1
|
Wilson S, Clarke CD, Carbajal MA, Buccafusca R, Fleck RA, Daskalakis V, Ruban AV. Hydrophobic Mismatch in the Thylakoid Membrane Regulates Photosynthetic Light Harvesting. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:14905-14914. [PMID: 38759103 PMCID: PMC11140739 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c05220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
The ability to harvest light effectively in a changing environment is necessary to ensure efficient photosynthesis and crop growth. One mechanism, known as qE, protects photosystem II (PSII) and regulates electron transfer through the harmless dissipation of excess absorbed photons as heat. This process involves reversible clustering of the major light-harvesting complexes of PSII (LHCII) in the thylakoid membrane and relies upon the ΔpH gradient and the allosteric modulator protein PsbS. To date, the exact role of PsbS in the qE mechanism has remained elusive. Here, we show that PsbS induces hydrophobic mismatch in the thylakoid membrane through dynamic rearrangement of lipids around LHCII leading to observed membrane thinning. We found that upon illumination, the thylakoid membrane reversibly shrinks from around 4.3 to 3.2 nm, without PsbS, this response is eliminated. Furthermore, we show that the lipid digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) is repelled from the LHCII-PsbS complex due to an increase in both the pKa of lumenal residues and in the dipole moment of LHCII, which allows for further conformational change and clustering in the membrane. Our results suggest a mechanistic role for PsbS as a facilitator of a hydrophobic mismatch-mediated phase transition between LHCII-PsbS and its environment. This could act as the driving force to sort LHCII into photoprotective nanodomains in the thylakoid membrane. This work shows an example of the key role of the hydrophobic mismatch process in regulating membrane protein function in plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sam Wilson
- Department
of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Charlea D. Clarke
- Department
of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - M. Alejandra Carbajal
- Centre
for Ultrastructural Imaging, King’s
College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Roberto Buccafusca
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Roland A. Fleck
- Centre
for Ultrastructural Imaging, King’s
College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Vangelis Daskalakis
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece
| | - Alexander V. Ruban
- Department
of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li DH, Wilson S, Mastroianni G, Ruban AV. Altered lipid acyl chain length controls energy dissipation in light-harvesting complex II proteoliposomes by hydrophobic mismatch. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2023; 246:112758. [PMID: 37531665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2023.112758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
In plants, the major light-harvesting antenna complex (LHCII) is vital for both light harvesting and photoprotection in photosystem II. Previously, we proposed that the thylakoid membrane itself could switch LHCII into the photoprotective state, qE, via a process known as hydrophobic mismatch. The decrease in the membrane thickness that followed the formation of ΔpH was a key fact that prompted this idea. To test this, we made proteoliposomes from lipids with altered acyl chain length (ACL). Here, we show that ACL regulates the average chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime of LHCII. For liposomes made of lipids with an ACL of 18 carbons, the lifetime was ∼2 ns, like that for the thylakoid membrane. Furthermore, LHCII appears to be quenched in proteoliposomes with an ACL both shorter and longer than 18 carbons. The proteoliposomes made of short ACL lipids display structural heterogeneity revealing two quenched conformations of LHCII, each having characteristic 77 K fluorescence spectra. One conformation spectrally resembles isolated LHCII aggregates, whilst the other resembles LHCII immobilized in polyacrylamide gels. Overall, the decrease in the ACL appears to produce quenched conformations of LHCII, which renders plausible the idea that the trigger of qE is the hydrophobic mismatch.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Hong Li
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
| | - Sam Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
| | - Giulia Mastroianni
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
| | - Alexander V Ruban
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ruan M, Li H, Zhang Y, Zhao R, Zhang J, Wang Y, Gao J, Wang Z, Wang Y, Sun D, Ding W, Weng Y. Cryo-EM structures of LHCII in photo-active and photo-protecting states reveal allosteric regulation of light harvesting and excess energy dissipation. NATURE PLANTS 2023; 9:1547-1557. [PMID: 37653340 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01500-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
The major light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHCII) has a dual regulatory function in a process called non-photochemical quenching to avoid the formation of reactive oxygen. LHCII undergoes reversible conformation transitions to switch between a light-harvesting state for excited-state energy transfer and an energy-quenching state for dissipating excess energy under full sunshine. Here we report cryo-electron microscopy structures of LHCII in membrane nanodiscs, which mimic in vivo LHCII, and in detergent solution at pH 7.8 and 5.4, respectively. We found that, under low pH conditions, the salt bridges at the lumenal side of LHCII are broken, accompanied by the formation of two local α-helices on the lumen side. The formation of α-helices in turn triggers allosterically global protein conformational change, resulting in a smaller crossing angle between transmembrane helices. The fluorescence decay rates corresponding to different conformational states follow the Dexter energy transfer mechanism with a characteristic transition distance of 5.6 Å between Lut1 and Chl612. The experimental observations are consistent with the computed electronic coupling strengths using multistate density function theory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meixia Ruan
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Li
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruoqi Zhao
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yingjie Wang
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiali Gao
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China.
