1
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Tikhonov AN. The cytochrome b 6f complex: plastoquinol oxidation and regulation of electron transport in chloroplasts. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2024; 159:203-227. [PMID: 37369875 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-023-01034-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
In oxygenic photosynthetic systems, the cytochrome b6f (Cytb6f) complex (plastoquinol:plastocyanin oxidoreductase) is a heart of the hub that provides connectivity between photosystems (PS) II and I. In this review, the structure and function of the Cytb6f complex are briefly outlined, being focused on the mechanisms of a bifurcated (two-electron) oxidation of plastoquinol (PQH2). In plant chloroplasts, under a wide range of experimental conditions (pH and temperature), a diffusion of PQH2 from PSII to the Cytb6f does not limit the intersystem electron transport. The overall rate of PQH2 turnover is determined mainly by the first step of the bifurcated oxidation of PQH2 at the catalytic site Qo, i.e., the reaction of electron transfer from PQH2 to the Fe2S2 cluster of the high-potential Rieske iron-sulfur protein (ISP). This point has been supported by the quantum chemical analysis of PQH2 oxidation within the framework of a model system including the Fe2S2 cluster of the ISP and surrounding amino acids, the low-potential heme b6L, Glu78 and 2,3,5-trimethylbenzoquinol (the tail-less analog of PQH2). Other structure-function relationships and mechanisms of electron transport regulation of oxygenic photosynthesis associated with the Cytb6f complex are briefly outlined: pH-dependent control of the intersystem electron transport and the regulatory balance between the operation of linear and cyclic electron transfer chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander N Tikhonov
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation, 119991.
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2
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McGuinness KN, Fehon N, Feehan R, Miller M, Mutter AC, Rybak LA, Nam J, AbuSalim JE, Atkinson JT, Heidari H, Losada N, Kim JD, Koder RL, Lu Y, Silberg JJ, Slusky JSG, Falkowski PG, Nanda V. The energetics and evolution of oxidoreductases in deep time. Proteins 2024; 92:52-59. [PMID: 37596815 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26563] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
The core metabolic reactions of life drive electrons through a class of redox protein enzymes, the oxidoreductases. The energetics of electron flow is determined by the redox potentials of organic and inorganic cofactors as tuned by the protein environment. Understanding how protein structure affects oxidation-reduction energetics is crucial for studying metabolism, creating bioelectronic systems, and tracing the history of biological energy utilization on Earth. We constructed ProtReDox (https://protein-redox-potential.web.app), a manually curated database of experimentally determined redox potentials. With over 500 measurements, we can begin to identify how proteins modulate oxidation-reduction energetics across the tree of life. By mapping redox potentials onto networks of oxidoreductase fold evolution, we can infer the evolution of electron transfer energetics over deep time. ProtReDox is designed to include user-contributed submissions with the intention of making it a valuable resource for researchers in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth N McGuinness
- Department of Natural Sciences, Caldwell University, Caldwell, New Jersey, USA
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Nolan Fehon
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ryan Feehan
- Computational Biology Program, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Michelle Miller
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Andrew C Mutter
- Department of Physics, The City College of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Laryssa A Rybak
- Department of Physics, The City College of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Justin Nam
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jenna E AbuSalim
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joshua T Atkinson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Hirbod Heidari
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Natalie Losada
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - J Dongun Kim
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ronald L Koder
- Department of Physics, The City College of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Jonathan J Silberg
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Joanna S G Slusky
- Computational Biology Program, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Paul G Falkowski
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Vikas Nanda
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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3
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Kozuleva MA, Ivanov BN. Superoxide Anion Radical Generation in Photosynthetic Electron Transport Chain. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:1045-1060. [PMID: 37758306 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923080011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
This review analyzes data available in the literature on the rates, characteristics, and mechanisms of oxygen reduction to a superoxide anion radical at the sites of photosynthetic electron transport chain where this reduction has been established. The existing assumptions about the role of the components of these sites in this process are critically examined using thermodynamic approaches and results of the recent studies. The process of O2 reduction at the acceptor side of PSI, which is considered the main site of this process taking place in the photosynthetic chain, is described in detail. Evolution of photosynthetic apparatus in the context of controlling the leakage of electrons to O2 is explored. The reasons limiting application of the results obtained with the isolated segments of the photosynthetic chain to estimate the rates of O2 reduction at the corresponding sites in the intact thylakoid membrane are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina A Kozuleva
- Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia.
| | - Boris N Ivanov
- Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia
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4
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Szwalec M, Bujnowicz Ł, Sarewicz M, Osyczka A. Unexpected Heme Redox Potential Values Implicate an Uphill Step in Cytochrome b6f. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:9771-9780. [PMID: 36399615 PMCID: PMC9720722 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c05729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Cytochromes bc, key enzymes of respiration and photosynthesis, contain a highly conserved two-heme motif supporting cross-membrane electron transport (ET) that connects the two catalytic quinone-binding sites (Qn and Qp). Typically, this ET occurs from the low- to high-potential heme b, but in photosynthetic cytochrome b6f, the redox midpoint potentials (Ems) of these hemes remain uncertain. Our systematic redox titration analysis based on three independent and comprehensive low-temperature spectroscopies (continuous wave and pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and optical spectroscopies) allowed for unambiguous assignment of spectral components of hemes in cytochrome b6f and revealed that Em of heme bn is unexpectedly low. Consequently, the cross-membrane ET occurs from the high- to low-potential heme introducing an uphill step in the energy landscape for the catalytic reaction. This slows down the ET through a low-potential chain, which can influence the mechanisms of reactions taking place at both Qp and Qn sites and modulate the efficiency of cyclic and linear ET in photosynthesis.
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5
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Abou-Hamdan A, Mahler R, Grossenbacher P, Biner O, Sjöstrand D, Lochner M, Högbom M, von Ballmoos C. Functional design of bacterial superoxide:quinone oxidoreductase. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2022; 1863:148583. [PMID: 35671795 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2022.148583] [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: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The superoxide anion - molecular oxygen reduced by a single electron - is produced in large amounts by enzymatic and adventitious reactions. It can perform a range of cellular functions, including bacterial warfare and iron uptake, signalling and host immune response in eukaryotes. However, it also serves as precursor for more deleterious species such as the hydroxyl anion or peroxynitrite and defense mechanisms to neutralize superoxide are important for cellular health. In addition to the soluble proteins superoxide dismutase and superoxide reductase, recently the membrane embedded diheme cytochrome b561 (CybB) from E. coli has been proposed to act as a superoxide:quinone oxidoreductase. Here, we confirm superoxide and cellular ubiquinones or menaquinones as natural substrates and show that quinone binding to the enzyme accelerates the reaction with superoxide. The reactivity of the substrates is in accordance with the here determined midpoint potentials of the two b hemes (+48 and -23 mV / NHE). Our data suggest that the enzyme can work near the diffusion limit in the forward direction and can also catalyse the reverse reaction efficiently under physiological conditions. The data is discussed in the context of described cytochrome b561 proteins and potential physiological roles of CybB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbas Abou-Hamdan
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roman Mahler
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Grossenbacher
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Biner
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dan Sjöstrand
- Stockholm center for Biomembrane Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Lochner
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Martin Högbom
- Stockholm center for Biomembrane Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christoph von Ballmoos
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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6
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Electron transfer via cytochrome b6f complex displays sensitivity to Antimycin A upon STT7 kinase activation. Biochem J 2022; 479:111-127. [PMID: 34981811 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The cytochrome b6f complex (b6f) has been initially considered as the ferredoxin-plastoquinone reductase (FQR) during cyclic electron flow (CEF) with photosystem I that is inhibited by antimycin A (AA). The binding of AA to the b6f Qi-site is aggravated by heme-ci, which challenged the FQR function of b6f during CEF. Alternative models suggest that PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION5 (PGR5) is involved in a b6f-independent, AA-sensitive FQR. Here, we show in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that the b6f is conditionally inhibited by AA in vivo and that the inhibition did not require PGR5. Instead, activation of the STT7 kinase upon anaerobic treatment induced the AA sensitivity of b6f which was absent in stt7-1. However, a lock in State 2 due to persisting phosphorylation in the phosphatase double mutant pph1;pbcp did not increase AA sensitivity of electron transfer. The latter required a redox poise, supporting the view that state transitions and CEF are not coercively coupled. This suggests that the b6f-interacting kinase is required for structure-function modulation of the Qi-site under CEF favoring conditions. We propose that PGR5 and STT7 independently sustain AA-sensitive FQR activity of the b6f. Accordingly, PGR5-mediated electron injection into an STT7-modulated Qi-site drives a Mitchellian Q cycle in CEF conditions.
