face-to-face structural subunit. Our high-resolution Rsp. rubrum LH1-RC structure provides new insight for evaluating past experimental and computational results obtained with this old organism over many decades and lays the foundation for more detailed exploration of light-energy conversion, quinone transport, and structure-function relationships in this pigment-protein complex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazutoshi Tani
- Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Ryo Kanno
- Imaging Section, Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Xuan-Cheng Ji
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512, Japan
| | - Malgorzata Hall
- Imaging Section, Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Yukihiro Kimura
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Michael T Madigan
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, United States
| | - Akira Mizoguchi
- Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Bruno M Humbel
- Imaging Section, Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kimura Y, Nojima S, Nakata K, Yamashita T, Wang XP, Takenaka S, Akimoto S, Kobayashi M, Madigan MT, Wang-Otomo ZY, Yu LJ. Electrostatic charge controls the lowest LH1 Q y transition energy in the triply extremophilic purple phototrophic bacterium, Halorhodospira halochloris. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2021; 1862:148473. [PMID: 34310933 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2021.148473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Halorhodospira (Hlr.) halochloris is a unique phototrophic purple bacterium because it is a triple extremophile-the organism is thermophilic, alkalophilic, and halophilic. The most striking photosynthetic feature of Hlr. halochloris is that the bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) b-containing core light-harvesting (LH1) complex surrounding its reaction center (RC) exhibits its LH1 Qy absorption maximum at 1016 nm, which is the lowest transition energy among phototrophic organisms. Here we report that this extraordinarily red-shifted LH1 Qy band of Hlr. halochloris exhibits interconvertible spectral shifts depending on the electrostatic charge distribution around the BChl b molecules. The 1016 nm band of the Hlr. halochloris LH1-RC complex was blue-shifted to 958 nm upon desalting or pH decrease but returned to its original position when supplemented with salts or pH increase. Resonance Raman analysis demonstrated that these interconvertible spectral shifts are not associated with the strength of hydrogen-bonding interactions between BChl b and LH1 polypeptides. Furthermore, circular dichroism signals for the LH1 Qy transition of Hlr. halochloris appeared with a positive sign (as in BChl b-containing Blastochloris species) and opposite those of BChl a-containing purple bacteria, possibly due to a combined effect of slight differences in the transition dipole moments between BChl a and BChl b and in the interactions between adjacent BChls in their assembled state. Based on these findings and LH1 amino acid sequences, it is proposed that Hlr. halochloris evolved its unique and tunable light-harvesting system with electrostatic charges in order to carry out photosynthesis and thrive in its punishing hypersaline and alkaline habitat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Kimura
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan.
| | - Shingo Nojima
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Kazuna Nakata
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | | | - Xiang-Ping Wang
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Shinji Takenaka
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Seiji Akimoto
- Department of Science, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | | | - Michael T Madigan
- Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | | | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Timpmann K, Rätsep M, Kangur L, Lehtmets A, Wang-Otomo ZY, Freiberg A. Exciton Origin of Color-Tuning in Ca 2+-Binding Photosynthetic Bacteria. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147338. [PMID: 34298960 PMCID: PMC8303132 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Flexible color adaptation to available ecological niches is vital for the photosynthetic organisms to thrive. Hence, most purple bacteria living in the shade of green plants and algae apply bacteriochlorophyll a pigments to harvest near infra-red light around 850–875 nm. Exceptions are some Ca2+-containing species fit to utilize much redder quanta. The physical basis of such anomalous absorbance shift equivalent to ~5.5 kT at ambient temperature remains unsettled so far. Here, by applying several sophisticated spectroscopic techniques, we show that the Ca2+ ions bound to the structure of LH1 core light-harvesting pigment–protein complex significantly increase the couplings between the bacteriochlorophyll pigments. We thus establish the Ca-facilitated enhancement of exciton couplings as the main mechanism of the record spectral red-shift. The changes in specific interactions such as pigment–protein hydrogen bonding, although present, turned out to be secondary in this regard. Apart from solving the two-decade-old conundrum, these results complement the list of physical principles applicable for efficient spectral tuning of photo-sensitive molecular nano-systems, native or synthetic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kõu Timpmann
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwald Str. 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (K.T.); (M.R.); (L.K.); (A.L.)
| | - Margus Rätsep
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwald Str. 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (K.T.); (M.R.); (L.K.); (A.L.)
| | - Liina Kangur
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwald Str. 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (K.T.); (M.R.); (L.K.); (A.L.)
| | - Alexandra Lehtmets
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwald Str. 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (K.T.); (M.R.); (L.K.); (A.L.)
| | | | - Arvi Freiberg
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwald Str. 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (K.T.); (M.R.); (L.K.); (A.L.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Naturally zinc-containing bacteriochlorophyll a ([Zn]-BChl a) protects the photosynthetic apparatus of Acidiphilium rubrum from copper toxicity damage. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2021; 1862:148472. [PMID: 34217700 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2021.148472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In almost all photosynthetic organisms the photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) are Mg2+ containing complexes, but Mg2+ may be exchanged against other metal ions when these are present in toxic concentrations, leading to inactivation of photosynthesis. In this report we studied mechanisms of copper toxicity to the photosynthetic apparatus of Acidiphilium rubrum, an acidophilic purple bacterium that uses Zn2+ instead of Mg2+ as the central metal in the BChl molecules ([Zn]-BChl) of its reaction centres (RCs) and light harvesting proteins (LH1). We used a combination of in vivo measurements of photosynthetic activity (fast fluorescence and absorption kinetics) together with analysis of metal binding to pigments and pigment-protein complexes by HPLC-ICP-sfMS to monitor the effect of Cu2+ on photosynthesis of A. rubrum. Further, we found that its cytoplasmic pH is neutral. We compared these results with those obtained from Rhodospirillum rubrum, a purple bacterium for which we previously reported that the central Mg2+ of BChl can be replaced in vivo in the RCs by Cu2+ under environmentally realistic Cu2+ concentrations, leading to a strong inhibition of photosynthesis. Thus, we observed that A. rubrum is much more resistant to copper toxicity than R. rubrum. Only slight changes of photosynthetic parameters were observed in A. rubrum at copper concentrations that were severely inhibitory in R. rubrum and in A. rubrum no copper complexes of BChl were found. Altogether, the data suggest that [Zn]-BChl protects the photosynthetic apparatus of A. rubrum from detrimental insertion of Cu2+ (trans-metallation) into BChl molecules of its RCs.
