1
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Bryant DA, Gisriel CJ. The structural basis for light harvesting in organisms producing phycobiliproteins. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:4036-4064. [PMID: 38652697 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koae126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria, red algae, and cryptophytes produce 2 classes of proteins for light harvesting: water-soluble phycobiliproteins (PBP) and membrane-intrinsic proteins that bind chlorophylls (Chls) and carotenoids. In cyanobacteria, red algae, and glaucophytes, phycobilisomes (PBS) are complexes of brightly colored PBP and linker (assembly) proteins. To date, 6 structural classes of PBS have been described: hemiellipsoidal, block-shaped, hemidiscoidal, bundle-shaped, paddle-shaped, and far-red-light bicylindrical. Two additional antenna complexes containing single types of PBP have also been described. Since 2017, structures have been reported for examples of all of these complexes except bundle-shaped PBS by cryogenic electron microscopy. PBS range in size from about 4.6 to 18 mDa and can include ∼900 polypeptides and bind >2000 chromophores. Cyanobacteria additionally produce membrane-associated proteins of the PsbC/CP43 superfamily of Chl a/b/d-binding proteins, including the iron-stress protein IsiA and other paralogous Chl-binding proteins (CBP) that can form antenna complexes with Photosystem I (PSI) and/or Photosystem II (PSII). Red and cryptophyte algae also produce CBP associated with PSI but which belong to the Chl a/b-binding protein superfamily and which are unrelated to the CBP of cyanobacteria. This review describes recent progress in structure determination for PBS and the Chl proteins of cyanobacteria, red algae, and cryptophytan algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald A Bryant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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2
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Cervantes-Salguero K, Kadrmas M, Ward BM, Lysne D, Wolf A, Piantanida L, Pascual G, Knowlton WB. Minimizing Structural Heterogeneity in DNA Self-Assembled Dye Templating via DNA Origami-Tuned Conformations. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:10195-10207. [PMID: 38690801 PMCID: PMC11100016 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
With recent advances in DNA-templated dye aggregation for leveraging and engineering molecular excitons, a need exists for minimizing structural heterogeneity. Holliday Junction complexes (HJ) are commonly used to covalently template dye aggregates on their core; however, the global conformation of HJ is detrimentally dynamic. Here, the global conformation of the HJ is selectively tuned by restricting its position and orientation by using a sheet-like DNA origami construct (DOC) physisorbed on glass. The HJ arms are fixed with four different designed interduplex angles (IDAs). Atomic force microscopy confirmed that the HJs are bound to the surface of DOC with tuned IDAs. Dye orientation distributions were determined by combining dipole imaging and super-resolution microscopy. All IDAs led to dye orientations having dispersed distributions along planes perpendicular to the HJ plane, suggesting that stacking occurred between the dye and the neighboring DNA bases. The dye-base stacking interpretation was supported by increasing the size of the core cavity. The narrowest IDA minimizes structural heterogeneity and suggests dye intercalation. A strong correlation is found between the IDA and the orientation of the dye along the HJ plane. These results show that the HJ imposes restrictions on the dye and that the dye-DNA interactions are always present regardless of global conformation. The implications of our results are discussed for the scalability of dye aggregates using DNA self-assembly. Our methodology provides an avenue for the solid-supported single-molecule characterization of molecular assemblies templated on biomolecules─such as DNA and protein templates involved in light-harvesting and catalysis─with tuned conformations and restricted in position and orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keitel Cervantes-Salguero
- Micron
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States
| | - Madison Kadrmas
- Micron
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States
| | - Brett M. Ward
- Micron
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States
| | - Drew Lysne
- Micron
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States
| | - Amanda Wolf
- Biomolecular
Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State
University, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States
| | - Luca Piantanida
- Micron
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States
| | - Gissela Pascual
- Micron
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States
| | - William B. Knowlton
- Micron
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, United States
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3
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Kimber MS. Making a living off the rainbow's edge: How phycobilisomes adapt structurally to absorb far-red light. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107262. [PMID: 38579990 PMCID: PMC11067327 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria harvest light by using architecturally complex, soluble, light-harvesting complexes known as phycobilisomes (PBSs). PBS diversity includes specialized subunit paralogs that are tuned to specific regions of the light spectrum; some cyanobacterial lineages can even absorb far-red light. In a recent issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Gisriel et al. reported the cryo-electron microscopic structure of a far-red PBS core, showing how bilin binding in the α-subunits of allophycocyanin paralogs can modify the bilin-binding site to red shift the absorbance spectrum. This work helps explain how cyanobacteria can grow in environments where most of the visible light has been filtered out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Kimber
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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4