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7
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Sindhu T, Debnath P. Cytochrome bc1-aa3 oxidase supercomplex as emerging and potential drug target against tuberculosis. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2021; 15:380-392. [PMID: 34602044 DOI: 10.2174/1874467214666210928152512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The cytochrome bc1-aa3 supercomplex plays an essential role in the cellular respiratory system of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. It transfers electrons from menaquinol to cytochrome aa3 (Complex IV) via cytochrome bc1 (Complex III), which reduces the oxygen. The electron transfer from a variety of donors into oxygen through the respiratory electron transport chain is essential to pump protons across the membrane creating an electrochemical transmembrane gradient (proton motive force, PMF) that regulates the synthesis of ATP via the oxidative phosphorylation process. Cytochrome bc1-aa3 supercomplex in M. tuberculosis is, therefore, a major drug target for antibiotic action. In recent years, several respiratory chain components have been targeted for developing new candidate drugs, illustrating the therapeutic potential of obstructing energy conversion of M. tuberculosis. The recently available cryo-EM structure of mycobacterial cytochrome bc1-aa3 supercomplex with open and closed conformations has opened new avenues for understanding its structure and function for developing more effective, new therapeutics against pulmonary tuberculosis. In this review, we discuss the role and function of several components, subunits, and drug targeting elements of the supercomplex cytochrome bc1-aa3, and its potential inhibitors in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thangaraj Sindhu
- Department of Computational and Data Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka. India
| | - Pal Debnath
- Department of Computational and Data Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka. India
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8
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Weliwatte NS, Grattieri M, Simoska O, Rhodes Z, Minteer SD. Unbranched Hybrid Conducting Redox Polymers for Intact Chloroplast-Based Photobioelectrocatalysis. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:7821-7833. [PMID: 34132548 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c01167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Photobioelectrocatalysis (PBEC) adopts the sophistication and sustainability of photosynthetic units to convert solar energy into electrical energy. However, the electrically insulating outer membranes of photosynthetic units hinder efficient extracellular electron transfer from photosynthetic redox centers to an electrode in photobioelectrocatalytic systems. Among the artificial redox-mediating approaches used to enhance electrochemical communication at this biohybrid interface, conducting redox polymers (CRPs) are characterized by high intrinsic electric conductivities for efficient charge transfer. A majority of these CRPs constitute peripheral redox pendants attached to a conducting backbone by a linker. The consequently branched CRPs necessitate maintaining synergistic interactions between the pendant, linker, and backbone for optimal mediator performance. Herein, an unbranched, metal-free CRP, polydihydroxy aniline (PDHA), which has its redox moiety embedded in the polymer mainchain, is used as an exogenous redox mediator and an immobilization matrix at the biohybrid interface. As a proof of concept, the relatively complex membrane system of spinach chloroplasts is used as the photobioelectrocatalyst of choice. A "mixed" deposition of chloroplasts and PDHA generated a 2.4-fold photocurrent density increment. An alternative "layered" PDHA-chloroplast deposition, which was used to control panchromatic light absorbance by the intensely colored PDHA competing with the photoactivity of chloroplasts, generated a 4.2-fold photocurrent density increment. The highest photocurrent density recorded with intact chloroplasts was achieved by the "layered" deposition when used in conjunction with the diffusible redox mediator 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone (-48 ± 3 μA cm-2). Our study effectively expands the scope of germane CRPs in PBEC, emphasizing the significance of the rational selection of CRPs for electrically insulating photobioelectrocatalysts and of the holistic modulation of the CRP-mediated biohybrids for optimal performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Samali Weliwatte
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Matteo Grattieri
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", via E. Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
- IPCF-CNR Istituto per i Processi Chimico Fisici, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via E. Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Olja Simoska
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Zayn Rhodes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Shelley D Minteer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
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9
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In vivo electron donation from plastocyanin and cytochrome c 6 to PSI in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2021; 1862:148449. [PMID: 34004195 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2021.148449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Many cyanobacteria species can use both plastocyanin and cytochrome c6 as lumenal electron carriers to shuttle electrons from the cytochrome b6f to either photosystem I or the respiratory cytochrome c oxidase. In Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 placed in darkness, about 60% of the active PSI centres are bound to a reduced electron donor which is responsible for the fast re-reduction of P700in vivo after a single charge separation. Here, we show that both cytochrome c6 and plastocyanin can bind to PSI in the dark and participate to the fast phase of P700 reduction, but the fraction of pre-bound PSI is smaller in the case of cytochrome c6 than with plastocyanin. Because of the inter-connection of respiration and photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, the inhibition of the cytochrome c oxidase results in the over-reduction of the photosynthetic electron transfer chain in the dark that translates into a lag in the kinetics of P700 oxidation at the onset of light. We show that this is true both with plastocyanin and cytochrome c6, indicating that the partitioning of electron transport between respiration and photosynthesis is regulated in the same way independently of which of the two lumenal electron carriers is present, although the mechanisms of such regulation are yet to be understood.
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10
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Sarewicz M, Pintscher S, Pietras R, Borek A, Bujnowicz Ł, Hanke G, Cramer WA, Finazzi G, Osyczka A. Catalytic Reactions and Energy Conservation in the Cytochrome bc1 and b6f Complexes of Energy-Transducing Membranes. Chem Rev 2021; 121:2020-2108. [PMID: 33464892 PMCID: PMC7908018 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on key components of respiratory and photosynthetic energy-transduction systems: the cytochrome bc1 and b6f (Cytbc1/b6f) membranous multisubunit homodimeric complexes. These remarkable molecular machines catalyze electron transfer from membranous quinones to water-soluble electron carriers (such as cytochromes c or plastocyanin), coupling electron flow to proton translocation across the energy-transducing membrane and contributing to the generation of a transmembrane electrochemical potential gradient, which powers cellular metabolism in the majority of living organisms. Cytsbc1/b6f share many similarities but also have significant differences. While decades of research have provided extensive knowledge on these enzymes, several important aspects of their molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. We summarize a broad range of structural, mechanistic, and physiological aspects required for function of Cytbc1/b6f, combining textbook fundamentals with new intriguing concepts that have emerged from more recent studies. The discussion covers but is not limited to (i) mechanisms of energy-conserving bifurcation of electron pathway and energy-wasting superoxide generation at the quinol oxidation site, (ii) the mechanism by which semiquinone is stabilized at the quinone reduction site, (iii) interactions with substrates and specific inhibitors, (iv) intermonomer electron transfer and the role of a dimeric complex, and (v) higher levels of organization and regulation that involve Cytsbc1/b6f. In addressing these topics, we point out existing uncertainties and controversies, which, as suggested, will drive further research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Sarewicz
- Department
of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Sebastian Pintscher
- Department
of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Rafał Pietras
- Department
of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Arkadiusz Borek
- Department
of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Łukasz Bujnowicz
- Department
of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Guy Hanke
- School
of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen
Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, U.K.