Collapse
|
10
|
Kimura Y, Yamashita T, Seto R, Imanishi M, Honda M, Nakagawa S, Saga Y, Takenaka S, Yu LJ, Madigan MT, Wang-Otomo ZY. Circular dichroism and resonance Raman spectroscopies of bacteriochlorophyll b-containing LH1-RC complexes. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2021; 148:77-86. [PMID: 33834357 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-021-00831-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The core light-harvesting complexes (LH1) in bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) b-containing purple phototrophic bacteria are characterized by a near-infrared absorption maximum around 1010 nm. The determinative cause for this ultra-redshift remains unclear. Here, we present results of circular dichroism (CD) and resonance Raman measurements on the purified LH1 complexes in a reaction center-associated form from a mesophilic and a thermophilic Blastochloris species. Both the LH1 complexes displayed purely positive CD signals for their Qy transitions, in contrast to those of BChl a-containing LH1 complexes. This may reflect differences in the conjugation system of the bacteriochlorin between BChl b and BChl a and/or the differences in the pigment organization between the BChl b- and BChl a-containing LH1 complexes. Resonance Raman spectroscopy revealed remarkably large redshifts of the Raman bands for the BChl b C3-acetyl group, indicating unusually strong hydrogen bonds formed with LH1 polypeptides, results that were verified by a published structure. A linear correlation was found between the redshift of the Raman band for the BChl C3-acetyl group and the change in LH1-Qy transition for all native BChl a- and BChl b-containing LH1 complexes examined. The strong hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions between BChl b and nearby aromatic residues in the LH1 polypeptides, along with the CD results, provide crucial insights into the spectral and structural origins for the ultra-redshift of the long-wavelength absorption maximum of BChl b-containing phototrophs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Y Kimura
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan.
| | - T Yamashita
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, 310-8512, Japan
| | - R Seto
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - M Imanishi
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - M Honda
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, 310-8512, Japan
| | - S Nakagawa
- Department of Chemistry, Kindai University, Higashi-Osaka, 577-8502, Japan
| | - Y Saga
- Department of Chemistry, Kindai University, Higashi-Osaka, 577-8502, Japan
| | - S Takenaka
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - L-J Yu
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - M T Madigan
- Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | - Z-Y Wang-Otomo
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, 310-8512, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kawakami T, Yu LJ, Liang T, Okazaki K, Madigan MT, Kimura Y, Wang-Otomo ZY. Crystal structure of a photosynthetic LH1-RC in complex with its electron donor HiPIP. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1104. [PMID: 33597527 PMCID: PMC7889895 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21397-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Photosynthetic electron transfers occur through multiple components ranging from small soluble proteins to large integral membrane protein complexes. Co-crystallization of a bacterial photosynthetic electron transfer complex that employs weak hydrophobic interactions was achieved by using high-molar-ratio mixtures of a soluble donor protein (high-potential iron-sulfur protein, HiPIP) with a membrane-embedded acceptor protein (reaction center, RC) at acidic pH. The structure of the co-complex offers a snapshot of a transient bioenergetic event and revealed a molecular basis for thermodynamically unfavorable interprotein electron tunneling. HiPIP binds to the surface of the tetraheme cytochrome subunit in the light-harvesting (LH1) complex-associated RC in close proximity to the low-potential heme-1 group. The binding interface between the two proteins is primarily formed by uncharged residues and is characterized by hydrophobic features. This co-crystal structure provides a model for the detailed study of long-range trans-protein electron tunneling pathways in biological systems. The high potential iron-sulfur (HiPIP) proteins are direct electron donors to the light-harvesting-reaction center complexes (LH1-RC) in photosynthetic β- and γ-Proteobacteria. Here, the authors present the 2.9 Å crystal structure of the HiPIP-bound LH1-RC complex from the thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum and discuss mechanistic implications for the electron transfer pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Tai Liang
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, Japan
| | | | - Michael T Madigan
- Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Yukihiro Kimura
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, Japan.
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Tani K, Kanno R, Makino Y, Hall M, Takenouchi M, Imanishi M, Yu LJ, Overmann J, Madigan MT, Kimura Y, Mizoguchi A, Humbel BM, Wang-Otomo ZY. Cryo-EM structure of a Ca 2+-bound photosynthetic LH1-RC complex containing multiple αβ-polypeptides. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4955. [PMID: 33009385 PMCID: PMC7532537 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18748-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The light-harvesting-reaction center complex (LH1-RC) from the purple phototrophic bacterium Thiorhodovibrio strain 970 exhibits an LH1 absorption maximum at 960 nm, the most red-shifted absorption for any bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a-containing species. Here we present a cryo-EM structure of the strain 970 LH1-RC complex at 2.82 Å resolution. The LH1 forms a closed ring structure composed of sixteen pairs of the αβ-polypeptides. Sixteen Ca ions are present in the LH1 C-terminal domain and are coordinated by residues from the αβ-polypeptides that are hydrogen-bonded to BChl a. The Ca2+-facilitated hydrogen-bonding network forms the structural basis of the unusual LH1 redshift. The structure also revealed the arrangement of multiple forms of α- and β-polypeptides in an individual LH1 ring. Such organization indicates a mechanism of interplay between the expression and assembly of the LH1 complex that is regulated through interactions with the RC subunits inside. Here the authors report a cryo-EM structure of the light-harvesting-reaction center complex (LH1- RC) from the purple phototrophic bacterium Thiorhodovibrio strain 970, providing insights into the mechanisms that underlie the absorbance properties of both the LH1 and the RC of this spectrally unusual purple bacterium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazutoshi Tani
- Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu, 514-8507, Japan.
| | - Ryo Kanno
- Imaging Section, Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Yuki Makino
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, 310-8512, Japan
| | - Malgorzata Hall
- Imaging Section, Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | | | - Michie Imanishi
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Jörg Overmann
- Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany.,Faculty of Life Science, Institute of Microbiology, Braunschweig University of Technology, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael T Madigan
- Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | - Yukihiro Kimura
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - Akira Mizoguchi
- Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Bruno M Humbel
- Imaging Section, Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Quinone transport in the closed light-harvesting 1 reaction center complex from the thermophilic purple bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2020; 1862:148307. [PMID: 32926863 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2020.148307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Redox-active quinones play essential roles in efficient light energy conversion in type-II reaction centers of purple phototrophic bacteria. In the light-harvesting 1 reaction center (LH1-RC) complex of purple bacteria, QB is converted to QBH2 upon light-induced reduction and QBH2 is transported to the quinone pool in the membrane through the LH1 ring. In the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, the C-shaped LH1 ring contains a gap for quinone transport. In contrast, the thermophilic purple bacterium Thermochromatium (Tch.) tepidum has a closed O-shaped LH1 ring that lacks a gap, and hence the mechanism of photosynthetic quinone transport is unclear. Here we detected light-induced Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) signals responsible for changes of QB and its binding site that accompany photosynthetic quinone reduction in Tch. tepidum and characterized QB and QBH2 marker bands based on their 15N- and 13C-isotopic shifts. Quinone exchanges were monitored using reconstituted photosynthetic membranes comprised of solubilized photosynthetic proteins, membrane lipids, and exogenous ubiquinone (UQ) molecules. In combination with 13C-labeling of the LH1-RC and replacement of native UQ8 by ubiquinones of different tail lengths, we demonstrated that quinone exchanges occur efficiently within the hydrophobic environment of the lipid membrane and depend on the side chain length of UQ. These results strongly indicate that unlike the process in Rba. sphaeroides, quinone transport in Tch. tepidum occurs through the size-restricted hydrophobic channels in the closed LH1 ring and are consistent with structural studies that have revealed narrow hydrophobic channels in the Tch. tepidum LH1 transmembrane region.
