Electron transfer pathways and protein response to charge separation in photosynthetic reaction centers: time-resolved high-field ENDOR of the spin-correlated radical pair P865(+)QA(-)

Light-Induced Charge Separation in Photosystem I from Different Biological Species Characterized by Multifrequency Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Photosystem I (PSI) serves as a model system for studying fundamental processes such as electron transfer (ET) and energy conversion, which are not only central to photosynthesis but also have broader implications for bioenergy production and biomimetic device design. In this study, we employed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to investigate key light-induced charge separation steps in PSI isolated from several green algal and cyanobacterial species. Following photoexcitation, rapid sequential ET occurs through either of two quasi-symmetric branches of donor/acceptor cofactors embedded within the protein core, termed the A and B branches. Using high-frequency (130 GHz) time-resolved EPR (TR-EPR) and deuteration techniques to enhance spectral resolution, we observed that at low temperatures prokaryotic PSI exhibits reversible ET in the A branch and irreversible ET in the B branch, while PSI from eukaryotic counterparts displays either reversible ET in both branches or exclusively in the B branch. Furthermore, we observed a notable correlation between low-temperature charge separation to the terminal [4Fe-4S] clusters of PSI, termed FA and FB, as reflected in the measured FA/FB ratio. These findings enhance our understanding of the mechanistic diversity of PSI's ET across different species and underscore the importance of experimental design in resolving these differences. Though further research is necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and the evolutionary significance of these variations in PSI charge separation, this study sets the stage for future investigations into the complex interplay between protein structure, ET pathways, and the environmental adaptations of photosynthetic organisms.

Biohybrid photosynthetic charge accumulation detected by flavin semiquinone formation in ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase

Flavin chemistry is ubiquitous in biological systems with flavoproteins engaged in important redox reactions. In photosynthesis, flavin cofactors are used as electron donors/acceptors to facilitate charge transfer and accumulation for ultimate use in carbon fixation. Following light-induced charge separation in the photosynthetic transmembrane reaction center photosystem I (PSI), an electron is transferred to one of two small soluble shuttle proteins, a ferredoxin (Fd) or a flavodoxin (Fld) (the latter in the condition of Fe-deficiency), followed by electron transfer to the ferredoxin-NADP⁺ reductase (FNR) enzyme. FNR accepts two of these sequential one electron transfers, with its flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor becoming doubly reduced, forming a hydride which is then passed onto the substrate NADP⁺ to form NADPH. The two one-electron potentials (oxidized/semiquinone and semiquinone/hydroquinone) are similar to each other with the FNR protein stabilizing the hydroquinone, making spectroscopic detection of the intermediate semiquinone state difficult. We employed a new biohybrid-based strategy that involved truncating the native three-protein electron transfer cascade PSI → Fd → FNR to a two-protein cascade by replacing PSI with a molecular Ru(ii) photosensitizer (RuPS) which is covalently bound to Fd and Fld to form biohybrid complexes that successfully mimic PSI in light-driven NADPH formation. RuFd → FNR and RuFld → FNR electron transfer experiments revealed a notable distinction in photosynthetic charge accumulation that we attribute to the different protein cofactors [2Fe2S] and flavin. After freeze quenching the two-protein systems under illumination, an intermediate semiquinone state of FNR was readily observed with cw X-band EPR spectroscopy. The increased spectral resolution from selective deuteration allowed EPR detection of inter-flavoprotein electron transfer. This work establishes a biohybrid experimental approach for further studies of photosynthetic light-driven electron transfer chain that culminates at FNR and highlights nature's mechanisms that couple single electron transfer chemistry to charge accumulation, providing important insight for the development of photon-to-fuel schemes.

Quantum Sensing of Electron Transfer Pathways in Natural Photosynthesis Using Time-Resolved High-Field Electron Paramagnetic Resonance/Electron-Nuclear Double Resonance Spectroscopy

Photosynthetic integral membrane reaction center (RC) proteins capture and convert sunlight into chemical energy via efficient charge separation achieved through a series of rapid, photoinitiated electron transfer steps. These fast electron transfers create an entangled spin qubit (radical) pair that contains detailed information about the weak magnetic interactions, structure, and dynamics of localized protein environments involved in charge separation events. Herein, we investigate how these entangled electron spin qubits interact with nuclear spins of the protein environment using the high spectral resolution of 130 GHz electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR). Spectroscopic interrogation enabled the observation and probing of protons located in the electron transfer pathway between the membrane-spanning electron pair P⁺Q_A^- (where P⁺ is the primary donor, a special pair of bacteriochlorophylls, and Q_A is the primary quinone acceptor) in the bacterial RC. Spectroscopic analysis reveals hydrogen-bonding interactions involved in regulating the route that light-induced electrons travel through the RC protein during charge separation.