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Rasul F, You D, Jiang Y, Liu X, Daroch M. Thermophilic cyanobacteria-exciting, yet challenging biotechnological chassis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:270. [PMID: 38512481 PMCID: PMC10957709 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13082-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Thermophilic cyanobacteria are prokaryotic photoautotrophic microorganisms capable of growth between 45 and 73 °C. They are typically found in hot springs where they serve as essential primary producers. Several key features make these robust photosynthetic microbes biotechnologically relevant. These are highly stable proteins and their complexes, the ability to actively transport and concentrate inorganic carbon and other nutrients, to serve as gene donors, microbial cell factories, and sources of bioactive metabolites. A thorough investigation of the recent progress in thermophilic cyanobacteria reveals a significant increase in the number of newly isolated and delineated organisms and wide application of thermophilic light-harvesting components in biohybrid devices. Yet despite these achievements, there are still deficiencies at the high-end of the biotechnological learning curve, notably in genetic engineering and gene editing. Thermostable proteins could be more widely employed, and an extensive pool of newly available genetic data could be better utilised. In this manuscript, we attempt to showcase the most important recent advances in thermophilic cyanobacterial biotechnology and provide an overview of the future direction of the field and challenges that need to be overcome before thermophilic cyanobacterial biotechnology can bridge the gap with highly advanced biotechnology of their mesophilic counterparts. KEY POINTS: • Increased interest in all aspects of thermophilic cyanobacteria in recent years • Light harvesting components remain the most biotechnologically relevant • Lack of reliable molecular biology tools hinders further development of the chassis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiz Rasul
- School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Dawei You
- School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ying Jiang
- School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xiangjian Liu
- School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Maurycy Daroch
- School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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5
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Stadnichuk IN, Krasilnikov PM. Relationship between non-photochemical quenching efficiency and the energy transfer rate from phycobilisomes to photosystem II. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2024; 159:177-189. [PMID: 37328680 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-023-01031-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The chromophorylated PBLcm domain of the ApcE linker protein in the cyanobacterial phycobilisome (PBS) serves as a bottleneck for Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the PBS to the antennal chlorophyll of photosystem II (PS II) and as a redirection point for energy distribution to the orange protein ketocarotenoid (OCP), which is excitonically coupled to the PBLcm chromophore in the process of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) under high light conditions. The involvement of PBLcm in the quenching process was first directly demonstrated by measuring steady-state fluorescence spectra of cyanobacterial cells at different stages of NPQ development. The time required to transfer energy from the PBLcm to the OCP is several times shorter than the time it takes to transfer energy from the PBLcm to the PS II, ensuring quenching efficiency. The data obtained provide an explanation for the different rates of PBS quenching in vivo and in vitro according to the half ratio of OCP/PBS in the cyanobacterial cell, which is tens of times lower than that realized for an effective NPQ process in solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor N Stadnichuk
- K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, RAS, Botanicheskaya 35, 127726, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Pavel M Krasilnikov
- Biological Faculty of M.V., Lomonosov State University, Lenin Hills 12, 119991, Moscow, Russia
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6
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Gisriel CJ, Shen G, Brudvig GW, Bryant DA. Structure of the antenna complex expressed during far-red light photoacclimation in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7335. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105590. [PMID: 38141759 PMCID: PMC10810746 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105590] [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: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Far-red light photoacclimation, or FaRLiP, is a facultative response exhibited by some cyanobacteria that allows them to absorb and utilize lower energy light (700-800 nm) than the wavelengths typically used for oxygenic photosynthesis (400-700 nm). During this process, three essential components of the photosynthetic apparatus are altered: photosystem I, photosystem II, and the phycobilisome. In all three cases, at least some of the chromophores found in these pigment-protein complexes are replaced by chromophores that have red-shifted absorbance relative to the analogous complexes produced in visible light. Recent structural and spectroscopic studies have elucidated important features of the two photosystems when altered to absorb and utilize far-red light, but much less is understood about the modified phycobiliproteins made during FaRLiP. We used single-particle, cryo-EM to determine the molecular structure of a phycobiliprotein core complex comprising allophycocyanin variants that absorb far-red light during FaRLiP in the marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7335. The structure reveals the arrangement of the numerous red-shifted allophycocyanin variants and the probable locations of the chromophores that serve as the terminal emitters in this complex. It also suggests how energy is transferred to the photosystem II complexes produced during FaRLiP. The structure additionally allows comparisons with other previously studied allophycocyanins to gain insights into how phycocyanobilin chromophores can be tuned to absorb far-red light. These studies provide new insights into how far-red light is harvested and utilized during FaRLiP, a widespread cyanobacterial photoacclimation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gaozhong Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gary W Brudvig