Collapse
|
14
|
Kangur L, Rätsep M, Timpmann K, Wang-Otomo ZY, Freiberg A. The two light-harvesting membrane chromoproteins of Thermochromatium tepidum expose distinct robustness against temperature and pressure. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2020; 1861:148205. [PMID: 32305413 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2020.148205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
An increased robustness against high temperature and the much red-shifted near-infrared absorption spectrum of excitons in the LH1-RC core pigment-protein complex from the thermophilic photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum has recently attracted much interest. In the present work, thermal and hydrostatic pressure stability of the peripheral LH2 and core LH1-RC complexes from this bacterium were in parallel investigated by various optical spectroscopy techniques applied over a wide spectral range from far-ultraviolet to near-infrared. In contrast to expectations, very distinct robustness of the complexes was established, while the sturdiness of LH2 surpassed that of LH1-RC both with respect to temperatures between 288 and 360 K, and pressures between 1 bar and 14 kbar. Subtle structural variances related to the hydrogen bond network are likely responsible for the extra stability of LH2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liina Kangur
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwald Str. 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Margus Rätsep
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwald Str. 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kõu Timpmann
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwald Str. 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Arvi Freiberg
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwald Str. 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia; Estonian Academy of Sciences, Kohtu 6, 10130 Tallinn, Estonia.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Imanishi M, Takenouchi M, Takaichi S, Nakagawa S, Saga Y, Takenaka S, Madigan MT, Overmann J, Wang-Otomo ZY, Kimura Y. A Dual Role for Ca 2+ in Expanding the Spectral Diversity and Stability of Light-Harvesting 1 Reaction Center Photocomplexes of Purple Phototrophic Bacteria. Biochemistry 2019; 58:2844-2852. [PMID: 31145583 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The light-harvesting 1 reaction center (LH1-RC) complex in the purple sulfur bacterium Thiorhodovibrio ( Trv.) strain 970 cells exhibits its LH1 Q y transition at 973 nm, the lowest-energy Q y absorption among purple bacteria containing bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a). Here we characterize the origin of this extremely red-shifted Q y transition. Growth of Trv. strain 970 did not occur in cultures free of Ca2+, and elemental analysis of Ca2+-grown cells confirmed that purified Trv. strain 970 LH1-RC complexes contained Ca2+. The LH1 Q y band of Trv. strain 970 was blue-shifted from 959 to 875 nm upon Ca2+ depletion, but the original spectral properties were restored upon Ca2+ reconstitution, which also occurs with the thermophilic purple bacterium Thermochromatium ( Tch.) tepidum. The amino acid sequences of the LH1 α- and β-polypeptides from Trv. strain 970 closely resemble those of Tch. tepidum; however, Ca2+ binding in the Trv. strain 970 LH1-RC occurred more selectively than in Tch. tepidum LH1-RC and with a reduced affinity. Ultraviolet resonance Raman analysis indicated that the number of hydrogen-bonding interactions between BChl a and LH1 proteins of Trv. strain 970 was significantly greater than for Tch. tepidum and that Ca2+ was indispensable for maintaining these bonds. Furthermore, perfusion-induced Fourier transform infrared analyses detected Ca2+-induced conformational changes in the binding site closely related to the unique spectral properties of Trv. strain 970. Collectively, our results reveal an ecological strategy employed by Trv. strain 970 of integrating Ca2+ into its LH1-RC complex to extend its light-harvesting capacity to regions of the near-infrared spectrum unused by other purple bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michie Imanishi
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science , Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501 , Japan
| | - Mizuki Takenouchi
- Faculty of Science , Ibaraki University , Bunkyo, Mito 310-8512 , Japan
| | - Shinichi Takaichi
- Faculty of Life Sciences , Tokyo University of Agriculture , Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8502 , Japan
| | - Shiori Nakagawa
- Department of Chemistry , Kindai University , Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502 , Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Saga
- Department of Chemistry , Kindai University , Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502 , Japan
| | - Shinji Takenaka
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science , Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501 , Japan
| | - Michael T Madigan
- Department of Microbiology , Southern Illinois University , Carbondale , Illinois 62901 , United States
| | - Jörg Overmann
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures , 38124 Braunschweig , Germany.,Microbiology , Braunschweig University of Technology , 38106 Braunschweig , Germany
| | | | - Yukihiro Kimura
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science , Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501 , Japan
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Nagatsuma S, Gotou K, Yamashita T, Yu LJ, Shen JR, Madigan M, Kimura Y, Wang-Otomo ZY. Phospholipid distributions in purple phototrophic bacteria and LH1-RC core complexes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2019; 1860:461-468. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
17
|
Niedzwiedzki DM, Gardiner AT, Blankenship RE, Cogdell RJ. Energy transfer in purple bacterial photosynthetic units from cells grown in various light intensities. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2018; 137:389-402. [PMID: 29725994 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-018-0512-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Three photosynthetic membranes, called intra-cytoplasmic membranes (ICMs), from wild-type and the ∆pucBAabce mutant of the purple phototrophic bacterium Rps. palustris were investigated using optical spectroscopy. The ICMs contain identical light-harvesting complex 1-reaction centers (LH1-RC) but have various spectral forms of light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2). Spectroscopic studies involving steady-state absorption, fluorescence, and femtosecond time-resolved absorption at room temperature and at 77 K focused on inter-protein excitation energy transfer. The studies investigated how energy transfer is affected by altered spectral features of the LH2 complexes as those develop under growth at different light conditions. The study shows that LH1 → LH2 excitation energy transfer is strongly affected if the LH2 complex alters its spectroscopic signature. The LH1 → LH2 excitation energy transfer rate modeled with the Förster mechanism and kinetic simulations of transient absorption of the ICMs demonstrated that the transfer rate will be 2-3 times larger for ICMs accumulating LH2 complexes with the classical B800-850 spectral signature (grown in high light) compared to the ICMs from the same strain grown in low light. For the ICMs from the ∆pucBAabce mutant, in which the B850 band of the LH2 complex is blue-shifted and almost degenerate with the B800 band, the LH1 → LH2 excitation energy transfer was not observed nor predicted by calculations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dariusz M Niedzwiedzki