| | - William A. Cramer
- Department
of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 United States
| | - Giovanni Finazzi
- Laboratoire
de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Centre National Recherche Scientifique,
Commissariat Energie Atomique et Energies Alternatives, Institut National
Recherche l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Artur Osyczka
- Department
of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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11
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Malone LA, Proctor MS, Hitchcock A, Hunter CN, Johnson MP. Cytochrome b 6f - Orchestrator of photosynthetic electron transfer. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2021; 1862:148380. [PMID: 33460588 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2021.148380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Cytochrome b6f (cytb6f) lies at the heart of the light-dependent reactions of oxygenic photosynthesis, where it serves as a link between photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI) through the oxidation and reduction of the electron carriers plastoquinol (PQH2) and plastocyanin (Pc). A mechanism of electron bifurcation, known as the Q-cycle, couples electron transfer to the generation of a transmembrane proton gradient for ATP synthesis. Cytb6f catalyses the rate-limiting step in linear electron transfer (LET), is pivotal for cyclic electron transfer (CET) and plays a key role as a redox-sensing hub involved in the regulation of light-harvesting, electron transfer and photosynthetic gene expression. Together, these characteristics make cytb6f a judicious target for genetic manipulation to enhance photosynthetic yield, a strategy which already shows promise. In this review we will outline the structure and function of cytb6f with a particular focus on new insights provided by the recent high-resolution map of the complex from Spinach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna A Malone
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Matthew S Proctor
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Andrew Hitchcock
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - C Neil Hunter
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Matthew P Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
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12
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Wise CE, Ledinina AE, Yuly JL, Artz JH, Lubner CE. The role of thermodynamic features on the functional activity of electron bifurcating enzymes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2021; 1862:148377. [PMID: 33453185 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2021.148377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Electron bifurcation is a biological mechanism to drive a thermodynamically unfavorable redox reaction through direct coupling with an exergonic reaction. This process allows microorganisms to generate high energy reducing equivalents in order to sustain life and is often found in anaerobic metabolism, where the energy economy of the cell is poor. Recent work has revealed details of the redox energy landscapes for a variety of electron bifurcating enzymes, greatly expanding the understanding of how energy is transformed by this unique mechanism. Here we highlight the plasticity of these emerging landscapes, what is known regarding their mechanistic underpinnings, and provide a context for interpreting their biochemical activity within the physiological framework. We conclude with an outlook for propelling the field toward an integrative understanding of the impact of electron bifurcation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jacob H Artz
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA
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13
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PGR5 is required for efficient Q cycle in the cytochrome b6f complex during cyclic electron flow. Biochem J 2020; 477:1631-1650. [PMID: 32267468 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20190914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Proton gradient regulation 5 (PGR5) is involved in the control of photosynthetic electron transfer, but its mechanistic role is not yet clear. Several models have been proposed to explain phenotypes such as a diminished steady-state proton motive force (pmf) and increased photodamage of photosystem I (PSI). Playing a regulatory role in cyclic electron flow (CEF) around PSI, PGR5 contributes indirectly to PSI protection by enhancing photosynthetic control, which is a pH-dependent down-regulation of electron transfer at the cytochrome b6f complex (b6f). Here, we re-evaluated the role of PGR5 in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and conclude that pgr5 possesses a dysfunctional b6f. Our data indicate that the b6f low-potential chain redox activity likely operated in two distinct modes - via the canonical Q cycle during linear electron flow and via an alternative Q cycle during CEF, which allowed efficient oxidation of the low-potential chain in the WT b6f. A switch between the two Q cycle modes was dependent on PGR5 and relied on unknown stromal electron carrier(s), which were a general requirement for b6f activity. In CEF-favoring conditions, the electron transfer bottleneck in pgr5 was the b6f, in which insufficient low-potential chain redox tuning might account for the mutant pmf phenotype. By attributing a ferredoxin-plastoquinone reductase activity to the b6f and investigating a PGR5 cysteine mutant, a current model of CEF is challenged.
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14
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Grattieri M, Chen H, Minteer SD. Chloroplast biosolar cell and self-powered herbicide monitoring. Chem Commun (Camb) 2020; 56:13161-13164. [PMID: 33016281 DOI: 10.1039/d0cc03787g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Utilizing chloroplasts in biosolar cells offers a sustainable approach for sunlight harvesting. However, the limited electrochemical communication between these biological entities and an electrode surface has led to complex device setups, hindering their application in the field. Herein, a cross-linker enables a simple photoanode architecture with enhanced photoexcited electron transfer between chloroplasts and abiotic electrodes. The improved "wiring" of the photosynthetic electron transfer chain resulted in a five-fold increase in the biophotocurrent. The biophotoanode is applied in a Pt-free, portable biosolar cell allowing the in situ self-powered monitoring of diuron within limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Grattieri
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, 315 S 1400 E Rm 2020, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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15
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Xu P, Chukhutsina VU, Nawrocki WJ, Schansker G, Bielczynski LW, Lu Y, Karcher D, Bock R, Croce R. Photosynthesis without β-carotene. eLife 2020; 9:e58984. [PMID: 32975516 PMCID: PMC7609050 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Carotenoids are essential in oxygenic photosynthesis: they stabilize the pigment-protein complexes, are active in harvesting sunlight and in photoprotection. In plants, they are present as carotenes and their oxygenated derivatives, xanthophylls. While mutant plants lacking xanthophylls are capable of photoautotrophic growth, no plants without carotenes in their photosystems have been reported so far, which has led to the common opinion that carotenes are essential for photosynthesis. Here, we report the first plant that grows photoautotrophically in the absence of carotenes: a tobacco plant containing only the xanthophyll astaxanthin. Surprisingly, both photosystems are fully functional despite their carotenoid-binding sites being occupied by astaxanthin instead of β-carotene or remaining empty (i.e. are not occupied by carotenoids). These plants display non-photochemical quenching, despite the absence of both zeaxanthin and lutein and show that tobacco can regulate the ratio between the two photosystems in a very large dynamic range to optimize electron transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengqi Xu
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam and LaserLab AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Volha U Chukhutsina
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam and LaserLab AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Wojciech J Nawrocki
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam and LaserLab AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Gert Schansker
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam and LaserLab AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Ludwik W Bielczynski
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam and LaserLab AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Yinghong Lu
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam-GolmGermany
| | - Daniel Karcher
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam-GolmGermany
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam-GolmGermany
| | - Roberta Croce
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam and LaserLab AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
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16
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Walker BJ, Kramer DM, Fisher N, Fu X. Flexibility in the Energy Balancing Network of Photosynthesis Enables Safe Operation under Changing Environmental Conditions. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 9:E301. [PMID: 32121540 PMCID: PMC7154899 DOI: 10.3390/plants9030301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Given their ability to harness chemical energy from the sun and generate the organic compounds necessary for life, photosynthetic organisms have the unique capacity to act simultaneously as their own power and manufacturing plant. This dual capacity presents many unique challenges, chiefly that energy supply must be perfectly balanced with energy demand to prevent photodamage and allow for optimal growth. From this perspective, we discuss the energy balancing network using recent studies and a quantitative framework for calculating metabolic ATP and NAD(P)H demand using measured leaf gas exchange and assumptions of metabolic demand. We focus on exploring how the energy balancing network itself is structured to allow safe and flexible energy supply. We discuss when the energy balancing network appears to operate optimally and when it favors high capacity instead. We also present the hypothesis that the energy balancing network itself can adapt over longer time scales to a given metabolic demand and how metabolism itself may participate in this energy balancing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berkley J. Walker
- Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA; (D.M.K.); (N.F.); (X.F.)
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - David M. Kramer
- Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA; (D.M.K.); (N.F.); (X.F.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Nicholas Fisher
- Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA; (D.M.K.); (N.F.); (X.F.)
| | - Xinyu Fu
- Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA; (D.M.K.); (N.F.); (X.F.)
