1
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Vilyanen D, Pavlov I, Naydov I, Ivanov B, Kozuleva M. Peculiarities of DNP-INT and DBMIB as inhibitors of the photosynthetic electron transport. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2024; 161:79-92. [PMID: 38108927 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-023-01063-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory analysis is a useful tool for studying cytochrome b6f complex in the photosynthetic electron transport chain. Here, we examine the inhibitory efficiency of two widely used inhibitors of the plastoquinol oxidation in the cytochrome b6f complex, namely 2,4-dinitrophenyl ether of 2-iodo-4-nitrothymol (DNP-INT) and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropylbenzoquinone (DBMIB). Using isolated thylakoids from pea and arabidopsis, we demonstrate that inhibitory activity of DNP-INT and DBMIB is enhanced by increasing irradiance, and this effect is due to the increase in the rate of electron transport. However, the accumulation of protons in the thylakoid lumen at low light intensity has opposite effects on the inhibitory activity of DNP-INT and DBMIB, namely increasing the activity of DNP-INT and restricting the activity of DBMIB. These results allow for the refinement of the conditions under which the use of these inhibitors leads to the complete inhibition of plastoquinol oxidation in the cytochrome b6f complex, thereby broadening our understanding of the operation of the cytochrome b6f complex under conditions of steady-state electron transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Vilyanen
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Basic Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Ilya Pavlov
- Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ilya Naydov
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Basic Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Boris Ivanov
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Basic Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Marina Kozuleva
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Basic Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia.
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2
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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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3
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Saroussi S, Redekop P, Karns DAJ, Thomas DC, Wittkopp TM, Posewitz MC, Grossman AR. Restricting electron flow at cytochrome b6f when downstream electron acceptors are severely limited. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 192:789-804. [PMID: 36960590 PMCID: PMC10231464 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic organisms frequently experience abiotic stress that restricts their growth and development. Under such circumstances, most absorbed solar energy cannot be used for CO2 fixation and can cause the photoproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage the photosynthetic reaction centers of PSI and PSII, resulting in a decline in primary productivity. This work describes a biological "switch" in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that reversibly restricts photosynthetic electron transport (PET) at the cytochrome b6f (Cyt b6f) complex when the capacity for accepting electrons downstream of PSI is severely limited. We specifically show this restriction in STARCHLESS6 (sta6) mutant cells, which cannot synthesize starch when they are limited for nitrogen (growth inhibition) and subjected to a dark-to-light transition. This restriction represents a form of photosynthetic control that causes diminished electron flow to PSI and thereby prevents PSI photodamage but does not appear to rely on a ΔpH. Furthermore, when electron flow is restricted, the plastid alternative oxidase (PTOX) becomes active, functioning as an electron valve that dissipates some excitation energy absorbed by PSII and allows the formation of a proton motive force (PMF) that would drive some ATP production (potentially sustaining PSII repair and nonphotochemical quenching [NPQ]). The restriction at the Cyt b6f complex can be gradually relieved with continued illumination. This study provides insights into how PET responds to a marked reduction in availability of downstream electron acceptors and the protective mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shai Saroussi
- Department of Plant Biology, The Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Petra Redekop
- Department of Plant Biology, The Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Devin A J Karns
- Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Dylan C Thomas
- Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Tyler M Wittkopp
- Department of Plant Biology, The Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Matthew C Posewitz
- Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Arthur R Grossman
- Department of Plant Biology, The Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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4
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Sarewicz M, Szwalec M, Pintscher S, Indyka P, Rawski M, Pietras R, Mielecki B, Koziej Ł, Jaciuk M, Glatt S, Osyczka A. High-resolution cryo-EM structures of plant cytochrome b 6f at work. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd9688. [PMID: 36638176 PMCID: PMC9839326 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add9688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plants use solar energy to power cellular metabolism. The oxidation of plastoquinol and reduction of plastocyanin by cytochrome b6f (Cyt b6f) is known as one of the key steps of photosynthesis, but the catalytic mechanism in the plastoquinone oxidation site (Qp) remains elusive. Here, we describe two high-resolution cryo-EM structures of the spinach Cyt b6f homodimer with endogenous plastoquinones and in complex with plastocyanin. Three plastoquinones are visible and line up one after another head to tail near Qp in both monomers, indicating the existence of a channel in each monomer. Therefore, quinones appear to flow through Cyt b6f in one direction, transiently exposing the redox-active ring of quinone during catalysis. Our work proposes an unprecedented one-way traffic model that explains efficient quinol oxidation during photosynthesis and respiration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Sarewicz
- Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Mateusz Szwalec
- Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Sebastian Pintscher
- Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paulina Indyka
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- National Synchrotron Radiation Centre SOLARIS, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Michał Rawski
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Rafał Pietras
- Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Bohun Mielecki
- Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Łukasz Koziej
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marcin Jaciuk
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Sebastian Glatt
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB), Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Artur Osyczka
- Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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5
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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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6
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Ustynyuk LY, Tikhonov AN. Plastoquinol Oxidation: Rate-Limiting Stage in the Electron Transport Chain of Chloroplasts. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2022; 87:1084-1097. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922100029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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7
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Quinone binding sites of cyt bc complexes analysed by X-ray crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:877-893. [PMID: 35356963 PMCID: PMC9162462 DOI: 10.1042/bst20190963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cytochrome (cyt) bc1, bcc and b6f complexes, collectively referred to as cyt bc complexes, are homologous isoprenoid quinol oxidising enzymes present in diverse phylogenetic lineages. Cyt bc1 and bcc complexes are constituents of the electron transport chain (ETC) of cellular respiration, and cyt b6f complex is a component of the photosynthetic ETC. Cyt bc complexes share in general the same Mitchellian Q cycle mechanism, with which they accomplish proton translocation and thus contribute to the generation of proton motive force which drives ATP synthesis. They therefore require a quinol oxidation (Qo) and a quinone reduction (Qi) site. Yet, cyt bc complexes evolved to adapt to specific electrochemical properties of different quinone species and exhibit structural diversity. This review summarises structural information on native quinones and quinone-like inhibitors bound in cyt bc complexes resolved by X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM structures. Although the Qi site architecture of cyt bc1 complex and cyt bcc complex differs considerably, quinone molecules were resolved at the respective Qi sites in very similar distance to haem bH. In contrast, more diverse positions of native quinone molecules were resolved at Qo sites, suggesting multiple quinone binding positions or captured snapshots of trajectories toward the catalytic site. A wide spectrum of inhibitors resolved at Qo or Qi site covers fungicides, antimalarial and antituberculosis medications and drug candidates. The impact of these structures for characterising the Q cycle mechanism, as well as their relevance for the development of medications and agrochemicals are discussed.
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8
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Structural basis for safe and efficient energy conversion in a respiratory supercomplex. Nat Commun 2022; 13:545. [PMID: 35087070 PMCID: PMC8795186 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28179-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Proton-translocating respiratory complexes assemble into supercomplexes that are proposed to increase the efficiency of energy conversion and limit the production of harmful reactive oxygen species during aerobic cellular respiration. Cytochrome bc complexes and cytochrome aa3 oxidases are major drivers of the proton motive force that fuels ATP generation via respiration, but how wasteful electron- and proton transfer is controlled to enhance safety and efficiency in the context of supercomplexes is not known. Here, we address this question with the 2.8 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of the cytochrome bcc-aa3 (III2-IV2) supercomplex from the actinobacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum. Menaquinone, substrate mimics, lycopene, an unexpected Qc site, dioxygen, proton transfer routes, and conformational states of key protonable residues are resolved. Our results show how safe and efficient energy conversion is achieved in a respiratory supercomplex through controlled electron and proton transfer. The structure may guide the rational design of drugs against actinobacteria that cause diphtheria and tuberculosis. Aerobic energy metabolism is driven by proton-pumping respiratory supercomplexes. The study reports the structural basis for energy conversion in such supercomplex. It may aid metabolic engineering and drug design against diphtheria and tuberculosis.