- Photosynthetic Antenna Research Center, University in St Louis, Campus Box 1138, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
| | - Alastair T Gardiner
- Davidson Building, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Robert E Blankenship
- Photosynthetic Antenna Research Center, University in St Louis, Campus Box 1138, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Richard J Cogdell
- Davidson Building, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Yu J, Tan LM, Kawakami T, Wang P, Fu LM, Wang-Otomo ZY, Zhang JP. Cooperative Photoprotection by Multicompositional Carotenoids in the LH1 Antenna from a Mutant Strain of Rhodobacter sphaeroides. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:8028-8036. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b06080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yu
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| | - Li-Ming Tan
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| | | | - Peng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| | - Li-Min Fu
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| | | | - Jian-Ping Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Dai L, Tan LM, Jiang YL, Shi Y, Wang P, Zhang JP, Otomo ZY. Orientation assignment of LH2 and LH1-RC complexes from Thermochromatium tepidum reconstituted in PC liposome and their ultrafast excitation dynamics comparison between in artificial and in natural chromatophores. Chem Phys Lett 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2018.05.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
|
20
|
Kimura Y, Hashimoto K, Akimoto S, Takenouchi M, Suzuki K, Kishi R, Imanishi M, Takenaka S, Madigan MT, Nagashima KVP, Wang-Otomo ZY. Biochemical and Spectroscopic Characterizations of a Hybrid Light-Harvesting Reaction Center Core Complex. Biochemistry 2018; 57:4496-4503. [PMID: 29965735 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The light-harvesting 1 reaction center (LH1-RC) complex from Thermochromatium tepidum exhibits a largely red-shifted LH1 Q y absorption at 915 nm due to binding of Ca2+, resulting in an "uphill" energy transfer from LH1 to the reaction center (RC). In a recent study, we developed a heterologous expression system (strain TS2) to construct a functional hybrid LH1-RC with LH1 from Tch. tepidum and the RC from Rhodobacter sphaeroides [Nagashima, K. V. P., et al. (2017) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 114, 10906]. Here, we present detailed characterizations of the hybrid LH1-RC from strain TS2. Effects of metal cations on the phototrophic growth of strain TS2 revealed that Ca2+ is an indispensable element for its growth, which is also true for Tch. tepidum but not for Rba. sphaeroides. The thermal stability of the TS2 LH1-RC was strongly dependent on Ca2+ in a manner similar to that of the native Tch. tepidum, but interactions between the heterologous LH1 and RC became relatively weaker in strain TS2. A Fourier transform infrared analysis demonstrated that the Ca2+-binding site of TS2 LH1 was similar but not identical to that of Tch. tepidum. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements revealed that the uphill energy transfer rate from LH1 to the RC was related to the energy gap in an order of Rba. sphaeroides, Tch. tepidum, and strain TS2; however, the quantum yields of LH1 fluorescence did not exhibit such a correlation. On the basis of these findings, we discuss the roles of Ca2+, interactions between LH1 and the RC from different species, and the uphill energy transfer mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Kimura
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture , Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501 , Japan
| | - Kanako Hashimoto
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture , Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501 , Japan
| | - Seiji Akimoto
- Department of Science, Graduate School of Science , Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501 , Japan
| | - Mizuki Takenouchi
- Faculty of Science , Ibaraki University , Bunkyo, Mito 310-8512 , Japan
| | - Kengo Suzuki
- Hamamatsu Photonics K. K. , Joko-cho, Hamamatsu 431-3196 , Japan
| | - Rikako Kishi
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture , Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501 , Japan
| | - Michie Imanishi
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture , Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501 , Japan
| | - Shinji Takenaka
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture , Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501 , Japan
| | - Michael T Madigan
- Department of Microbiology , Southern Illinois University , Carbondale , Illinois 62901 , United States
| | - Kenji V P Nagashima
- Research Institute for Photobiological Hydrogen Production , Kanagawa University , Tsuchiya, Hiratsuka 259-1293 , Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Tan LM, Yu J, Kawakami T, Kobayashi M, Wang P, Wang-Otomo ZY, Zhang JP. New Insights into the Mechanism of Uphill Excitation Energy Transfer from Core Antenna to Reaction Center in Purple Photosynthetic Bacteria. J Phys Chem Lett 2018; 9:3278-3284. [PMID: 29863354 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b01197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The uphill excitation energy transfer (EET) from the core antenna (LH1) to the reaction center (RC) of purple photosynthetic bacteria was investigated at room temperature by comparing the native LH1-RC from Thermochromatium ( Tch.) tepidum with the hybrid LH1-RC from a mutant strain of Rhodobacter ( Rba.) sphaeroides. The latter protein with chimeric Tch-LH1 and Rba-RC exhibits a substantially larger RC-to-LH1 energy difference (Δ E = 630 cm-1) of 3-fold thermal energy (3 kB T). The spectroscopic and kinetics results are discussed on the basis of the newly reported high-resolution structures of Tch. tepidum LH1-RC, which allow us to propose the existence of a passage formed by LH1 BChls that facilitates the LH1 → RC EET. The semilogarithmic plot of the EET rate against Δ E was found to be linear over a broad range of Δ E, which consolidates the mechanism of thermal activation as promoted by the spectral overlap between the LH1 fluorescence and the special pair absorption of RC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Ming Tan
- Department of Chemistry , Renmin University of China , Beijing 1000872 , PR China
| | - Jie Yu
- Department of Chemistry , Renmin University of China , Beijing 1000872 , PR China
| | | | - Masayuki Kobayashi
- Institute of National Colleges of Technology , Ariake College , Omuta , Fukuoka 836-8585 , Japan
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Chemistry , Renmin University of China , Beijing 1000872 , PR China
| | | | - Jian-Ping Zhang
- Department of Chemistry , Renmin University of China , Beijing 1000872 , PR China
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Kozlov MI, Poddubnyy VV, Glebov IO. Calculation of the excited states properties of LH1 complex of Thermochromatium tepidum. J Comput Chem 2018; 39:1599-1606. [PMID: 29701316 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.25232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Calculation of the excited states properties of pigment complexes is one of the key problems in the photosynthesis research. The excited states of LH1 complex of Thermochromatium tepidum were studied by means of the high-precision quantum chemistry methods. The influence of different parameters of the calculation procedure was examined. The optimal scheme of calculation was chosen by comparison of calculated results with the experimental data on absorption, electronic and magnetic circular dichroism spectra. The high importance of the account of the second excited states of bacteriochlorophylls and of site heterogeneity was shown. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maxim I Kozlov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, 119991