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17
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Kozuleva MA, Ivanov BN, Vetoshkina DV, Borisova-Mubarakshina MM. Minimizing an Electron Flow to Molecular Oxygen in Photosynthetic Electron Transfer Chain: An Evolutionary View. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:211. [PMID: 32231675 PMCID: PMC7082748 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Recruitment of H2O as the final donor of electrons for light-governed reactions in photosynthesis has been an utmost breakthrough, bursting the evolution of life and leading to the accumulation of O2 molecules in the atmosphere. O2 molecule has a great potential to accept electrons from the components of the photosynthetic electron transfer chain (PETC) (so-called the Mehler reaction). Here we overview the Mehler reaction mechanisms, specifying the changes in the structure of the PETC of oxygenic phototrophs that probably had occurred as the result of evolutionary pressure to minimize the electron flow to O2. These changes are warranted by the fact that the efficient electron flow to O2 would decrease the quantum yield of photosynthesis. Moreover, the reduction of O2 leads to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), namely, the superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide, which cause oxidative stress to plant cells if they are accumulated at a significant amount. From another side, hydrogen peroxide acts as a signaling molecule. We particularly zoom in into the role of photosystem I (PSI) and the plastoquinone (PQ) pool in the Mehler reaction.
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18
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Malone LA, Qian P, Mayneord GE, Hitchcock A, Farmer DA, Thompson RF, Swainsbury DJK, Ranson NA, Hunter CN, Johnson MP. Cryo-EM structure of the spinach cytochrome b6 f complex at 3.6 Å resolution. Nature 2019; 575:535-539. [DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1746-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Probing the electric field across thylakoid membranes in cyanobacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:21900-21906. [PMID: 31591197 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1913099116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In plants, algae, and some photosynthetic bacteria, the ElectroChromic Shift (ECS) of photosynthetic pigments, which senses the electric field across photosynthetic membranes, is widely used to quantify the activity of the photosynthetic chain. In cyanobacteria, ECS signals have never been used for physiological studies, although they can provide a unique tool to study the architecture and function of the respiratory and photosynthetic electron transfer chains, entangled in the thylakoid membranes. Here, we identified bona fide ECS signals, likely corresponding to carotenoid band shifts, in the model cyanobacteria Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 and Synechocystis sp. PCC6803. These band shifts, most likely originating from pigments located in photosystem I, have highly similar spectra in the 2 species and can be best measured as the difference between the absorption changes at 500 to 505 nm and the ones at 480 to 485 nm. These signals respond linearly to the electric field and display the basic kinetic features of ECS as characterized in other organisms. We demonstrate that these probes are an ideal tool to study photosynthetic physiology in vivo, e.g., the fraction of PSI centers that are prebound by plastocyanin/cytochrome c 6 in darkness (about 60% in both cyanobacteria, in our experiments), the conductivity of the thylakoid membrane (largely reflecting the activity of the ATP synthase), or the steady-state rates of the photosynthetic electron transport pathways.
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20
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Miller AF, Duan HD, Varner TA, Mohamed Raseek N. Reduction midpoint potentials of bifurcating electron transfer flavoproteins. Methods Enzymol 2019; 620:365-398. [PMID: 31072494 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2019.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Recently, a variety of enzymes have been found to accept electrons from NAD(P)H yet reduce lower-potential carriers such as ferredoxin and flavodoxin semiquinone, in apparent violation of thermodynamics. The reaction is favorable overall, however, because these enzymes couple the foregoing endergonic one-electron transfer to exergonic transfer of the other electron from each NAD(P)H, in a process called "flavin-based electron bifurcation." The reduction midpoint potentials (E°s) of the multiple flavins in these enzymes are critical to their mechanisms. We describe methods we have found to be useful for measuring each of the E°s of each of the flavins in bifurcating electron transfer flavoproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- A-F Miller
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
| | - H D Duan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - T A Varner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - N Mohamed Raseek
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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21
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Nawrocki WJ, Bailleul B, Picot D, Cardol P, Rappaport F, Wollman FA, Joliot P. The mechanism of cyclic electron flow. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2019; 1860:433-438. [PMID: 30827891 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Apart from the canonical light-driven linear electron flow (LEF) from water to CO2, numerous regulatory and alternative electron transfer pathways exist in chloroplasts. One of them is the cyclic electron flow around Photosystem I (CEF), contributing to photoprotection of both Photosystem I and II (PSI, PSII) and supplying extra ATP to fix atmospheric carbon. Nonetheless, CEF remains an enigma in the field of functional photosynthesis as we lack understanding of its pathway. Here, we address the discrepancies between functional and genetic/biochemical data in the literature and formulate novel hypotheses about the pathway and regulation of CEF based on recent structural and kinetic information.
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Affiliation(s)
- W J Nawrocki
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR 7141 CNRS-UPMC, 13 rue P. et M. Curie, 75005 Paris, France; Laboratoire de Génétique et Physiologie des Microalgues, Institut de Botanique, Université de Liège, 4, Chemin de la Vallée, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.
| | - B Bailleul
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR 7141 CNRS-UPMC, 13 rue P. et M. Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - D Picot
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR 7099 CNRS-UPMC, 13 rue P. et M. Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - P Cardol
- Laboratoire de Génétique et Physiologie des Microalgues, Institut de Botanique, Université de Liège, 4, Chemin de la Vallée, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - F Rappaport
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR 7141 CNRS-UPMC, 13 rue P. et M. Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - F-A Wollman
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR 7141 CNRS-UPMC, 13 rue P. et M. Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - P Joliot
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR 7141 CNRS-UPMC, 13 rue P. et M. Curie, 75005 Paris, France
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22
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Taylor RM, Sallans L, Frankel LK, Bricker TM. Natively oxidized amino acid residues in the spinach cytochrome b 6 f complex. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2018; 137:141-151. [PMID: 29380263 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-018-0485-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The cytochrome b 6 f complex of oxygenic photosynthesis produces substantial levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has been observed that the ROS production rate by b 6 f is 10-20 fold higher than that observed for the analogous respiratory cytochrome bc1 complex. The types of ROS produced (O2•-, 1O2, and, possibly, H2O2) and the site(s) of ROS production within the b 6 f complex have been the subject of some debate. Proposed sources of ROS have included the heme b p , PQ p•- (possible sources for O2•-), the Rieske iron-sulfur cluster (possible source of O2•- and/or 1O2), Chl a (possible source of 1O2), and heme c n (possible source of O2•- and/or H2O2). Our working hypothesis is that amino acid residues proximal to the ROS production sites will be more susceptible to oxidative modification than distant residues. In the current study, we have identified natively oxidized amino acid residues in the subunits of the spinach cytochrome b 6 f complex. The oxidized residues were identified by tandem mass spectrometry using the MassMatrix Program. Our results indicate that numerous residues, principally localized near p-side cofactors and Chl a, were oxidatively modified. We hypothesize that these sites are sources for ROS generation in the spinach cytochrome b 6 f complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Taylor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Section, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Larry Sallans
- The Rieveschl Laboratories for Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
| | - Laurie K Frankel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Section, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Terry M Bricker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Section, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
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23
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Pintscher S, Pietras R, Sarewicz M, Osyczka A. Electron sweep across four b-hemes of cytochrome bc1 revealed by unusual paramagnetic properties of the Qi semiquinone intermediate. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2018; 1859:459-469. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2018.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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24
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Abstract
This chapter presents an overview of structural properties of the cytochrome (Cyt) b 6 f complex and its functioning in chloroplasts. The Cyt b 6 f complex stands at the crossroad of photosynthetic electron transport pathways, providing connectivity between Photosystem (PSI) and Photosysten II (PSII) and pumping protons across the membrane into the thylakoid lumen. After a brief review of the chloroplast electron transport chain, the consideration is focused on the structural organization of the Cyt b 6 f complex and its interaction with plastoquinol (PQH2, reduced form of plastoquinone), a mediator of electron transfer from PSII to the Cyt b 6 f complex. The processes of PQH2 oxidation by the Cyt b 6 f complex have been considered within the framework of the Mitchell's Q-cycle. The overall rate of the intersystem electron transport is determined by PQH2 turnover at the quinone-binding site Qo of the Cyt b 6 f complex. The rate of PQH2 oxidation is controlled by the intrathylakoid pHin, which value determines the protonation/deprotonation events in the Qo-center. Two other regulatory mechanisms associated with the Cyt b 6 f complex are briefly overviewed: (i) redistribution of electron fluxes between alternative (linear and cyclic) pathways, and (ii) "state transitions" related to redistribution of solar energy between PSI and PSII.