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Donald A Bryant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
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7
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Liu R, Zhen ZH, Li W, Ge B, Qin S. How can Phycobilisome, the unique light harvesting system in certain algae working highly efficiently: The connection in between structures and functions. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 186:39-52. [PMID: 38030044 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Algae, which are ubiquitous in ecosystems, have evolved a variety of light-harvesting complexes to better adapt to diverse habitats. Phycobilisomes/phycobiliproteins, unique to cyanobacteria, red algae, and certain cryptomonads, compensate for the lack of chlorophyll absorption, allowing algae to capture and efficiently transfer light energy in aquatic environments. With the advancement of microscopy and spectroscopy, the structure and energy transfer processes of increasingly complex phycobilisomes have been elucidated, providing us with a vivid portrait of the dynamic adaptation of their structures to the light environment in which algae thrive: 1) Cyanobacteria living on the surface of the water use short, small phycobilisomes to absorb red-orange light and reduce the damage from blue-violet light via multiple methods; 2) Large red algae inhabiting the depths of the ocean have evolved long and dense phycobilisomes containing phycoerythrin to capture the feeble blue-green light; 3) In far-red light environments such as caves, algae use special allophycocyanin cores to optimally utilize the far-red light; 4) When the environment shifts, algae can adjust the length, composition and density of their rods to better adapt; 5) By carefully designing the position of the pigments, phycobilisomes can transfer light energy to the reaction center with nearly 100% efficiency via three energy transfer processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runze Liu
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100000, China
| | - Zhang-He Zhen
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Wenjun Li
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, China
| | - Baosheng Ge
- China University of Petroleum (HUADONG), Qingdao, Shandong, 266580, China
| | - Song Qin
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, China.
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8
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Jiang HW, Wu HY, Wang CH, Yang CH, Ko JT, Ho HC, Tsai MD, Bryant DA, Li FW, Ho MC, Ho MY. A structure of the relict phycobilisome from a thylakoid-free cyanobacterium. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8009. [PMID: 38049400 PMCID: PMC10696076 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43646-9] [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: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Phycobilisomes (PBS) are antenna megacomplexes that transfer energy to photosystems II and I in thylakoids. PBS likely evolved from a basic, inefficient form into the predominant hemidiscoidal shape with radiating peripheral rods. However, it has been challenging to test this hypothesis because ancestral species are generally inaccessible. Here we use spectroscopy and cryo-electron microscopy to reveal a structure of a "paddle-shaped" PBS from a thylakoid-free cyanobacterium that likely retains ancestral traits. This PBS lacks rods and specialized ApcD and ApcF subunits, indicating relict characteristics. Other features include linkers connecting two chains of five phycocyanin hexamers (CpcN) and two core subdomains (ApcH), resulting in a paddle-shaped configuration. Energy transfer calculations demonstrate that chains are less efficient than rods. These features may nevertheless have increased light absorption by elongating PBS before multilayered thylakoids with hemidiscoidal PBS evolved. Our results provide insights into the evolution and diversification of light-harvesting strategies before the origin of thylakoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Wei Jiang
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Yi Wu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hsiung Wang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Han Yang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jui-Tse Ko
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Han-Chen Ho
- Department of Anatomy, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Daw Tsai
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Donald A Bryant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Fay-Wei Li
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Plant Biology Section, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Meng-Chiao Ho
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Ming-Yang Ho
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Institute of Plant Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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9
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Hanson SM, Scholüke J, Liewald J, Sharma R, Ruse C, Engel M, Schüler C, Klaus A, Arghittu S, Baumbach F, Seidenthal M, Dill H, Hummer G, Gottschalk A. Structure-function analysis suggests that the photoreceptor LITE-1 is a light-activated ion channel. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3423-3435.e5. [PMID: 37527662 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Sensation of light is essential for all organisms. The eye-less nematode Caenorhabditis elegans detects UV and blue light to evoke escape behavior. The photosensor LITE-1 absorbs UV photons with an unusually high extinction coefficient, involving essential tryptophans. Here, we modeled the structure and dynamics of LITE-1 using AlphaFold2-multimer and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and performed mutational and behavioral assays in C. elegans to characterize its function. LITE-1 resembles olfactory and gustatory receptors from insects, recently shown to be tetrameric ion channels. We identified residues required for channel gating, light absorption, and mechanisms of photo-oxidation, involving a likely binding site for the peroxiredoxin PRDX-2. Furthermore, we identified the binding pocket for a putative chromophore. Several residues lining this pocket have previously been established as essential for LITE-1 function. A newly identified critical cysteine pointing into the pocket represents a likely chromophore attachment site. We derived a model for how photon absorption, via a network of tryptophans and other aromatic amino acids, induces an excited state that is transferred to the chromophore. This evokes conformational changes in the protein, possibly leading to a state receptive to oxidation of cysteines and, jointly, to channel gating. Electrophysiological data support the idea that LITE-1 is a photon and H2O2-coincidence detector. Other proteins with similarity to LITE-1, specifically C. elegans GUR-3, likely use a similar mechanism for photon detection. Thus, a common protein fold and assembly, used for chemoreception in insects, possibly by binding of a particular compound, may have evolved into a light-activated ion channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonya M Hanson