| | - Vladimir V Poddubnyy
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, 119991
| | - Ilya O Glebov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, 119991
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Yu LJ, Suga M, Wang-Otomo ZY, Shen JR. Structure of photosynthetic LH1-RC supercomplex at 1.9 Å resolution. Nature 2018; 556:209-213. [PMID: 29618814 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0002-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Light-harvesting complex 1 (LH1) and the reaction centre (RC) form a membrane-protein supercomplex that performs the primary reactions of photosynthesis in purple photosynthetic bacteria. The structure of the LH1-RC complex can provide information on the arrangement of protein subunits and cofactors; however, so far it has been resolved only at a relatively low resolution. Here we report the crystal structure of the calcium-ion-bound LH1-RC supercomplex of Thermochromatium tepidum at a resolution of 1.9 Å. This atomic-resolution structure revealed several new features about the organization of protein subunits and cofactors. We describe the loop regions of RC in their intact states, the interaction of these loop regions with the LH1 subunits, the exchange route for the bound quinone QB with free quinone molecules, the transport of free quinones between the inside and outside of the LH1 ring structure, and the detailed calcium-ion-binding environment. This structure provides a solid basis for the detailed examination of the light reactions that occur during bacterial photosynthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Long-Jiang Yu
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Michihiro Suga
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | | | - Jian-Ren Shen
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Kimura Y, Kawakami T, Arikawa T, Li Y, Yu LJ, Ohno T, Madigan MT, Wang-Otomo ZY. C-terminal cleavage of the LH1 α-polypeptide in the Sr 2+-cultured Thermochromatium tepidum. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2018; 135:23-31. [PMID: 28493058 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-017-0393-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The light-harvesting 1 reaction center (LH1-RC) complex in the thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium (Tch.) tepidum binds Ca ions as cofactors, and Ca-binding is largely involved in its characteristic Q y absorption at 915 nm and enhanced thermostability. Ca2+ can be biosynthetically replaced by Sr2+ in growing cultures of Tch. tepidum. However, the resulting Sr2+-substituted LH1-RC complexes in such cells do not display the absorption maximum and thermostability of those from Ca2+-grown cells, signaling that inherent structural differences exist in the LH1 complexes between the Ca2+- and Sr2+-cultured cells. In this study, we examined the effects of the biosynthetic Sr2+-substitution and limited proteolysis on the spectral properties and thermostability of the Tch. tepidum LH1-RC complex. Preferential truncation of two consecutive, positively charged Lys residues at the C-terminus of the LH1 α-polypeptide was observed for the Sr2+-cultured cells. A proportion of the truncated LH1 α-polypeptide increased during repeated subculturing in the Sr2+-substituted medium. This result suggests that the truncation is a biochemical adaptation to reduce the electrostatic interactions and/or steric repulsion at the C-terminus when Sr2+ substitutes for Ca2+ in the LH1 complex. Limited proteolysis of the native Ca2+-LH1 complex with lysyl protease revealed selective truncations at the Lys residues in both C- and N-terminal extensions of the α- and β-polypeptides. The spectral properties and thermostability of the partially digested native LH1-RC complexes were similar to those of the biosynthetically Sr2+-substituted LH1-RC complexes in their Ca2+-bound forms. Based on these findings, we propose that the C-terminal domain of the LH1 α-polypeptide plays important roles in retaining proper structure and function of the LH1-RC complex in Tch. tepidum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Kimura
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan.
| | | | - Teruhisa Arikawa
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, 310-8512, Japan
| | - Takashi Ohno
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - Michael T Madigan
- Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Yu J, Fu LM, Yu LJ, Shi Y, Wang P, Wang-Otomo ZY, Zhang JP. Carotenoid Singlet Fission Reactions in Bacterial Light Harvesting Complexes As Revealed by Triplet Excitation Profiles. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:15984-15993. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b09809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yu
- Department
of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| | - Li-Min Fu
- Department
of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Faculty
of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito 310-8512, Japan
- Department
of Biology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Ying Shi
- Department
of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| | | | - Jian-Ping Zhang
- Department
of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Probing structure-function relationships in early events in photosynthesis using a chimeric photocomplex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:10906-10911. [PMID: 28935692 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1703584114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The native core light-harvesting complex (LH1) from the thermophilic purple phototrophic bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum requires Ca2+ for its thermal stability and characteristic absorption maximum at 915 nm. To explore the role of specific amino acid residues of the LH1 polypeptides in Ca-binding behavior, we constructed a genetic system for heterologously expressing the Tch. tepidum LH1 complex in an engineered Rhodobacter sphaeroides mutant strain. This system contained a chimeric pufBALM gene cluster (pufBA from Tch. tepidum and pufLM from Rba. sphaeroides) and was subsequently deployed for introducing site-directed mutations on the LH1 polypeptides. All mutant strains were capable of phototrophic (anoxic/light) growth. The heterologously expressed Tch. tepidum wild-type LH1 complex was isolated in a reaction center (RC)-associated form and displayed the characteristic absorption properties of this thermophilic phototroph. Spheroidene (the major carotenoid in Rba. sphaeroides) was incorporated into the Tch. tepidum LH1 complex in place of its native spirilloxanthins with one carotenoid molecule present per αβ-subunit. The hybrid LH1-RC complexes expressed in Rba. sphaeroides were characterized using absorption, fluorescence excitation, and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Site-specific mutagenesis combined with spectroscopic measurements revealed that α-D49, β-L46, and a deletion at position 43 of the α-polypeptide play critical roles in Ca binding in the Tch. tepidum LH1 complex; in contrast, α-N50 does not participate in Ca2+ coordination. These findings build on recent structural data obtained from a high-resolution crystallographic structure of the membrane integrated Tch. tepidum LH1-RC complex and have unambiguously identified the location of Ca2+ within this key antenna complex.