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China.
- Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Zhuan Wang
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yumei Wang
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dapeng Sun
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Ding
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Yuxiang Weng
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Navakoudis E, Stergiannakos T, Daskalakis V. A perspective on the major light-harvesting complex dynamics under the effect of pH, salts, and the photoprotective PsbS protein. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2023; 156:163-177. [PMID: 35816266 PMCID: PMC10070230 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-022-00935-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The photosynthetic apparatus is a highly modular assembly of large pigment-binding proteins. Complexes called antennae can capture the sunlight and direct it from the periphery of two Photosystems (I, II) to the core reaction centers, where it is converted into chemical energy. The apparatus must cope with the natural light fluctuations that can become detrimental to the viability of the photosynthetic organism. Here we present an atomic scale view of the photoprotective mechanism that is activated on this line of defense by several photosynthetic organisms to avoid overexcitation upon excess illumination. We provide a complete macroscopic to microscopic picture with specific details on the conformations of the major antenna of Photosystem II that could be associated with the switch from the light-harvesting to the photoprotective state. This is achieved by combining insight from both experiments and all-atom simulations from our group and the literature in a perspective article.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Navakoudis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Cyprus University of Technology, 95 Eirinis Street, 3603, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Taxiarchis Stergiannakos
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Cyprus University of Technology, 95 Eirinis Street, 3603, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Vangelis Daskalakis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Cyprus University of Technology, 95 Eirinis Street, 3603, Limassol, Cyprus.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bru P, Steen CJ, Park S, Amstutz CL, Sylak-Glassman EJ, Lam L, Fekete A, Mueller MJ, Longoni F, Fleming GR, Niyogi KK, Malnoë A. The major trimeric antenna complexes serve as a site for qH-energy dissipation in plants. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102519. [PMID: 36152752 PMCID: PMC9615032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants and algae are faced with a conundrum: harvesting sufficient light to drive their metabolic needs while dissipating light in excess to prevent photodamage, a process known as nonphotochemical quenching. A slowly relaxing form of energy dissipation, termed qH, is critical for plants’ survival under abiotic stress; however, qH location in the photosynthetic membrane is unresolved. Here, we tested whether we could isolate subcomplexes from plants in which qH was induced that would remain in an energy-dissipative state. Interestingly, we found that chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence lifetimes were decreased by qH in isolated major trimeric antenna complexes, indicating that they serve as a site for qH-energy dissipation and providing a natively quenched complex with physiological relevance to natural conditions. Next, we monitored the changes in thylakoid pigment, protein, and lipid contents of antenna with active or inactive qH but did not detect any evident differences. Finally, we investigated whether specific subunits of the major antenna complexes were required for qH but found that qH was insensitive to trimer composition. Because we previously observed that qH can occur in the absence of specific xanthophylls, and no evident changes in pigments, proteins, or lipids were detected, we tentatively propose that the energy-dissipative state reported here may stem from Chl–Chl excitonic interaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierrick Bru
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Collin J Steen
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division (formerly Physical Biosciences Division), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Kavli Energy Nanoscience Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Soomin Park