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9
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Sarewicz M, Pintscher S, Bujnowicz Ł, Wolska M, Artur Osyczka. The High-Spin Heme b L Mutant Exposes Dominant Reaction Leading to the Formation of the Semiquinone Spin-Coupled to the [2Fe-2S] + Cluster at the Q o Site of Rhodobacter capsulatus Cytochrome bc 1. Front Chem 2021; 9:658877. [PMID: 34026724 PMCID: PMC8138165 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.658877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytochrome bc 1 (mitochondrial complex III) catalyzes electron transfer from quinols to cytochrome c and couples this reaction with proton translocation across lipid membrane; thus, it contributes to the generation of protonmotive force used for the synthesis of ATP. The energetic efficiency of the enzyme relies on a bifurcation reaction taking place at the Qo site which upon oxidation of ubiquinol directs one electron to the Rieske 2Fe2S cluster and the other to heme b L. The molecular mechanism of this reaction remains unclear. A semiquinone spin-coupled to the reduced 2Fe2S cluster (SQo-2Fe2S) was identified as a state associated with the operation of the Qo site. To get insights into the mechanism of the formation of this state, we first constructed a mutant in which one of the histidine ligands of the iron ion of heme b L Rhodobacter capsulatus cytochrome bc 1 was replaced by asparagine (H198N). This converted the low-spin, low-potential heme into the high-spin, high-potential species which is unable to support enzymatic turnover. We performed a comparative analysis of redox titrations of antimycin-supplemented bacterial photosynthetic membranes containing native enzyme and the mutant. The titrations revealed that H198N failed to generate detectable amounts of SQo-2Fe2S under neither equilibrium (in dark) nor nonequilibrium (in light), whereas the native enzyme generated clearly detectable SQo-2Fe2S in light. This provided further support for the mechanism in which the back electron transfer from heme b L to a ubiquinone bound at the Qo site is mainly responsible for the formation of semiquinone trapped in the SQo-2Fe2S state in R. capusulatus cytochrome bc 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Sarewicz
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Sebastian Pintscher
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Łukasz Bujnowicz
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Wolska
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Artur Osyczka
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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10
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Crofts AR. The modified Q-cycle: A look back at its development and forward to a functional model. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2021; 1862:148417. [PMID: 33745972 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2021.148417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
On looking back at a lifetime of research, it is interesting to see, in the light of current progress, how things came to be, and to speculate on how things might be. I am delighted in the context of the Mitchell prize to have that excuse to present this necessarily personal view of developments in areas of my interests. I have focused on the Q-cycle and a few examples showing wider ramifications, since that had been the main interest of the lab in the 20 years since structures became available, - a watershed event in determining our molecular perspective. I have reviewed the evidence for our model for the mechanism of the first electron transfer of the bifurcated reaction at the Qo-site, which I think is compelling. In reviewing progress in understanding the second electron transfer, I have revisited some controversies to justify important conclusions which appear, from the literature, not to have been taken seriously. I hope this does not come over as nitpicking. The conclusions are important to the final section in which I develop an internally consistent mechanism for turnovers of the complex leading to a state similar to that observed in recent rapid-mix/freeze-quench experiments, reported three years ago. The final model is necessarily speculative but is open to test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony R Crofts
- Department of Biochemistry, 417 Roger Adams Laboratory, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
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11
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Nesci S, Trombetti F, Pagliarani A, Ventrella V, Algieri C, Tioli G, Lenaz G. Molecular and Supramolecular Structure of the Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation System: Implications for Pathology. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:242. [PMID: 33804034 PMCID: PMC7999509 DOI: 10.3390/life11030242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Under aerobic conditions, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) converts the energy released by nutrient oxidation into ATP, the currency of living organisms. The whole biochemical machinery is hosted by the inner mitochondrial membrane (mtIM) where the protonmotive force built by respiratory complexes, dynamically assembled as super-complexes, allows the F1FO-ATP synthase to make ATP from ADP + Pi. Recently mitochondria emerged not only as cell powerhouses, but also as signaling hubs by way of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. However, when ROS removal systems and/or OXPHOS constituents are defective, the physiological ROS generation can cause ROS imbalance and oxidative stress, which in turn damages cell components. Moreover, the morphology of mitochondria rules cell fate and the formation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in the mtIM, which, most likely with the F1FO-ATP synthase contribution, permeabilizes mitochondria and leads to cell death. As the multiple mitochondrial functions are mutually interconnected, changes in protein composition by mutations or in supercomplex assembly and/or in membrane structures often generate a dysfunctional cascade and lead to life-incompatible diseases or severe syndromes. The known structural/functional changes in mitochondrial proteins and structures, which impact mitochondrial bioenergetics because of an impaired or defective energy transduction system, here reviewed, constitute the main biochemical damage in a variety of genetic and age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Nesci
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy; (F.T.); (V.V.); (C.A.)