Collapse
|
27
|
Kimura Y, Lyu S, Okoshi A, Okazaki K, Nakamura N, Ohashi A, Ohno T, Kobayashi M, Imanishi M, Takaichi S, Madigan MT, Wang-Otomo ZY. Effects of Calcium Ions on the Thermostability and Spectroscopic Properties of the LH1-RC Complex from a New Thermophilic Purple Bacterium Allochromatium tepidum. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:5025-5032. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b03341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Kimura
- Department
of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Shuwen Lyu
- Department
of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Akira Okoshi
- Faculty
of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | - Koudai Okazaki
- Faculty
of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | | | - Akira Ohashi
- Faculty
of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | - Takashi Ohno
- Department
of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Manami Kobayashi
- Department
of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Michie Imanishi
- Department
of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Shinichi Takaichi
- Department
of Biology, Nippon Medical School, Kyonan-cho, Musashino, Tokyo 180-0023, Japan
| | - Michael T. Madigan
- Department
of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Shi Y, Yu J, Yu LJ, Wang P, Fu LM, Zhang JP, Wang-Otomo ZY. Dependence of the hydration status of bacterial light-harvesting complex 2 on polyol cosolvents. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2017; 16:795-807. [DOI: 10.1039/c6pp00270f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Tch. tepidumLH2 hydration correlates with water activity in water–polyol binary solvents as sensitively probed by near infrared electronic spectra and characteristic triplet carotenoid–bacteriochlorophyll interaction bands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Shi
- Department of Chemistry
- Renmin University of China
- Beijing 1000872
- P. R. China
| | - Jie Yu
- Department of Chemistry
- Renmin University of China
- Beijing 1000872
- P. R. China
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Faculty of Science
- Ibaraki University
- Mito 310-8512
- Japan
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Chemistry
- Renmin University of China
- Beijing 1000872
- P. R. China
| | - Li-Min Fu
- Department of Chemistry
- Renmin University of China
- Beijing 1000872
- P. R. China
| | - Jian-Ping Zhang
- Department of Chemistry
- Renmin University of China
- Beijing 1000872
- P. R. China
| | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Yu LJ, Kawakami T, Kimura Y, Wang-Otomo ZY. Structural Basis for the Unusual Q y Red-Shift and Enhanced Thermostability of the LH1 Complex from Thermochromatium tepidum. Biochemistry 2016; 55:6495-6504. [PMID: 27933779 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
While the majority of the core light-harvesting complexes (LH1) in purple photosynthetic bacteria exhibit a Qy absorption band in the range of 870-890 nm, LH1 from the thermophilic bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum displays the Qy band at 915 nm with an enhanced thermostability. These properties are regulated by Ca2+ ions. Substitution of the Ca2+ with other divalent metal ions results in a complex with the Qy band blue-shifted to 880-890 nm and a reduced thermostability. Following the recent publication of the structure of the Ca-bound LH1-reaction center (RC) complex [Niwa, S., et al. (2014) Nature 508, 228], we have determined the crystal structures of the Sr- and Ba-substituted LH1-RC complexes with the LH1 Qy band at 888 nm. Sixteen Sr2+ and Ba2+ ions are identified in the LH1 complexes. Both Sr2+ and Ba2+ are located at the same positions, and these are clearly different from, though close to, the Ca2+-binding sites. Conformational rearrangement induced by the substitution is limited to the metal-binding sites. Unlike the Ca-LH1-RC complex, only the α-polypeptides are involved in the Sr and Ba coordinations in LH1. The difference in the thermostability between these complexes can be attributed to the different patterns of the network formed by metal binding. The Sr- and Ba-LH1-RC complexes form a single-ring network by the LH1 α-polypeptides only, in contrast to the double-ring network composed of both α- and β-polypeptides in the Ca-LH1-RC complex. On the basis of the structural information, a combined effect of hydrogen bonding, structural integrity, and charge distribution is considered to influence the spectral properties of the core antenna complex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Long-Jiang Yu
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University , Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | | | - Yukihiro Kimura
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University , Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Zheng F, Jin M, Mančal T, Zhao Y. Study of Electronic Structures and Pigment–Protein Interactions in the Reaction Center of Thermochromatium tepidum with a Dynamic Environment. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:10046-10058. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b06628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Fulu Zheng
- Division
of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Mengting Jin
- Division
of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Tomáš Mančal
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague, Ke Karlovu
5, 121 16 Prague
2, Czech Republic
| | - Yang Zhao
- Division
of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Ma F, Yu LJ, Ma XH, Wang P, Wang-Otomo ZY, Zhang JP. Bacterial Light-Harvesting Complexes Showing Giant Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Response as Revealed by Hyper-Rayleigh Light Scattering. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:9395-401. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b07461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Ma
- Department
of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 1000872, P. R. China
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Faculty
of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512, Japan
| | - Xiao-Hua Ma
- Department
of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 1000872, P. R. China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 1000872, P. R. China
| | | | - Jian-Ping Zhang
- Department
of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 1000872, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Challenges facing an understanding of the nature of low-energy excited states in photosynthesis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2016; 1857:1627-1640. [PMID: 27372198 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
While the majority of the photochemical states and pathways related to the biological capture of solar energy are now well understood and provide paradigms for artificial device design, additional low-energy states have been discovered in many systems with obscure origins and significance. However, as low-energy states are naively expected to be critical to function, these observations pose important challenges. A review of known properties of low energy states covering eight photochemical systems, and options for their interpretation, are presented. A concerted experimental and theoretical research strategy is suggested and outlined, this being aimed at providing a fully comprehensive understanding.
Collapse
|
33
|
Khrenova MG, Grigorenko BL, Zhang JP, Wang P, Nemukhin AV. Computational characterization of the all-atom structure and the calcium binding sites of the LH1–RC core complex from Thermochromatium tepidum. JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL & COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY 2016. [DOI: 10.1142/s0219633616500206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The all-atom model of the photosynthetic core complex composed of the light-harvesting system (LH1) and the reaction center (RC) from a thermophilic purple bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum is constructed. We compare the structural parameters of this complex embedded into the lipid bilayer to those reported for the recently resolved crystal structure of the LH1–RC. We focus on the local structure of the binding sites of the calcium ions regulating stability and optical spectra of the core complex. We show the differences between the computationally derived model and the crystal structure at the extramembrane region of the LH1 polypeptides where the calcium binding sites are located.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. G. Khrenova
- Department of Chemistry, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1/3, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - B. L. Grigorenko
- Department of Chemistry, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1/3, Moscow 119991, Russia
- N.M. Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina 4, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - J.-P. Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 1000872, P. R. China
| | - P. Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 1000872, P. R. China
| | - A. V. Nemukhin
- Department of Chemistry, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1/3, Moscow 119991, Russia