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25
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Dumas L, Zito F, Blangy S, Auroy P, Johnson X, Peltier G, Alric J. A stromal region of cytochrome b6f subunit IV is involved in the activation of the Stt7 kinase in Chlamydomonas. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:12063-12068. [PMID: 29078388 PMCID: PMC5692589 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1713343114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytochrome (cyt) b6f complex and Stt7 kinase regulate the antenna sizes of photosystems I and II through state transitions, which are mediated by a reversible phosphorylation of light harvesting complexes II, depending on the redox state of the plastoquinone pool. When the pool is reduced, the cyt b6f activates the Stt7 kinase through a mechanism that is still poorly understood. After random mutagenesis of the chloroplast petD gene, coding for subunit IV of the cyt b6f complex, and complementation of a ΔpetD host strain by chloroplast transformation, we screened for impaired state transitions in vivo by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging. We show that residues Asn122, Tyr124, and Arg125 in the stromal loop linking helices F and G of cyt b6f subunit IV are crucial for state transitions. In vitro reconstitution experiments with purified cyt b6f and recombinant Stt7 kinase domain show that cyt b6f enhances Stt7 autophosphorylation and that the Arg125 residue is directly involved in this process. The peripheral stromal structure of the cyt b6f complex had, until now, no reported function. Evidence is now provided of a direct interaction with Stt7 on the stromal side of the membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Dumas
- Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Biotechnologie des Bactéries et Microalgues, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7265, Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies d'Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Francesca Zito
- Laboratoire de Biologie Physico-Chimique des Protéines Membranaires, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, CNRS, UMR7099, University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Stéphanie Blangy
- Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Biotechnologie des Bactéries et Microalgues, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7265, Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies d'Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Pascaline Auroy
- Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Biotechnologie des Bactéries et Microalgues, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7265, Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies d'Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Xenie Johnson
- Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Biotechnologie des Bactéries et Microalgues, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7265, Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies d'Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Gilles Peltier
- Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Biotechnologie des Bactéries et Microalgues, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7265, Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies d'Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Jean Alric
- Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Biotechnologie des Bactéries et Microalgues, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7265, Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies d'Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France;
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26
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Blaby-Haas CE, Merchant SS. Regulating cellular trace metal economy in algae. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2017; 39:88-96. [PMID: 28672168 PMCID: PMC5595633 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
As indispensable protein cofactors, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn are at the center of multifaceted acclimation mechanisms that have evolved to ensure extracellular supply meets intracellular demand. Starting with selective transport at the plasma membrane and ending in protein metalation, metal homeostasis in algae involves regulated trafficking of metal ions across membranes, intracellular compartmentalization by proteins and organelles, and metal-sparing/recycling mechanisms to optimize metal-use efficiency. Overlaid on these processes are additional circuits that respond to the metabolic state as well as to the prior metal status of the cell. In this review, we focus on recent progress made toward understanding the pathways by which the single-celled, green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii controls its cellular trace metal economy. We also compare these mechanisms to characterized and putative processes in other algal lineages. Photosynthetic microbes continue to provide insight into cellular regulation and handling of Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn as a function of the nutritional supply and cellular demand for metal cofactors. New experimental tools such as RNA-Seq and subcellular metal imaging are bringing us closer to a molecular understanding of acclimation to supply dynamics in algae and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crysten E Blaby-Haas
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, 50 Bell Avenue, Building 463, Upton, NY 11973, USA.
| | - Sabeeha S Merchant
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, USA; Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, USA
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27
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Dibrova DV, Shalaeva DN, Galperin MY, Mulkidjanian AY. Emergence of cytochrome bc complexes in the context of photosynthesis. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2017; 161:150-170. [PMID: 28493482 PMCID: PMC5600118 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Revised: 04/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The cytochrome bc (cyt bc) complexes are involved in Q-cycling; they oxidize membrane quinols by high-potential electron acceptors, such as cytochromes or plastocyanin, and generate transmembrane proton gradient. In several prokaryotic lineages, and also in plant chloroplasts, the catalytic core of the cyt bc complexes is built of a four-helical cytochrome b (cyt b) that contains three hemes, a three-helical subunit IV, and an iron-sulfur Rieske protein (cytochrome b6 f-type complexes). In other prokaryotic lineages, and also in mitochondria, the cyt b subunit is fused with subunit IV, yielding a seven- or eight-helical cyt b with only two hemes (cyt bc1 -type complexes). Here we present an updated phylogenomic analysis of the cyt b subunits of cyt bc complexes. This analysis provides further support to our earlier suggestion that (1) the ancestral version of cyt bc complex contained a small four-helical cyt b with three hemes similar to the plant cytochrome b6 and (2) independent fusion events led to the formation of large cyts b in several lineages. In the search for a primordial function for the ancestral cyt bc complex, we address the intimate connection between the cyt bc complexes and photosynthesis. Indeed, the Q-cycle turnover in the cyt bc complexes demands high-potential electron acceptors. Before the Great Oxygenation Event, the biosphere had been highly reduced, so high-potential electron acceptors could only be generated upon light-driven charge separation. It appears that an ancestral cyt bc complex capable of Q-cycling has emerged in conjunction with the (bacterio)chlorophyll-based photosynthetic systems that continuously generated electron vacancies at the oxidized (bacterio)chlorophyll molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria V. Dibrova
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico‐Chemical BiologyLomonosov Moscow State UniversityMoscow119991Russia
| | - Daria N. Shalaeva
- School of Bioengineering and BioinformaticsLomonosov Moscow State UniversityMoscow119991Russia
- School of PhysicsUniversity of OsnabrueckOsnabrueckD‐49069Germany
| | - Michael Y. Galperin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of MedicineNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMD20894USA
| | - Armen Y. Mulkidjanian
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico‐Chemical BiologyLomonosov Moscow State UniversityMoscow119991Russia
- School of Bioengineering and BioinformaticsLomonosov Moscow State UniversityMoscow119991Russia
- School of PhysicsUniversity of OsnabrueckOsnabrueckD‐49069Germany
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28
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Schuergers N, Werlang C, Ajo-Franklin CM, Boghossian AA. A Synthetic Biology Approach to Engineering Living Photovoltaics. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2017; 10:1102-1115. [PMID: 28694844 PMCID: PMC5501249 DOI: 10.1039/c7ee00282c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The ability to electronically interface living cells with electron accepting scaffolds is crucial for the development of next-generation biophotovoltaic technologies. Although recent studies have focused on engineering synthetic interfaces that can maximize electronic communication between the cell and scaffold, the efficiency of such devices is limited by the low conductivity of the cell membrane. This review provides a materials science perspective on applying a complementary, synthetic biology approach to engineering membrane-electrode interfaces. It focuses on the technical challenges behind the introduction of foreign extracellular electron transfer pathways in bacterial host cells and the past and future efforts to engineer photosynthetic organisms with artificial electron-export capabilities for biophotovoltaic applications. The article highlights advances in engineering protein-based, electron-exporting conduits in a model host organism, E. coli, before reviewing state-of-the-art biophotovoltaic technologies that use both unmodified and bioengineered photosynthetic bacteria with improved electron transport capabilities. A thermodynamic analysis is used to propose an energetically feasible pathway for extracellular electron transport in engineered cyanobacteria and identify metabolic bottlenecks amenable to protein engineering techniques. Based on this analysis, an engineered photosynthetic organism expressing a foreign, protein-based electron conduit yields a maximum theoretical solar conversion efficiency of 6-10% without accounting for additional bioengineering optimizations for light-harvesting.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Schuergers
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - C. Werlang
- Interschool Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - C. M. Ajo-Franklin
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Synthetic Biology Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - A. A. Boghossian
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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29