- Center for Computational Biology and Center for Computational Mathematics, Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, 162 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA; Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 3, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Jan Scholüke
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jana Liewald
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Rachita Sharma
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 3, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Cellular Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 3, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute of Biophysics, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christiane Ruse
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Marcial Engel
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christina Schüler
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Annabel Klaus
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Serena Arghittu
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Cellular Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 3, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Franziska Baumbach
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Marius Seidenthal
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Holger Dill
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Gerhard Hummer
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 3, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute of Biophysics, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Alexander Gottschalk
- Buchmann Institute, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.
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Sengupta A, Bandyopadhyay A, Schubert MG, Church GM, Pakrasi HB. Antenna Modification in a Fast-Growing Cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 Leads to Improved Efficiency and Carbon-Neutral Productivity. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0050023. [PMID: 37318337 PMCID: PMC10433846 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00500-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Our planet is sustained by sunlight, the primary energy source made accessible to all life forms by photoautotrophs. Photoautotrophs are equipped with light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) that enable efficient capture of solar energy, particularly when light is limiting. However, under high light, LHCs can harvest photons in excess of the utilization capacity of cells, causing photodamage. This damaging effect is most evident when there is a disparity between the amount of light harvested and carbon available. Cells strive to circumvent this problem by dynamically adjusting the antenna structure in response to the changing light signals, a process known to be energetically expensive. Much emphasis has been laid on elucidating the relationship between antenna size and photosynthetic efficiency and identifying strategies to synthetically modify antennae for optimal light capture. Our study is an effort in this direction and investigates the possibility of modifying phycobilisomes, the LHCs present in cyanobacteria, the simplest of photoautotrophs. We systematically truncate the phycobilisomes of Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973, a widely studied, fast-growing model cyanobacterium and demonstrate that partial truncation of its antenna can lead to a growth advantage of up to 36% compared to the wild type and an increase in sucrose titer of up to 22%. In contrast, targeted deletion of the linker protein which connects the first phycocyanin rod to the core proved detrimental, indicating that the core alone is not enough, and it is essential to maintain a minimal rod-core structure for efficient light harvest and strain fitness. IMPORTANCE Light energy is essential for the existence of life on this planet, and only photosynthetic organisms, equipped with light-harvesting antenna protein complexes, can capture this energy, making it readily accessible to all other life forms. However, these light-harvesting antennae are not designed to function optimally under extreme high light, a condition which can cause photodamage and significantly reduce photosynthetic productivity. In this study, we attempt to assess the optimal antenna structure for a fast-growing, high-light tolerant photosynthetic microbe with the goal of improving its productivity. Our findings provide concrete evidence that although the antenna complex is essential, antenna modification is a viable strategy to maximize strain performance under controlled growth conditions. This understanding can also be translated into identifying avenues to improve light harvesting efficiency in higher photoautotrophs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annesha Sengupta
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Max G. Schubert
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - George M. Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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11
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Zheng L, Zhang Z, Wang H, Zheng Z, Wang J, Liu H, Chen H, Dong C, Wang G, Weng Y, Gao N, Zhao J. Cryo-EM and femtosecond spectroscopic studies provide mechanistic insight into the energy transfer in CpcL-phycobilisomes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3961. [PMID: 37407580 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39689-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Phycobilisomes (PBS) are the major light harvesting complexes of photosynthesis in the cyanobacteria and red algae. CpcL-PBS is a type of small PBS in cyanobacteria that transfers energy directly to photosystem I without the core structure. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the CpcL-PBS from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 at 2.6-Å resolution. The structure shows the CpcD domain of ferredoxin: NADP+ oxidoreductase is located at the distal end of CpcL-PBS, responsible for its attachment to PBS. With the evidence of ultrafast transient absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, the roles of individual bilins in energy transfer are revealed. The bilin 1Iβ822 located near photosystem I has an enhanced planarity and is the red-bilin responsible for the direct energy transfer to photosystem I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lvqin Zheng