| | - Fabiana Trombetti
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy; (F.T.); (V.V.); (C.A.)
| | - Alessandra Pagliarani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy; (F.T.); (V.V.); (C.A.)
| | - Vittoria Ventrella
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy; (F.T.); (V.V.); (C.A.)
| | - Cristina Algieri
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy; (F.T.); (V.V.); (C.A.)
| | - Gaia Tioli
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Giorgio Lenaz
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
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12
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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: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [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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13
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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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14
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Wright JJ, Fedor JG, Hirst J, Roessler MM. Using a chimeric respiratory chain and EPR spectroscopy to determine the origin of semiquinone species previously assigned to mitochondrial complex I. BMC Biol 2020; 18:54. [PMID: 32429970 PMCID: PMC7238650 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00768-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For decades, semiquinone intermediates have been suggested to play an essential role in catalysis by one of the most enigmatic proton-pumping enzymes, respiratory complex I, and different mechanisms have been proposed on their basis. However, the difficulty in investigating complex I semiquinones, due to the many different enzymes embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane, has resulted in an ambiguous picture and no consensus. RESULTS In this paper, we re-examine the highly debated origin of semiquinone species in mitochondrial membranes using a novel approach. Our combination of a semi-artificial chimeric respiratory chain with pulse EPR spectroscopy (HYSCORE) has enabled us to conclude, unambiguously and for the first time, that the majority of the semiquinones observed in mitochondrial membranes originate from complex III. We also identify a minor contribution from complex II. CONCLUSIONS We are unable to attribute any semiquinone signals unambiguously to complex I and, reconciling our observations with much of the previous literature, conclude that they are likely to have been misattributed to it. We note that, for this earlier work, the tools we have relied on here to deconvolute overlapping EPR signals were not available. Proposals for the mechanism of complex I based on the EPR signals of semiquinone species observed in mitochondrial membranes should thus be treated with caution until future work has succeeded in isolating any complex I semiquinone EPR spectroscopic signatures present.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J Wright
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
- Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Justin G Fedor
- Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Judy Hirst
- Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Maxie M Roessler
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK.
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15
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Pintscher S, Wójcik-Augustyn A, Sarewicz M, Osyczka A. Charge polarization imposed by the binding site facilitates enzymatic redox reactions of quinone. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2020; 1861:148216. [PMID: 32387188 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2020.148216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Quinone reduction site (Qi) of cytochrome bc1 represents one of the canonical sites used to explore the enzymatic redox reactions involving semiquinone (SQ) states. However, the mechanism by which Qi allows the completion of quinone reduction during the sequential transfers of two electrons from the adjacent heme bH and two protons to C1- and C4-carbonyl remains unclear. Here we established that the SQ coupled to an oxidized heme bH is a dominant intermediate of catalytic forward reaction and, contrary to the long-standing assumption, represents a significant population of SQ detected across pH 5-9. The pH dependence of its redox midpoint potential implicated proton exchange with histidine. Complementary quantum mechanical calculations revealed that the SQ anion formed after the first electron transfer undergoes charge and spin polarization imposed by the electrostatic field generated by histidine and the aspartate/lysine pair interacting with the C4- and C1-carbonyl, respectively. This favors a barrierless proton exchange between histidine and the C4-carbonyl, which continues until the second electron reaches the SQi. Inversion of charge polarization facilitates the uptake of the second proton by the C1-carbonyl. Based on these findings we developed a comprehensive scheme for electron and proton transfers at Qi featuring the equilibration between the anionic and neutral states of SQi as means for a leak-proof stabilization of the radical intermediate. The key catalytic role of the initial charge/spin polarization of the SQ anion at the active site, inherent to the proposed mechanism, may also be applicable to the other quinone oxidoreductases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Pintscher
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 30387, Poland.
| | - Anna Wójcik-Augustyn
- Department of Computational Biophysics and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 30387, Poland.
| | - Marcin Sarewicz
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 30387, Poland.
| | - Artur Osyczka
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 30387, Poland.