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Agarwal R, Chauvet AAP. Ultrafast dynamics of the photo-excited hemes b and c n in the cytochrome b 6f complex. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:3287-3296. [PMID: 28085168 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp08077d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The dynamics of hemes b and cn within the cytochrome b6f complex are investigated by means of ultrafast broad-band transient absorption spectroscopy. On the one hand, the data reveal that, subsequent to visible light excitation, part of the b hemes undergoes pulse-limited photo-oxidation, with the liberated electron supposedly being transferred to one of the adjacent aromatic amino acids. Photo-oxidation is followed by charge recombination in about 8.2 ps. Subsequent to charge recombination, heme b is promoted to a vibrationally excited ground state that relaxes in about 4.6 ps. On the other hand, heme cn undergoes ultrafast ground state recovery in about 140 fs. Interestingly, the data also show that, in contrast to previous beliefs, Chl a is involved in the photochemistry of hemes. Indeed, subsequent to heme excitation, Chl a bleaches and recovers to its ground state in 90 fs and 650 fs, respectively. Chl a bleaching allegedly corresponds to the formation of a short lived Chl a anion. Beyond the previously suggested structural role, this study provides unique evidence that Chl a is directly involved in the photochemistry of the hemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachna Agarwal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA and Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
| | - Adrien A P Chauvet
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Ultrarapide (LSU), ISIC, Faculté des Sciences de Base and Lausanne Centre for Ultrafast Science (LACUS), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. and The University of Sheffield, Department of Chemistry, Dainton Building, Brook Hill, Sheffield S3 7HF, UK
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30
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Bhaduri S, Stadnytskyi V, Zakharov SD, Hasan SS, Bujnowicz Ł, Sarewicz M, Savikhin S, Osyczka A, Cramer WA. Pathways of Transmembrane Electron Transfer in Cytochrome bc Complexes: Dielectric Heterogeneity and Interheme Coulombic Interactions. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:975-983. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b11709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ł. Bujnowicz
- Department
of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and
Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 31-007, Poland
| | - M. Sarewicz
- Department
of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and
Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 31-007, Poland
| | | | - A. Osyczka
- Department
of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and
Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 31-007, Poland
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31
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From low- to high-potential bioenergetic chains: Thermodynamic constraints of Q-cycle function. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2016; 1857:1569-1579. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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32
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Singh SK, Hasan SS, Zakharov SD, Naurin S, Cohn W, Ma J, Whitelegge JP, Cramer WA. Trans-membrane Signaling in Photosynthetic State Transitions: REDOX- AND STRUCTURE-DEPENDENT INTERACTION IN VITRO BETWEEN STT7 KINASE AND THE CYTOCHROME b6f COMPLEX. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:21740-21750. [PMID: 27539852 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.732545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Trans-membrane signaling involving a serine/threonine kinase (Stt7 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) directs light energy distribution between the two photosystems of oxygenic photosynthesis. Oxidation of plastoquinol mediated by the cytochrome b6f complex on the electrochemically positive side of the thylakoid membrane activates the kinase domain of Stt7 on the trans (negative) side, leading to phosphorylation and redistribution ("state transition") of the light-harvesting chlorophyll proteins between the two photosystems. The molecular description of the Stt7 kinase and its interaction with the cytochrome b6f complex are unknown or unclear. In this study, Stt7 kinase has been cloned, expressed, and purified in a heterologous host. Stt7 kinase is shown to be active in vitro in the presence of reductant and purified as a tetramer, as determined by analytical ultracentrifugation, electron microscopy, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, with a molecular weight of 332 kDa, consisting of an 83.41-kDa monomer. Far-UV circular dichroism spectra show Stt7 to be mostly α-helical and document a physical interaction with the b6f complex through increased thermal stability of Stt7 secondary structure. The activity of wild-type Stt7 and its Cys-Ser mutant at positions 68 and 73 in the presence of a reductant suggest that the enzyme does not require a disulfide bridge for its activity as suggested elsewhere. Kinase activation in vivo could result from direct interaction between Stt7 and the b6f complex or long-range reduction of Stt7 by superoxide, known to be generated in the b6f complex by quinol oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Whitaker Cohn
- the Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, NPI-Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024
| | - Jia Ma
- Biophysical Analysis Laboratory, Bindley Bioscience Center,Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 and
| | - Julian P Whitelegge
- the Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, NPI-Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024
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33
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Chauvet AAP, Agarwal R, Haddad AA, van Mourik F, Cramer WA. Photo-induced oxidation of the uniquely liganded heme f in the cytochrome b6f complex of oxygenic photosynthesis. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:12983-91. [PMID: 27108913 PMCID: PMC4990003 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp01592a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The ultrafast behavior of the ferrous heme f from the cytochrome b6f complex of oxygenic photosynthesis is revealed by means of transient absorption spectroscopy. Benefiting from the use of microfluidic technologies for handling the sample as well as from a complementary frame-by-frame analysis of the heme dynamics, the different relaxation mechanisms from vibrationally excited states are disentangled and monitored via the shifts of the heme α-absorption band. Under 520 nm laser excitation, about 85% of the heme f undergoes pulse-limited photo-oxidation (<100 fs), with the electron acceptor being most probably one of the adjacent aromatic amino acid residues. After charge recombination in 5.3 ps, the residual excess energy is dissipated in 3.6 ps. In a parallel pathway, the remaining 15% of the hemes directly relax from their excited state in 2.5 ps. In contrast to a vast variety of heme-proteins, including the homologous heme c1 from the cytochrome bc1 complex, there is no evidence that heme f photo-dissociates from its axial ligands. Due to its unique binding, with histidine and an unusual tyrosine as axial ligands, the heme f exemplifies a dependence of ultrafast dynamics on the structural environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien A P Chauvet
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Ultrarapide (LSU), ISIC, Faculté des Sciences de Base and Lausanne Centre for Ultrafast Science (LACUS), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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34
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Pintscher S, Kuleta P, Cieluch E, Borek A, Sarewicz M, Osyczka A. Tuning of Hemes b Equilibrium Redox Potential Is Not Required for Cross-Membrane Electron Transfer. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:6872-81. [PMID: 26858251 PMCID: PMC4807273 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.712307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In biological energy conversion, cross-membrane electron transfer often involves an assembly of two hemes b. The hemes display a large difference in redox midpoint potentials (ΔEm_b), which in several proteins is assumed to facilitate cross-membrane electron transfer and overcome a barrier of membrane potential. Here we challenge this assumption reporting on heme b ligand mutants of cytochrome bc1 in which, for the first time in transmembrane cytochrome, one natural histidine has been replaced by lysine without loss of the native low spin type of heme iron. With these mutants we show that ΔEm_b can be markedly increased, and the redox potential of one of the hemes can stay above the level of quinone pool, or ΔEm_b can be markedly decreased to the point that two hemes are almost isopotential, yet the enzyme retains catalytically competent electron transfer between quinone binding sites and remains functional in vivo. This reveals that cytochrome bc1 can accommodate large changes in ΔEm_b without hampering catalysis, as long as these changes do not impose overly endergonic steps on downhill electron transfer from substrate to product. We propose that hemes b in this cytochrome and in other membranous cytochromes b act as electronic connectors for the catalytic sites with no fine tuning in ΔEm_b required for efficient cross-membrane electron transfer. We link this concept with a natural flexibility in occurrence of several thermodynamic configurations of the direction of electron flow and the direction of the gradient of potential in relation to the vector of the electric membrane potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Pintscher
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Patryk Kuleta
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewelina Cieluch
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Arkadiusz Borek
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Marcin Sarewicz
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Artur Osyczka
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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35
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Structure-Function of the Cytochrome b 6 f Lipoprotein Complex. ADVANCES IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-7481-9_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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36
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Heme c i or c n of the Cytochrome b 6 f Complex, A Short Retrospective. ADVANCES IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-7481-9_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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37
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Tikhonov AN. Induction events and short-term regulation of electron transport in chloroplasts: an overview. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2015; 125:65-94. [PMID: 25680580 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-015-0094-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of photosynthetic electron transport at different levels of structural and functional organization of photosynthetic apparatus provides efficient performance of oxygenic photosynthesis in plants. This review begins with a brief overview of the chloroplast electron transport chain. Then two noninvasive biophysical methods (measurements of slow induction of chlorophyll a fluorescence and EPR signals of oxidized P700 centers) are exemplified to illustrate the possibility of monitoring induction events in chloroplasts in vivo and in situ. Induction events in chloroplasts are considered and briefly discussed in the context of short-term mechanisms of the following regulatory processes: (i) pH-dependent control of the intersystem electron transport; (ii) the light-induced activation of the Calvin-Benson cycle; (iii) optimization of electron transport due to fitting alternative pathways of electron flow and partitioning light energy between photosystems I and II; and (iv) the light-induced remodeling of photosynthetic apparatus and thylakoid membranes.
