1
|
Tomar RS, Niedzwiedzki DM, Liu H. Altered excitation energy transfer between phycobilisome and photosystems in the absence of ApcG, a small linker peptide, in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a cyanobacterium. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2024; 1865:149049. [PMID: 38801856 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2024.149049] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Phycobilisome (PBS) is a large pigment-protein complex in cyanobacteria and red algae responsible for capturing sunlight and transferring its energy to photosystems (PS). Spectroscopic and structural properties of various PBSs have been widely studied, however, the nature of so-called complex-complex interactions between PBS and PSs remains much less explored. In this work, we have investigated the function of a newly identified PBS linker protein, ApcG, some domain of which, together with a loop region (PB-loop in ApcE), is possibly located near the PBS-PS interface. Using Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, we generated an ApcG deletion mutant and probed its deletion effect on the energetic coupling between PBS and photosystems. Steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic characterization of the purified ΔApcG-PBS demonstrated that ApcG removal weakly affects the photophysical properties of PBS for which the spectroscopic properties of terminal energy emitters are comparable to those of PBS from wild-type strain. However, analysis of fluorescence decay imaging datasets reveals that ApcG deletion induces disruptions within the allophycocyanin (APC) core, resulting in the emergence (splitting) of two spectrally diverse subgroups with some short-lived APC. Profound spectroscopic changes of the whole ΔApcG mutant cell, however, emerge during state transition, a dynamic process of light scheme adaptation. The mutant cells in State I show a substantial increase in PBS-related fluorescence. On the other hand, global analysis of time-resolved fluorescence demonstrates that in general ApcG deletion does not alter or inhibit state transitions interpreted in terms of the changes of the PSII and PSI fluorescence emission intensity. The results revealed yet-to-be discovered mechanism of ApcG-docking induced excitation energy transfer regulation within PBS or to Photosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rupal Singh Tomar
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Dariusz M Niedzwiedzki
- Center for Solar Energy and Energy Storage, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Department of Energy Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
| | - Haijun Liu
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Muth-Pawlak D, Kakko L, Kallio P, Aro EM. Interplay between photosynthetic electron flux and organic carbon sinks in sucrose-excreting Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 revealed by omics approaches. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:188. [PMID: 38951789 PMCID: PMC11218172 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02462-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advancing the engineering of photosynthesis-based prokaryotic cell factories is important for sustainable chemical production and requires a deep understanding of the interplay between bioenergetic and metabolic pathways. Rearrangements in photosynthetic electron flow to increase the efficient use of the light energy for carbon fixation must be balanced with a strong carbon sink to avoid photoinhibition. In the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, the flavodiiron protein Flv3 functions as an alternative electron acceptor of photosystem I and represents an interesting engineering target for reorganizing electron flow in attempts to enhance photosynthetic CO2 fixation and increase production yield. RESULTS We have shown that inactivation of Flv3 in engineered sucrose-excreting Synechocystis (S02:Δflv3) induces a transition from photoautotrophic sucrose production to mixotrophic growth sustained by sucrose re-uptake and the formation of intracellular carbon sinks such as glycogen and polyhydroxybutyrate. The growth of S02:Δflv3 exceeds that of the sucrose-producing strain (S02) and demonstrates unforeseen proteomic and metabolomic changes over the course of the nine-day cultivation. In the absence of Flv3, a down-regulation of proteins related to photosynthetic light reactions and CO2 assimilation occurred concomitantly with up-regulation of those related to glycolytic pathways, before any differences in sucrose production between S02 and S02:Δflv3 strains were observed. Over time, increased sucrose degradation in S02:Δflv3 led to the upregulation of respiratory pathway components, such as the plastoquinone reductase complexes NDH-11 and NDH-2 and the terminal respiratory oxidases Cyd and Cox, which transfer electrons to O2. While glycolytic metabolism is significantly up-regulated in S02:Δflv3 to provide energy for the cell, the accumulation of intracellular storage compounds and the increase in respiration serve as indirect sinks for photosynthetic electrons. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that the presence of strong carbon sink in the engineered sucrose-producing Synechocystis S02 strain, operating under high light, high CO2 and salt stress, cannot compensate for the lack of Flv3 by directly balancing the light transducing source and carbon fixing sink reactions. Instead, the cells immediately sense the imbalance, leading to extensive reprogramming of cellular bioenergetic, metabolic and ion transport pathways that favor mixotrophic growth rather than enhancing photoautotrophic sucrose production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Muth-Pawlak
- Department of Life Technologies, Molecular Plant Biology, University of Turku, Turku, FIN-20014, Finland.