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16
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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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17
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Ptushenko VV, Zhigalova TV, Avercheva OV, Tikhonov AN. Three phases of energy-dependent induction of [Formula: see text] and Chl a fluorescence in Tradescantia fluminensis leaves. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2019. [PMID: 29516232 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-018-0494-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
In plants, the short-term regulation (STR, seconds to minute time scale) of photosynthetic apparatus is associated with the energy-dependent control in the chloroplast electron transport, the distribution of light energy between photosystems (PS) II and I, activation/deactivation of the Calvin-Benson cycle (CBC) enzymes, and relocation of chloroplasts within the plant cell. In this work, using a dual-PAM technique for measuring the time-courses of P700 photooxidation and Chl a fluorescence, we have investigated the STR events in Tradescantia fluminensis leaves. The comparison of Chl a fluorescence and [Formula: see text] induction allowed us to investigate the contribution of the trans-thylakoid pH difference (ΔpH) to the STR events. Two parameters were used as the indicators of ΔpH generation: pH-dependent component of non-photochemical quenching of Chl a fluorescence, and pHin-dependent rate of electron transfer from plastoquinol (PQH2) to [Formula: see text] (via the Cyt b6f complex and plastocyanin). In dark-adapted leaves, kinetics of [Formula: see text] induction revealed three phases. Initial phase is characterized by rapid electron flow to [Formula: see text] (τ1/2 ~ 5-10 ms), which is likely related to cyclic electron flow around PSI, while the outflow of electrons from PSI is restricted by slow consumption of NADPH in the CBC. The light-induced generation of ΔpH and activation of the CBC promote photooxidation of P700 and concomitant retardation of [Formula: see text] reduction (τ1/2 ~ 20 ms). Prolonged illumination induces additional slowing down of electron transfer to [Formula: see text] (τ1/2 ≥ 30-35 ms). The latter effect is not accompanied by changes in the Chl a fluorescence parameters which are sensitive to ΔpH generation. We suggest the tentative explanation of the latter results by the reversal of Q-cycle, which causes the deceleration of PQH2 oxidation due to the back pressure of stromal reductants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasily V Ptushenko
- A.N.Belozersky Institute of Physical-Chemical Biology, M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- N.M.Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Olga V Avercheva
- Faculty of Biology, M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander N Tikhonov
- N.M.Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
- Faculty of Physics, M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
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18
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Bujnowicz Ł, Borek A, Kuleta P, Sarewicz M, Osyczka A. Suppression of superoxide production by a spin‐spin coupling between semiquinone and the Rieske cluster in cytochrome
bc
1. FEBS Lett 2018; 593:3-12. [DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Bujnowicz
- Department of Molecular Biophysics Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
| | - Arkadiusz Borek
- Department of Molecular Biophysics Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
| | - Patryk Kuleta
- Department of Molecular Biophysics Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
| | - Marcin Sarewicz
- Department of Molecular Biophysics Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
| | - Artur Osyczka
- Department of Molecular Biophysics Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
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19
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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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20
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Generation of semiquinone-[2Fe-2S]+ spin-coupled center at the Qo site of cytochrome bc1 in redox-poised, illuminated photosynthetic membranes from Rhodobacter capsulatus. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2018; 1859:145-153. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2017.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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21
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Nagaraja C, Venkatesha TV. The influence of electron donating tendency on electrochemical oxidative behavior of hydroquinone: Experimental and theoretical investigations. Electrochim Acta 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2017.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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22
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Crofts AR, Rose SW, Burton RL, Desai AV, Kenis PJA, Dikanov SA. The Q-Cycle Mechanism of the bc1 Complex: A Biologist’s Perspective on Atomistic Studies. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:3701-3717. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b10524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Antony R. Crofts
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 419 Roger Adams Lab, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Center
for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 179 Loomis, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Stuart W. Rose
- Center
for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 179 Loomis, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Rodney L. Burton
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 419 Roger Adams Lab, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Amit V. Desai
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Paul J. A. Kenis
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Sergei A. Dikanov
- Department
of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 1008 West Hazelwood Drive, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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