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhengdong Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Hongrui Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhenggao Zheng
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jiayu Wang
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Heyuan Liu
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Hailong Chen
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Chunxia Dong
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Guopeng Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yuxiang Weng
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Ning Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Jindong Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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12
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Li X, Hou W, Lei J, Chen H, Wang Q. The Unique Light-Harvesting System of the Algal Phycobilisome: Structure, Assembly Components, and Functions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119733. [PMID: 37298688 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The phycobilisome (PBS) is the major light-harvesting apparatus in cyanobacteria and red algae. It is a large multi-subunit protein complex of several megadaltons that is found on the stromal side of thylakoid membranes in orderly arrays. Chromophore lyases catalyse the thioether bond between apoproteins and phycobilins of PBSs. Depending on the species, composition, spatial assembly, and, especially, the functional tuning of different phycobiliproteins mediated by linker proteins, PBSs can absorb light between 450 and 650 nm, making them efficient and versatile light-harvesting systems. However, basic research and technological innovations are needed, not only to understand their role in photosynthesis but also to realise the potential applications of PBSs. Crucial components including phycobiliproteins, phycobilins, and lyases together make the PBS an efficient light-harvesting system, and these provide a scheme to explore the heterologous synthesis of PBS. Focusing on these topics, this review describes the essential components needed for PBS assembly, the functional basis of PBS photosynthesis, and the applications of phycobiliproteins. Moreover, key technical challenges for heterologous biosynthesis of phycobiliproteins in chassis cells are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Wenwen Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Jiaxi Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Hui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, China
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13
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Liu H. Cyanobacterial Phycobilisome Allostery as Revealed by Quantitative Mass Spectrometry. Biochemistry 2023; 62:1307-1320. [PMID: 36943676 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Phycobilisomes (PBSs) are the major photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes in cyanobacteria and red algae. PBS, a multisubunit protein complex, has two major interfaces that comprise intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs): rod-core and core-membrane. IDRs do not form regular, three-dimensional structures on their own. Their presence in the photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes portends their structural and functional importance. A recent model suggests that PB-loop, an IDR located on the PBS subunit ApcE and C-terminal extension (CTE) of the PBS subunit ApcG, forms a structural protrusion on the PBS core-membrane side, facing the thylakoid membrane. Here, the structural synergy between the rod-core region and the core-membrane region was investigated using quantitative mass spectrometry (MS). The AlphaFold-predicted CpcG-CTE structure was first modeled onto the PBS rod-core region, guided and justified by the isotopically encoded structural MS data. Quantitative cross-linking MS analysis revealed that the structural proximity of the PB-loop in ApcE and ApcG-CTE is significantly disturbed in the absence of six PBS rods, which are attached to PBS via CpcG-CTE, indicative of drastic conformational changes and decreased structural integrity. These results suggest that CpcG-rod attachment on the PBS rod-core side is essentially required for the PBS core-membrane structural assembly. The hypothesized long-range synergy between the rod-core interface (where the orange carotenoid protein also functions) and the terminal energy emitter of PBS must have important regulatory roles in PBS core assembly, light-harvesting, and excitation energy transmission. These data also lend strategies that genetic truncation of the light-harvesting antennas aimed for improved photosynthetic productivity must rely on an in-depth understanding of their global structural integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijun Liu
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
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14
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The increasing role of structural proteomics in cyanobacteria. Essays Biochem 2022; 67:269-282. [PMID: 36503929 PMCID: PMC10070481 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Cyanobacteria, also known as blue–green algae, are ubiquitous organisms on the planet. They contain tremendous protein machineries that are of interest to the biotechnology industry and beyond. Recently, the number of annotated cyanobacterial genomes has expanded, enabling structural studies on known gene-coded proteins to accelerate. This review focuses on the advances in mass spectrometry (MS) that have enabled structural proteomics studies to be performed on the proteins and protein complexes within cyanobacteria. The review also showcases examples whereby MS has revealed critical mechanistic information behind how these remarkable machines within cyanobacteria function.