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38
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Tikhonov AN. The cytochrome b6f complex at the crossroad of photosynthetic electron transport pathways. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2014; 81:163-83. [PMID: 24485217 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2013.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 12/11/2013] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of photosynthetic electron transport at the level of the cytochrome b6f complex provides efficient performance of the chloroplast electron transport chain (ETC). In this review, after brief overview of the structural organization of the chloroplast ETC, the consideration of the problem of electron transport control is focused on the plastoquinone (PQ) turnover and its interaction with the b6f complex. The data available show that the rates of plastoquinol (PQH2) formation in PSII and its diffusion to the b6f complex do not limit the overall rate of electron transfer between photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI). Analysis of experimental and theoretical data demonstrates that the rate-limiting step in the intersystem chain of electron transport is determined by PQH2 oxidation at the Qo-site of the b6f complex, which is accompanied by the proton release into the thylakoid lumen. The acidification of the lumen causes deceleration of PQH2 oxidation, thus impeding the intersystem electron transport. Two other mechanisms of regulation of the intersystem electron transport have been considered: (i) "state transitions" associated with the light-induced redistribution of solar energy between PSI and PSII, and (ii) redistribution of electron fluxes between alternative pathways (noncyclic electron transport and cyclic electron flow around PSI).
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39
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Hasan SS, Zakharov SD, Chauvet A, Stadnytskyi V, Savikhin S, Cramer WA. A map of dielectric heterogeneity in a membrane protein: the hetero-oligomeric cytochrome b6f complex. J Phys Chem B 2014; 118:6614-25. [PMID: 24867491 PMCID: PMC4067154 DOI: 10.1021/jp501165k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
![]()
The
cytochrome b6f complex,
a member of the cytochrome bc family that
mediates energy transduction in photosynthetic and respiratory membranes,
is a hetero-oligomeric complex that utilizes two pairs of b-hemes in a symmetric dimer to accomplish trans-membrane
electron transfer, quinone oxidation–reduction, and generation
of a proton electrochemical potential. Analysis of electron storage
in this pathway, utilizing simultaneous measurement of heme reduction,
and of circular dichroism (CD) spectra, to assay heme–heme
interactions, implies a heterogeneous distribution of the dielectric
constants that mediate electrostatic interactions between the four
hemes in the complex. Crystallographic information was used to determine
the identity of the interacting hemes. The Soret band CD signal is
dominated by excitonic interaction between the intramonomer b-hemes, bn and bp, on the electrochemically negative and positive sides
of the complex. Kinetic data imply that the most probable pathway
for transfer of the two electrons needed for quinone oxidation–reduction
utilizes this intramonomer heme pair, contradicting the expectation
based on heme redox potentials and thermodynamics, that the two higher
potential hemes bn on different monomers
would be preferentially reduced. Energetically preferred intramonomer
electron storage of electrons on the intramonomer b-hemes is found to require heterogeneity of interheme dielectric
constants. Relative to the medium separating the two higher potential
hemes bn, a relatively large dielectric
constant must exist between the intramonomer b-hemes,
allowing a smaller electrostatic repulsion between the reduced hemes.
Heterogeneity of dielectric constants is an additional structure–function
parameter of membrane protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Saif Hasan
- Department of Biological Sciences and ‡Department of Physics, Purdue University , West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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40
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Brink FT, Baymann F. Rieske/Cytochrome b Complexes: The Turbo Chargers of Chemiosmosis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-8742-0_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
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41
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Antal TK, Kovalenko IB, Rubin AB, Tyystjärvi E. Photosynthesis-related quantities for education and modeling. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2013; 117:1-30. [PMID: 24162971 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-013-9945-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2013] [Accepted: 10/07/2013] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
A quantitative understanding of the photosynthetic machinery depends largely on quantities, such as concentrations, sizes, absorption wavelengths, redox potentials, and rate constants. The present contribution is a collection of numbers and quantities related mainly to photosynthesis in higher plants. All numbers are taken directly from a literature or database source and the corresponding reference is provided. The numerical values, presented in this paper, provide ranges of values, obtained in specific experiments for specific organisms. However, the presented numbers can be useful for understanding the principles of structure and function of photosynthetic machinery and for guidance of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taras K Antal
- Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Vorobyevi Gory, 119992, Moscow, Russia
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42
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Transmembrane signaling and assembly of the cytochrome b6f-lipidic charge transfer complex. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2013; 1827:1295-308. [PMID: 23507619 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2013.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2012] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Structure-function properties of the cytochrome b6f complex are sufficiently unique compared to those of the cytochrome bc1 complex that b6f should not be considered a trivially modified bc1 complex. A unique property of the dimeric b6f complex is its involvement in transmembrane signaling associated with the p-side oxidation of plastoquinol. Structure analysis of lipid binding sites in the cyanobacterial b6f complex prepared by hydrophobic chromatography shows that the space occupied by the H transmembrane helix in the cytochrome b subunit of the bc1 complex is mostly filled by a lipid in the b6f crystal structure. It is suggested that this space can be filled by the domain of a transmembrane signaling protein. The identification of lipid sites and likely function defines the intra-membrane conserved central core of the b6f complex, consisting of the seven trans-membrane helices of the cytochrome b and subunit IV polypeptides. The other six TM helices, contributed by cytochrome f, the iron-sulfur protein, and the four peripheral single span subunits, define a peripheral less conserved domain of the complex. The distribution of conserved and non-conserved domains of each monomer of the complex, and the position and inferred function of a number of the lipids, suggests a model for the sequential assembly in the membrane of the eight subunits of the b6f complex, in which the assembly is initiated by formation of the cytochrome b6-subunit IV core sub-complex in a monomer unit. Two conformations of the unique lipidic chlorophyll a, defined in crystal structures, are described, and functions of the outlying β-carotene, a possible 'latch' in supercomplex formation, are discussed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Respiratory complex III and related bc complexes.
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43
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Quinone-dependent proton transfer pathways in the photosynthetic cytochrome b6f complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:4297-302. [PMID: 23440205 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1222248110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
As much as two-thirds of the proton gradient used for transmembrane free energy storage in oxygenic photosynthesis is generated by the cytochrome b6f complex. The proton uptake pathway from the electrochemically negative (n) aqueous phase to the n-side quinone binding site of the complex, and a probable route for proton exit to the positive phase resulting from quinol oxidation, are defined in a 2.70-Å crystal structure and in structures with quinone analog inhibitors at 3.07 Å (tridecyl-stigmatellin) and 3.25-Å (2-nonyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide) resolution. The simplest n-side proton pathway extends from the aqueous phase via Asp20 and Arg207 (cytochrome b6 subunit) to quinone bound axially to heme c(n). On the positive side, the heme-proximal Glu78 (subunit IV), which accepts protons from plastosemiquinone, defines a route for H(+) transfer to the aqueous phase. These pathways provide a structure-based description of the quinone-mediated proton transfer responsible for generation of the transmembrane electrochemical potential gradient in oxygenic photosynthesis.