- N.M. Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina 4, Moscow 119334, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Ma F, Yu LJ, Wang-Otomo ZY, van Grondelle R. Temperature dependent LH1 → RC energy transfer in purple bacteria Tch. tepidum with shiftable LH1-Q y band: A natural system to investigate thermally activated energy transfer in photosynthesis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2016; 1857:408-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
35
|
|
36
|
Ma F, Yu LJ, Wang-Otomo ZY, van Grondelle R. The origin of the unusual Qy red shift in LH1-RC complexes from purple bacteria Thermochromatium tepidum as revealed by Stark absorption spectroscopy. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2015; 1847:1479-86. [PMID: 26341015 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2015.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2015] [Revised: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Native LH1-RC of photosynthetic purple bacteria Thermochromatium (Tch.) tepidum, B915, has an ultra-red BChl a Qy absorption. Two blue-shifted complexes obtained by chemical modification, B893 and B882, have increasing full widths at half maximum (FWHM) and decreasing transition dipole oscillator strength. 77K Stark absorption spectroscopy studies were employed for the three complexes, trying to understand the origin of the 915 nm absorption. We found that Tr(∆α) and |∆μ| of both Qy and carotenoid (Car) bands are larger than for other purple bacterial LH complexes reported previously. Moreover, the red shifts of the Qy bands are associated with (1) increasing Tr(∆α) and |∆μ| of the Qy band, (2) the red shift of the Car Stark signal and (3) the increasing |∆μ| of the Car band. Based on the results and the crystal structure, a combined effect of exciton-charge transfer (CT) states mixing, and inhomogeneous narrowing of the BChl a site energy is proposed to be the origin of the 915 nm absorption. CT-exciton state mixing has long been found to be the origin of strong Stark signal in LH1 and special pair, and the more extent of the mixing in Tch. tepidum LH1 is mainly the consequence of the shorter BChl-BChl distances. The less flexible protein structure results in a smaller site energy disorder (inhomogeneous narrowing), which was demonstrated to be able to influence |∆μ| and absorption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Ma
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512, Japan
| | | | - Rienk van Grondelle
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Kimura Y, Kawakami T, Yu LJ, Yoshimura M, Kobayashi M, Wang-Otomo ZY. Characterization of the quinones in purple sulfur bacteriumThermochromatium tepidum. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:1761-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.05.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
38
|
All-atom structures and calcium binding sites of the bacterial photosynthetic LH1-RC core complex from Thermochromatium tepidum. J Mol Model 2014; 20:2287. [DOI: 10.1007/s00894-014-2287-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 05/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
39
|
Structure of the LH1–RC complex from Thermochromatium tepidum at 3.0 Å. Nature 2014; 508:228-32. [DOI: 10.1038/nature13197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
40
|
Wan MM, Zhu HY, Qian WJ, Tao SQ, Wang Y, Zhu JH. Fabricating a novel porous releaser of heparin. RSC Adv 2014. [DOI: 10.1039/c4ra09262g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) could adsorb heparin of 112 mg g−1 and released 80% of them within 30 days.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mi Mi Wan
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Hao Yue Zhu
- Department of Chemistry
- The Pennsylvania State University
- University Park
- , USA
| | - Wen Juan Qian
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Si Qi Tao
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Jian Hua Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing 210093, China
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Li Y, Kimura Y, Arikawa T, Wang-Otomo ZY, Ohno T. ATR–FTIR Detection of Metal-Sensitive Structural Changes in the Light-Harvesting 1 Reaction Center Complex from the Thermophilic Purple Sulfur Bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. Biochemistry 2013; 52:9001-8. [DOI: 10.1021/bi401033y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Li
- Department
of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Kimura
- Department
of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Teruhisa Arikawa
- Department
of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | | | - Takashi Ohno
- Department
of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Kimura Y, Inada Y, Numata T, Arikawa T, Li Y, Zhang JP, Wang ZY, Ohno T. Metal cations modulate the bacteriochlorophyll–protein interaction in the light-harvesting 1 core complex from Thermochromatium tepidum. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2012; 1817:1022-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2012.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2012] [Revised: 03/07/2012] [Accepted: 03/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
43
|
Jakob-Grun S, Radeck J, Braun P. Ca(2+)-binding reduces conformational flexibility of RC-LH1 core complex from thermophile Thermochromatium tepidum. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2012; 111:139-147. [PMID: 22367594 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-012-9727-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2011] [Accepted: 02/09/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The light-harvesting complex, LH1, of thermophile purple bacteria Thermochromatium tepidum consists of an array of α- and β-polypeptides which assemble the photoactive bacteriochlorophyll and closely interact with the membrane-lipids. In this study, we investigated the effect of calcium and manganese ions on the protein structure and thermostability of the reaction centre (RC)-LH1/lipid complex. The binding of Ca(2+), but not Mn(2+) is shown to shift the LH1 Q ( y ) absorption maximum from ~889 to 915 nm and to significantly raise the thermostability of the RC-LH1 complex. The ATR-FTIR spectra indicate that interaction of Ca(2+) as monitored by the carboxylates' vibration of aspartate residues, but not Mn(2+) induces changes in the α-helix packing arrangement. The reduced rate of (1)H/(2)H exchange of proteins' amide protons shows that the accessibility to (2)H(2)O is significantly lowered in Ca(2+)-substituted RC-LH1/lipid complexes. In particular, exchange with the associated lipid molecules, is significantly retarded. These results suggest that the thermostability of the RC-LH1 complex is raised by the distinct interaction with calcium cations which reduces the RC-LH1/lipid dynamics, particularly, at the membrane-water interface.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Selma Jakob-Grun
- Department Biology I, Botany, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Sekine F, Horiguchi K, Kashino Y, Shimizu Y, Yu LJ, Kobayashi M, Wang ZY. Gene sequencing and characterization of the light-harvesting complex 2 from thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2012; 111:9-18. [PMID: 21594712 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-011-9658-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2010] [Accepted: 04/18/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In this study, gene sequences coding for the light-harvesting (LH) 2 polypeptides from a thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum are reported and characterization of the LH2 complex is described. Three sets of pucBA genes have been identified, and the gene products have been analyzed by electrophoresis and reversed-phase chromatography. The result shows that all of the genes are expressed but the distribution of the expression is not uniform. The gene products undergo post-translational modification, where two of the β-polypeptides appear to be N-terminally methylated. Absorption spectrum of the purified LH2 complex exhibits Q (y) transitions at 800 and 854 nm in dodecyl β-maltopyranoside solution, and the circular dichroism spectrum shows a "molischianum"-like characteristic. No spectral change was observed for the LH2 when the bacterium was cultured under different conditions of light intensity. In lauryl dimethylamine N-oxide (LDAO) solution, significant changes in the absorption spectrum were observed. The B850 peak decreased and blue-shifted with increasing the LDAO concentration, whereas the B800 intensity increased without change in the peak position. The spectral changes can be partially or almost completely reversed by addition of metal ions, and the divalent cations seem to be more effective. The results indicate that ionic interactions may exist between LH2, detergent molecules and metal ions. Possible mechanisms involved in the detergent- and cation-induced spectral changes are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fumie Sekine