What you get out of high-time resolution electron paramagnetic resonance: example from photosynthetic bacteria

The primary energy conversion steps of natural photosynthesis proceed via light-induced radical ion pairs as short-lived intermediates. Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments of photosynthetic reaction centers monitor the key charge separated state between the oxidized primary electron donor and reduced quinone acceptor, e.g., P(+)(865)Q(-)(A) of purple photosynthetic bacteria. The time-resolved EPR spectra of P(+)(865)Q(-)(A) are indicative of a spin-correlated radical pair that is created from the excited singlet state of P(865) in an ultra-fast photochemical reaction. Importantly, the spin-correlated radical pair nature of the charge separated state is a common feature of all photosynthetic reaction centers, which gives rise to several interesting spin phenomena such as quantum oscillations, observed at short delay times after optical excitation. In this review, we describe details of the quantum oscillation phenomenon and present a complete analysis of the data obtained from the charge separated state of purple bacteria, P(+)(865)Q(-)(A). The analysis and simulation of the quantum oscillations yield the three-dimensional structure of P(+)(865)Q(-)(A) in the photosynthetic membrane on a nanosecond time scale after light-induced charge separation. Comparison with crystallographic data reveals that the position of Q(-)(A) is essentially the same as in the X-ray structure. However, the head group of Q(-)(A) has undergone a 60° rotation in the ring plane relative to its orientation in the crystal structure. The results are discussed within the framework of the previously suggested conformational gating mechanism for electron transfer from Q(-)(A) to the secondary quinone acceptor Q(B).

Electron-nuclear double resonance

The application of electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy for the investigation of photosynthetic systems is reviewed. The basic principles of continuous wave and pulse ENDOR are presented. Selected examples of the application of the ENDOR technique for studying stable and transient paramagnetic species, including cofactor radical ions, radical pairs, triplet states, and the oxygen-evolving complex in plant Photosystem II (PSII) are discussed. Limitations and perspectives of ENDOR spectroscopy are outlined.

Geometry of hydrogen bonds formed by lipid bilayer nitroxide probes: a high-frequency pulsed ENDOR/EPR study

Solvent effects on magnetic parameters of nitroxide spin labels in combination with side-directed spin labeling EPR methods provide very useful means for elucidating polarity profiles in lipid bilayers and mapping local electrostatic effects in complex biomolecular systems. One major contributor to these solvent effects is the hydrogen bonds that could be formed between the nitroxide moiety and water and/or the available hydroxyl groups. Here, formation of hydrogen bonds between a lipid bilayer spin probe -5-doxyl stearic acid, 5DSA – and hydrogen bond donors has been studied using high-frequency (HF) pulsed ENDOR and EPR. A hydrogen-bonded deuteron was directly detected in HF ENDOR (130 GHz) spectra of 5DSA dissolved in several deuterated alcohols while the characteristic signal was absent in non-polar toluene-d 8. The length of the hydrogen bond, 1.74±0.06 Å, and its geometry were found to be essentially the same for all four alcohols studied, indicating that nearly identical hydrogen bonds have been formed regardless of the solvent dielectric constant. This strengthens a hypothesis that HF EPR spectra are exclusively sensitive to formation of hydrogen bonds and could be used for probing the hydrogen bond network in complex biomolecular assemblies and lipid bilayers with site-directed spin-labeling methods.

High field ENDOR as a characterization tool for functional sites in microporous materials

The determination of the details of the spatial and electronic structure of functional sites (centers) in any system, be it in materials chemistry or in biology, is the first step towards understanding their function. When such sites happen to be paramagnetic in any point of their activity cycle, the tool box offered by a variety of high resolution electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic techniques becomes very attractive for their characterization. This tool box has been considerably expanded by the developments in high field (HF) EPR in general, and HF electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR), in particular. These have led to numerous new applications in the fields of biology, physics, chemistry and materials sciences. This overview focuses specifically on recent applications of pulsed HF ENDOR spectroscopy to microporous materials, such as zeotype materials, presenting the new opportunities it offers. First, a brief description of the theoretical basis required for the analysis of the HF ENDOR spectrum is given, followed by a description of the pulsed techniques used to record spectra and assign the signals, along with a brief presentation of the required instrumentation. Next, specific applications are given, including transition metal ions and complexes exchanged into zeolite cages, transition metal substitution into frameworks of zeolites, aluminophosphate molecular sieves, and silicious mesoporous materials, the interaction of NO with Lewis sites in zeolite cages and trapped S. We end with a discussion of the advantages and the shortcomings of the method and conclude with a future outlook.