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44
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Baymann F, Schoepp-Cothenet B, Lebrun E, van Lis R, Nitschke W. Phylogeny of Rieske/cytb complexes with a special focus on the Haloarchaeal enzymes. Genome Biol Evol 2012; 4:720-9. [PMID: 22798450 PMCID: PMC3509893 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evs056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Rieske/cytochrome b (Rieske/cytb) complexes are proton pumping quinol oxidases that are present in most bacteria and Archaea. The phylogeny of their subunits follows closely the 16S-rRNA phylogeny, indicating that chemiosmotic coupling was already present in the last universal common ancestor of Archaea and bacteria. Haloarchaea are the only organisms found so far that acquired Rieske/cytb complexes via interdomain lateral gene transfer. They encode two Rieske/cytb complexes in their genomes; one of them is found in genetic context with nitrate reductase genes and has its closest relatives among Actinobacteria and the Thermus/Deinococcus group. It is likely to function in nitrate respiration. The second Rieske/cytb complex of Haloarchaea features a split cytochrome b sequence as do Cyanobacteria, chloroplasts, Heliobacteria, and Bacilli. It seems that Haloarchaea acquired this complex from an ancestor of the above-mentioned phyla. Its involvement in the bioenergetic reaction chains of Haloarchaea is unknown. We present arguments in favor of the hypothesis that the ancestor of Haloarchaea, which relied on a highly specialized bioenergetic metabolism, that is, methanogenesis, and was devoid of quinones and most enzymes of anaerobic or aerobic bioenergetic reaction chains, integrated laterally transferred genes into its genome to respond to a change in environmental conditions that made methanogenesis unfavorable.
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45
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Todorovic S, Rodrigues ML, Matos D, Pereira IAC. Redox properties of lysine- and methionine-coordinated hemes ensure downhill electron transfer in NrfH2A4 nitrite reductase. J Phys Chem B 2012; 116:5637-43. [PMID: 22519292 DOI: 10.1021/jp301356m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The multiheme NrfHA nitrite reductase is a menaquinol:nitrite oxidoreductase that catalyzes the 6-electron reduction of nitrite to ammonia in a reaction that involves eight protons. X-ray crystallography of the enzyme from Desulfovibrio vulgaris revealed that the biological unit, NrfH2A4, houses 28 c-type heme groups, 22 of them with low spin and 6 with pentacoordinated high spin configuration. The high spin hemes, which are the electron entry and exit points of the complex, carry a highly unusual coordination for c-type hemes, lysine and methionine as proximal ligands in NrfA and NrfH, respectively. Employing redox titrations followed by X-band EPR spectroscopy and surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroelectrochemistry, we provide the first experimental evidence for the midpoint redox potential of the NrfH menaquinol-interacting methionine-coordinated heme (-270 ± 10 mV, z = 0.96), identified by the use of the inhibitor HQNO, a structural analogue of the physiological electron donor. The redox potential of the catalytic lysine-coordinated high spin heme of NrfA is -50 ± 10 mV, z = 0.9. These values determined for the integral NrfH2A4 complex indicate that a driving force for a downhill electron transfer is ensured in this complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smilja Todorovic
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa , Av. da Republica, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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46
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Rutherford AW, Osyczka A, Rappaport F. Back-reactions, short-circuits, leaks and other energy wasteful reactions in biological electron transfer: redox tuning to survive life in O(2). FEBS Lett 2012; 586:603-16. [PMID: 22251618 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2011.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2011] [Revised: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 12/24/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The energy-converting redox enzymes perform productive reactions efficiently despite the involvement of high energy intermediates in their catalytic cycles. This is achieved by kinetic control: with forward reactions being faster than competing, energy-wasteful reactions. This requires appropriate cofactor spacing, driving forces and reorganizational energies. These features evolved in ancestral enzymes in a low O(2) environment. When O(2) appeared, energy-converting enzymes had to deal with its troublesome chemistry. Various protective mechanisms duly evolved that are not directly related to the enzymes' principal redox roles. These protective mechanisms involve fine-tuning of reduction potentials, switching of pathways and the use of short circuits, back-reactions and side-paths, all of which compromise efficiency. This energetic loss is worth it since it minimises damage from reactive derivatives of O(2) and thus gives the organism a better chance of survival. We examine photosynthetic reaction centres, bc(1) and b(6)f complexes from this view point. In particular, the evolution of the heterodimeric PSI from its homodimeric ancestors is explained as providing a protective back-reaction pathway. This "sacrifice-of-efficiency-for-protection" concept should be generally applicable to bioenergetic enzymes in aerobic environments.
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47
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Kallas T. Cytochrome b 6 f Complex at the Heart of Energy Transduction and Redox Signaling. PHOTOSYNTHESIS 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-1579-0_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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48
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Abstract
Central in respiration or photosynthesis, the cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes are regarded as functionally similar quinol oxidoreductases. They both catalyse a redox loop, the Q-cycle, which couples electron and proton transfer. This loop involves a bifurcated electron transfer step considered as being mechanistically mandatory, making the Q-cycle indispensable for growth. Attempts to falsify this paradigm in the case of cytochrome bc1 have failed. The rapid proteolytic degradation of b6f complexes bearing mutations aimed at hindering the Q-cycle has precluded so far the experimental assessment of this model in the photosynthetic chain. Here we combine mutations in Chlamydomonas that inactivate the redox loop but preserve high accumulation levels of b6f complexes. The oxidoreductase activity of these crippled complexes is sufficient to sustain photosynthetic growth, which demonstrates that the Q-cycle is dispensable for oxygenic photosynthesis. The Q-cycle is thought to be an essential energetic component of the photosynthetic electron-transfer chain. Here, Chlamydomonas mutants with an inactive Q-cycle but normal levels of b6f complexes are shown to display photosynthetic growth, demonstrating the dispensability of the Q-cycle in the oxygenic photosynthetic chain.
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de Vitry C. Cytochrome c maturation system on the negative side of bioenergetic membranes: CCB or System IV. FEBS J 2011; 278:4189-97. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2011.08373.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Warren JJ, Mayer JM. Proton-coupled electron transfer reactions at a heme-propionate in an iron-protoporphyrin-IX model compound. J Am Chem Soc 2011; 133:8544-51. [PMID: 21524059 DOI: 10.1021/ja201663p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A heme model system has been developed in which the heme-propionate is the only proton donating/accepting site, using protoporphyrin IX-monomethyl esters (PPIX(MME)) and N-methylimidazole (MeIm). Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions of these model compounds have been examined in acetonitrile solvent. (PPIX(MME))Fe(III)(MeIm)(2)-propionate (Fe(III)~CO(2)) is readily reduced by the ascorbate derivative 5,6-isopropylidine ascorbate to give (PPIX(MME))Fe(II)(MeIm)(2)-propionic acid (Fe(II)~CO(2)H). An excess of the hydroxylamine TEMPOH or of hydroquinone similarly reduces Fe(III)~CO(2), and TEMPO and benzoquinone oxidize Fe(II)~CO(2)H to return to Fe(III)~CO(2). The measured equilibrium constants, and the determined pK(a) and E(1/2) values, indicate that Fe(II)~CO(2)H has an effective bond dissociation free energy (BDFE) of 67.8 ± 0.6 kcal mol(-1). In these PPIX models, electron transfer occurs at the iron center and proton transfer occurs at the remote heme propionate. According to thermochemical and other arguments, the TEMPOH reaction occurs by concerted proton-electron transfer (CPET), and a similar pathway is indicated for the ascorbate derivative. Based on these results, heme propionates should be considered as potential key components of PCET/CPET active sites in heme proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J Warren
- Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, MC 139-74, Pasadena, California 91125-0001, USA.
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