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, 310-8512, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Kimura Y, Inada Y, Yu LJ, Wang ZY, Ohno T. A Spectroscopic Variant of the Light-Harvesting 1 Core Complex from the Thermophilic Purple Sulfur Bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. Biochemistry 2011; 50:3638-48. [DOI: 10.1021/bi200278u] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Kimura
- Organization of Advanced Science and Technology, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Yuta Inada
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Bunkyo, Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | - Zheng-Yu Wang
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Bunkyo, Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | - Takashi Ohno
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Yu LJ, Kato S, Wang ZY. Examination of the putative Ca2+-binding site in the light-harvesting complex 1 of thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2010; 106:215-220. [PMID: 20886371 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-010-9596-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2010] [Accepted: 09/10/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The core light-harvesting complex (LH1) of purple sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum exhibits an unusual absorption maximum at 915 nm for the Q (y) transition, and is highly stable when copurified with reaction center (RC) in a LH1-RC complex form. In previous studies, we demonstrated that the calcium ions are involved in both the large red shift and the enhanced thermal stability, and possible Ca(2+)-binding sites were proposed. In this study, we further examine the putative binding sites in the LH1 polypeptides using purified chromatophores. Incubation of the chromatophores in the presence of EDTA revealed no substantial change in the absorption maximum of LH1 Q (y) transition, whereas further addition of detergents to the chromatophores-EDTA solution resulted in a blue-shift for the LH1 Q (y) peak with the final position at 892 nm. The change of the LH1 Q (y) peak to shorter wavelengths was relatively slow compared to that of the purified LH1-RC complex. The blue-shifted LH1 Q (y) transition in chromatophores can be restored to its original position by addition of Ca(2+) ions. The results suggest that the Ca(2+)-binding site is exposed on the inner surface of chromatophores, corresponding to the C-terminal region of LH1. An Asp-rich fragment in the LH1 α-polypeptide is considered to form a crucial part of the binding network. The slow response of LH1 Q (y) transition upon exposure to EDTA is discussed in terms of the membrane environment in the chromatophores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Long-Jiang Yu
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, 310-8512, Japan
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Higuchi M, Hirano Y, Kimura Y, Oh-oka H, Miki K, Wang ZY. Overexpression, characterization, and crystallization of the functional domain of cytochrome c(z) from Chlorobium tepidum. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2009; 102:77-84. [PMID: 19731072 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-009-9492-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2009] [Accepted: 08/17/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Cytochrome c(z) is found in green sulfur photosynthetic bacteria, and is considered to be the only electron donor to the special pair P840 of the reaction center. It consists of an N-terminal transmembrane domain and a C-terminal soluble domain that binds a single heme group. Large scale expression of the C-terminal functional domain of the cytochrome c(z) (C-cyt c(z)) from the thermophilic bacterium Chlorobium tepidum has been achieved using the Escherichia coli expression system. The C-cyt c(z) expressed has been highly purified, and is stable at room temperature over 10 days of incubation for both reduced and oxidized forms. Spectroscopic measurements indicate that the heme iron in C-cyt c(z) is in a low-spin state and this does not change with the redox state. (1)H-NMR spectra of the oxidized C-cyt c(z) exhibited unusually large paramagnetic chemical shifts for the heme methyl protons in comparison with those of other Class I ferric cytochromes c. Differences in the (1)H-NMR linewidth were observed for some resonances, indicating different dynamic environments for these protons. Crystals of the oxidized C-cyt c(z) were obtained using ammonium sulfate as a precipitant. The crystals diffracted X-rays to a maximum resolution of 1.2 A, and the diffraction data were collected to 1.3 A resolution.
Collapse
|
48
|
Ma F, Kimura Y, Yu LJ, Wang P, Ai XC, Wang ZY, Zhang JP. Specific Ca2+-binding motif in the LH1 complex from photosynthetic bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum as revealed by optical spectroscopy and structural modeling. FEBS J 2009; 276:1739-49. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2009.06905.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
49
|
Kimura Y, Yu LJ, Hirano Y, Suzuki H, Wang ZY. Calcium ions are required for the enhanced thermal stability of the light-harvesting-reaction center core complex from thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. J Biol Chem 2008; 284:93-99. [PMID: 18977753 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m806840200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermochromatium tepidum is a thermophilic purple sulfur photosynthetic bacterium collected from the Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park. A previous study showed that the light-harvesting-reaction center core complex (LH1-RC) purified from this bacterium is highly stable at room temperature (Suzuki, H., Hirano, Y., Kimura, Y., Takaichi, S., Kobayashi, M., Miki, K., and Wang, Z.-Y. (2007) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1767, 1057-1063). In this work, we demonstrate that thermal stability of the Tch. tepidum LH1-RC is much higher than that of its mesophilic counterparts, and the enhanced thermal stability requires Ca2+ as a cofactor. Removal of the Ca2+ from Tch. tepidum LH1-RC resulted in a complex with the same degree of thermal stability as that of the LH1-RCs purified from mesophilic bacteria. The enhanced thermal stability can be restored by addition of Ca2+ to the Ca2+-depleted LH1-RC, and this process is fully reversible. Interchange of the thermal stability between the two forms is accompanied by a shift of the LH1 Qy transition between 915 nm for the native and 880 nm for the Ca2+-depleted LH1-RC. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements reveal that degradation temperature of the native LH1-RC is 15 degrees C higher and the enthalpy change is about 28% larger than the Ca2+-depleted LH1-RC. Substitution of the Ca2+ with other metal cations caused a decrease in thermal stability of an extent depending on the properties of the cations. These results indicate that Ca2+ ions play a dual role in stabilizing the structure of the pigment-membrane protein complex and in altering its spectroscopic properties, and hence provide insight into the adaptive strategy of this photosynthetic organism to survive in extreme environments using natural resources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Kimura
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | - Yu Hirano
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Suzuki
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito 310-8512, Japan
| | - Zheng-Yu Wang
- Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito 310-8512, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Excitation dynamics of two spectral forms of the core complexes from photosynthetic bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. Biophys J 2008; 95:3349-57. [PMID: 18502793 DOI: 10.1529/biophysj.108.133835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The intact core antenna-reaction center (LH1-RC) core complex of thermophilic photosynthetic bacterium Thermochromatium (Tch.) tepidum is peculiar in its long-wavelength LH1-Q(y) absorption (915 nm). We have attempted comparative studies on the excitation dynamics of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) and carotenoid (Car) between the intact core complex and the EDTA-treated one with the Q(y) absorption at 889 nm. For both spectral forms, the overall Car-to-BChl excitation energy transfer efficiency is determined to be approximately 20%, which is considerably lower than the reported values, e.g., approximately 35%, for other photosynthetic purple bacteria containing the same kind of Car (spirilloxanthin). The RC trapping time constants are found to be 50 approximately 60 ps (170 approximately 200 ps) for RC in open (closed) state irrespective to the spectral forms and the wavelengths of Q(y) excitation. Despite the low-energy LH1-Q(y) absorption, the RC trapping time are comparable to those reported for other photosynthetic bacteria with normal LH1-Q(y) absorption at 880 nm. Selective excitation to Car results in distinct differences in the Q(y)-bleaching dynamics between the two different spectral forms. This, together with the Car band-shift signals in response to Q(y) excitation, reveals the presence of two major groups of BChls in the LH1 of Tch. tepidum with a spectral heterogeneity of approximately 240 cm(-1), as well as an alteration in BChl-Car geometry in the 889-nm preparation with respect to the native one.
Collapse
|