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division (formerly Physical Biosciences Division), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Kavli Energy Nanoscience Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; School of Energy, Materials and Chemical Engineering, Korea University of Technology and Education, Cheonan, Chungnam 31253, Republic of Korea
| | - Cynthia L Amstutz
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Emily J Sylak-Glassman
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division (formerly Physical Biosciences Division), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Lam Lam
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division (formerly Physical Biosciences Division), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Kavli Energy Nanoscience Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Agnes Fekete
- Julius-von-Sachs-Institute, Biocenter, Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Wuerzburg, D-97082 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Martin J Mueller
- Julius-von-Sachs-Institute, Biocenter, Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Wuerzburg, D-97082 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Fiamma Longoni
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Graham R Fleming
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division (formerly Physical Biosciences Division), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Kavli Energy Nanoscience Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Krishna K Niyogi
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division (formerly Physical Biosciences Division), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Alizée Malnoë
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Structural Entities Associated with Different Lipid Phases of Plant Thylakoid Membranes—Selective Susceptibilities to Different Lipases and Proteases. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172681. [PMID: 36078087 PMCID: PMC9454902 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that plant thylakoid membranes (TMs), in addition to a bilayer, contain two isotropic lipid phases and an inverted hexagonal (HII) phase. To elucidate the origin of non-bilayer lipid phases, we recorded the 31P-NMR spectra of isolated spinach plastoglobuli and TMs and tested their susceptibilities to lipases and proteases; the structural and functional characteristics of TMs were monitored using biophysical techniques and CN-PAGE. Phospholipase-A1 gradually destroyed all 31P-NMR-detectable lipid phases of isolated TMs, but the weak signal of isolated plastoglobuli was not affected. Parallel with the destabilization of their lamellar phase, TMs lost their impermeability; other effects, mainly on Photosystem-II, lagged behind the destruction of the original phases. Wheat-germ lipase selectively eliminated the isotropic phases but exerted little or no effect on the structural and functional parameters of TMs—indicating that the isotropic phases are located outside the protein-rich regions and might be involved in membrane fusion. Trypsin and Proteinase K selectively suppressed the HII phase—suggesting that a large fraction of TM lipids encapsulate stroma-side proteins or polypeptides. We conclude that—in line with the Dynamic Exchange Model—the non-bilayer lipid phases of TMs are found in subdomains separated from but interconnected with the bilayer accommodating the main components of the photosynthetic machinery.
Collapse
|
7
|
Wilson S, Li DH, Ruban AV. The Structural and Spectral Features of Light-Harvesting Complex II Proteoliposomes Mimic Those of Native Thylakoid Membranes. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:5683-5691. [PMID: 35709359 PMCID: PMC9237827 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c01019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The major photosystem II light-harvesting antenna (LHCII) is the most abundant membrane protein in nature and plays an indispensable role in light harvesting and photoprotection in the plant thylakoid. Here, we show that "pseudothylakoid characteristics" can be observed in artificial LHCII membranes. In our proteoliposomal system, at high LHCII densities, the liposomes become stacked, mimicking the in vivo thylakoid grana membranes. Furthermore, an unexpected, unstructured emission peak at ∼730 nm appears, similar in appearance to photosystem I emission, but with a clear excimeric character that has never been previously reported. These states correlate with the increasing density of LHCII in the membrane and a decrease in its average fluorescence lifetime. The appearance of these low-energy states can also occur in natural plant membrane structures, which has unique consequences for the interpretation of the spectroscopic and physiological properties of the photosynthetic membrane.