| | - Lauri Kakko
- Department of Life Technologies, Molecular Plant Biology, University of Turku, Turku, FIN-20014, Finland
| | - Pauli Kallio
- Department of Life Technologies, Molecular Plant Biology, University of Turku, Turku, FIN-20014, Finland
| | - Eva-Mari Aro
- Department of Life Technologies, Molecular Plant Biology, University of Turku, Turku, FIN-20014, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhang YZ, Li K, Qin BY, Guo JP, Zhang QB, Zhao DL, Chen XL, Gao J, Liu LN, Zhao LS. Structure of cryptophyte photosystem II-light-harvesting antennae supercomplex. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4999. [PMID: 38866834 PMCID: PMC11169493 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49453-0] [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: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptophytes are ancestral photosynthetic organisms evolved from red algae through secondary endosymbiosis. They have developed alloxanthin-chlorophyll a/c2-binding proteins (ACPs) as light-harvesting complexes (LHCs). The distinctive properties of cryptophytes contribute to efficient oxygenic photosynthesis and underscore the evolutionary relationships of red-lineage plastids. Here we present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the Photosystem II (PSII)-ACPII supercomplex from the cryptophyte Chroomonas placoidea. The structure includes a PSII dimer and twelve ACPII monomers forming four linear trimers. These trimers structurally resemble red algae LHCs and cryptophyte ACPI trimers that associate with Photosystem I (PSI), suggesting their close evolutionary links. We also determine a Chl a-binding subunit, Psb-γ, essential for stabilizing PSII-ACPII association. Furthermore, computational calculation provides insights into the excitation energy transfer pathways. Our study lays a solid structural foundation for understanding the light-energy capture and transfer in cryptophyte PSII-ACPII, evolutionary variations in PSII-LHCII, and the origin of red-lineage LHCIIs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Zhong Zhang
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System & College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China.
| | - Kang Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System & College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China
| | - Bing-Yue Qin
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jian-Ping Guo
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Quan-Bao Zhang
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Dian-Li Zhao
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiu-Lan Chen
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China
| | - Jun Gao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Lu-Ning Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System & College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Long-Sheng Zhao
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Suzuki T, Ogawa H, Dohmae N, Shen JR, Ehira S, Nagao R. Strong interaction of CpcL with photosystem I cores induced in heterocysts of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2024; 2024:10.17912/micropub.biology.001183. [PMID: 38863983 PMCID: PMC11165356 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Phycobilisomes (PBSs) are photosynthetic light-harvesting antennae and appear to be loosely bound to photosystem I (PSI). We previously found unique protein bands in each PSI fraction in heterocysts of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 by two-dimensional blue native/SDS-PAGE; however, the protein bands have not been identified. Here we analyzed the protein bands by mass spectrometry, which were identified as CpcL, one of the components in PBSs. As different composition and organization of Anabaena PSI-PBS supercomplexes were observed, the expression and binding properties of PBSs including CpcL to PSIs in this cyanobacterium may be diversified in response to its living environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takehiro Suzuki
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Haruya Ogawa
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Naoshi Dohmae
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Jian-Ren Shen
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Shigeki Ehira
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Ryo Nagao
- Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Guo R, Xu YL, Zhu JX, Scheer H, Zhao KH. Assembly of CpcL-phycobilisomes. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:1207-1217. [PMID: 38319793 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
CpcL-phycobilisomes (CpcL-PBSs) are a reduced type of phycobilisome (PBS) found in several cyanobacteria. They lack the traditional PBS terminal energy emitters, but still show the characteristic red-shifted fluorescence at ~670 nm. We established a method of assembling in vitro a rod-membrane linker protein, CpcL, with phycocyanin, generating complexes with the red-shifted spectral features of CpcL-PBSs. The red-shift arises from the interaction of a conserved key glutamine, Q57 of CpcL in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, with a single phycocyanobilin chromophore of trimeric phycocyanin at one of the three β82-sites. This chromophore is the terminal energy acceptor of CpcL-PBSs and donor to the photosystem(s). This mechanism also operates in PBSs from Acaryochloris marina MBIC11017. We then generated multichromic complexes harvesting light over nearly the complete visible range via the replacement of phycocyanobilin chromophores at sites α84 and β153 of phycocyanins by phycoerythrobilin and/or phycourobilin. The results demonstrate the rational design of biliprotein-based light-harvesting elements by engineering CpcL and phycocyanins, which broadens the light-harvesting range and accordingly improves the light-harvesting capacity and may be potentially applied in solar energy harvesting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, P.R. China
| | - Ya-Li Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, P.R. China
| | - Jun-Xun Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, P.R. China
| | - Hugo Scheer
- Department Biologie I, Universität München, Menzinger Str. 67, D-80638, München, Germany
| | - Kai-Hong Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
van Stokkum IHM, Akhtar P, Biswas A, Lambrev PH. Energy transfer from phycobilisomes to photosystem I at 77 K. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1293813. [PMID: 38078099 PMCID: PMC10702739 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1293813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Phycobilisomes serve as a light-harvesting antenna of both photosystem I (PSI) and II (PSII) in cyanobacteria, yet direct energy transfer from phycobilisomes to PSI is not well documented. Here we recorded picosecond time-resolved fluorescence at wavelengths of 605-760 nm in isolated photosystem I (PSI), phycobilisomes and intact cells of a PSII-deficient mutant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 at 77 K to study excitation energy transfer and trapping. By means of a simultaneous target analysis of the kinetics of isolated complexes and whole cells, the pathways and dynamics of energy transfer in vitro and in vivo were established. We establish that the timescale of the slowest equilibration between different terminal emitters in the phycobilisome is ≈800 ps. It was estimated that the terminal emitter in about 40% of the phycobilisomes transfers its energy with a rate constant of 42 ns-1 to PSI. This energy transfer rate is higher than the rates of equilibration within the phycobilisome - between the rods and the core or between the core cylinders - and is evidence for the existence of specific phycobilisome-PSI interactions. The rest of the phycobilisomes remain unconnected or slowly transferring energy to PSI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivo H. M. van Stokkum
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Parveen Akhtar
- Institute of Plant Biology, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Avratanu Biswas
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Institute of Plant Biology, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Petar H. Lambrev
- Institute of Plant Biology, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|