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15
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Kikuchi H. Redshifting and Blueshifting of β82 Chromophores in the Phycocyanin Hexamer of Porphyridium purpureum Phycobilisomes Due to Linker Proteins. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:1833. [PMID: 36362988 PMCID: PMC9694638 DOI: 10.3390/life12111833] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Phycobilisomes in cyanobacteria and red algae are large protein complexes that absorb light and transfer energy for use in photosynthesis. The light energy absorbed by chromophores binding to phycobiliproteins in the peripheral rods can be funneled to the core through chromophores at very high efficiency. The molecular mechanism of excitation energy transfer within a phycobilisome is an example of a higher and unique function in a living organism. However, the mechanism underlying the high efficiency remains unclear. Thus, this study was carried out as a step to resolve this mechanism theoretically. The three-dimensional structure of phycobilisomes containing the linker proteins of the red alga Porphyridium purpureum was determined by cryoelectron microscopy at 2.82 Å resolution in 2020. Using these data, the absorption wavelength of each β82 chromophore in the phycocyanin hexamer located next to the core was calculated using quantum chemical treatment, considering the electric effect from its surrounding phycocyanin proteins and two linker proteins. In addition to unaffected chromophores, chromophores that were redshifted and blueshifted under the electrical influence of the two linker proteins were found. Namely, the chromophore serving as the energy sink in the rod was determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroto Kikuchi
- Department of Physics, Nippon Medical School, 1-7-1 Kyonan-cho, Musashino, Tokyo 180-0023, Japan
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16
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Otsu T, Eki T, Hirose Y. A hybrid type of chromatic acclimation regulated by the dual green/red photosensory systems in cyanobacteria. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 190:779-793. [PMID: 35751608 PMCID: PMC9434153 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are phototrophic bacteria that perform oxygenic photosynthesis. They use a supermolecular light-harvesting antenna complex, the phycobilisome (PBS), to capture and transfer light energy to photosynthetic reaction centers. Certain cyanobacteria alter the absorption maxima and/or overall structure of their PBSs in response to the ambient light wavelength-a process called chromatic acclimation (CA). One of the most well-known CA types is the response to green and red light, which is controlled by either the RcaEFC or CcaSR photosensory system. Here, we characterized a hybrid type of CA in the cyanobacterium Pleurocapsa sp. Pasteur Culture Collection (PCC) 7319 that uses both RcaEFC and CcaSR systems. In vivo spectroscopy suggested that strain PCC 7319 alters the relative composition of green-absorbing phycoerythrin and red-absorbing phycocyanin in the PBS. RNA sequencing and promoter motif analyses suggested that the RcaEFC system induces a gene operon for phycocyanin under red light, whereas the CcaSR system induces a rod-membrane linker gene under green light. Induction of the phycoerythrin genes under green light may be regulated through a yet unidentified photosensory system called the Cgi system. Spectroscopy analyses of the isolated PBSs suggested that hemidiscoidal and rod-shaped PBSs enriched with phycoerythrin were produced under green light, whereas only hemidiscoidal PBSs enriched with phycocyanin were produced under red light. PCC 7319 uses the RcaEFC and CcaSR systems to regulate absorption of green or red light (CA3) and the amount of rod-shaped PBSs (CA1), respectively. Cyanobacteria can thus flexibly combine diverse CA types to acclimate to different light environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuto Otsu
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Tempaku, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Eki
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Tempaku, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan
| | - Yuu Hirose
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Tempaku, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan
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