Collapse
|
8
|
Hoh D, Horn PJ, Kanazawa A, Froehilch J, Cruz J, Tessmer OL, Hall D, Yin L, Benning C, Kramer DM. Genetically-determined variations in photosynthesis indicate roles for specific fatty acid species in chilling responses. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:1682-1697. [PMID: 35297062 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Using a population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) cowpea (Vigna unguiculata. L. Walp), we tested for co-linkages between lipid contents and chilling responses of photosynthesis. Under low-temperature conditions (19°C/13°C, day/night), we observed co-linkages between quantitative trait loci intervals for photosynthetic light reactions and specific fatty acids, most strikingly, the thylakoid-specific fatty acid 16:1Δ3trans found exclusively in phosphatidylglycerol (PG 16:1t). By contrast, we did not observe co-associations with bulk polyunsaturated fatty acids or high-melting-point-PG (sum of PG 16:0, PG 18:0 and PG 16:1t) previously thought to be involved in chilling sensitivity. These results suggest that in cowpea, chilling sensitivity is modulated by specific lipid interactions rather than bulk properties. We were able to recapitulate the predicted impact of PG 16:1t levels on photosynthetic responses at low temperature using mutants and transgenic Arabidopsis lines. Because PG 16:1t synthesis requires the activity of peroxiredoxin-Q, which is activated by H2 O2 and known to be involved in redox signalling, we hypothesise that the accumulation of PG 16:1t occurs as a result of upstream effects on photosynthesis that alter redox status and production of reactive oxygen species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Donghee Hoh
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Cell & Molecular Biology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Patrick J Horn
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Atsuko Kanazawa
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - John Froehilch
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Jeffrey Cruz
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | | | - David Hall
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Lina Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming in the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Christoph Benning
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - David M Kramer
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Structural and functional roles of non-bilayer lipid phases of chloroplast thylakoid membranes and mitochondrial inner membranes. Prog Lipid Res 2022; 86:101163. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2022.101163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
10
|
Sinambela N, Bösking J, Abbas A, Pannwitz A. Recent Advances in Light Energy Conversion with Biomimetic Vesicle Membranes. Chembiochem 2021; 22:3140-3147. [PMID: 34223700 PMCID: PMC9292721 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Lipid bilayer membranes are ubiquitous in natural chemical conversions. They enable self-assembly and compartmentalization of reaction partners and it becomes increasingly evident that a thorough fundamental understanding of these concepts is highly desirable for chemical reactions and solar energy conversion with artificial systems. This minireview focusses on selected case studies from recent years, most of which were inspired by either membrane-facilitated light harvesting or respective charge transfer. The main focus is on highly biomimetic liposomes with artificial chromophores, and some cases for polymer-membranes will be made. Furthermore, we categorized these studies into energy transfer and electron transfer, with phospholipid vesicles, and polymer membranes for light-driven reactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Novitasari Sinambela
- Institut für Anorganische Chemie IUniversität UlmAlbert-Einstein-Allee 1189081UlmGermany
| | - Julian Bösking
- Institut für Anorganische Chemie IUniversität UlmAlbert-Einstein-Allee 1189081UlmGermany
| | - Amir Abbas
- Institut für Anorganische Chemie IUniversität UlmAlbert-Einstein-Allee 1189081UlmGermany
| | - Andrea Pannwitz
- Institut für Anorganische Chemie IUniversität UlmAlbert-Einstein-Allee 1189081UlmGermany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ruban AV, Wilson S. The Mechanism of Non-Photochemical Quenching in Plants: Localization and Driving Forces. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 62:1063-1072. [PMID: 33351147 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcaa155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Non-photochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching (NPQ) remains one of the most studied topics of the 21st century in photosynthesis research. Over the past 30 years, profound knowledge has been obtained on the molecular mechanism of NPQ in higher plants. First, the largely overlooked significance of NPQ in protecting the reaction center of photosystem II (RCII) against damage, and the ways to assess its effectiveness are highlighted. Then, the key in vivo signals that can monitor the life of the major NPQ component, qE, are presented. Finally, recent knowledge on the site of qE and the possible molecular events that transmit ΔpH into the conformational change in the major LHCII [the major trimeric light harvesting complex of photosystem II (PSII)] antenna complex are discussed. Recently, number of reports on Arabidopsis mutants lacking various antenna components of PSII confirmed that the in vivo site of qE rests within the major trimeric LHCII complex. Experiments on biochemistry, spectroscopy, microscopy and molecular modeling suggest an interplay between thylakoid membrane geometry and the dynamics of LHCII, the PsbS (PSII subunit S) protein and thylakoid lipids. The molecular basis for the qE-related conformational change in the thylakoid membrane, including the possible onset of a hydrophobic mismatch between LHCII and lipids, potentiated by PsbS protein, begins to unfold.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V Ruban
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Fogg Building, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Sam Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Fogg Building, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kirchhoff H. Proteoliposomes for Studying Lipid-protein Interactions in Membranes in vitro. Bio Protoc 2021; 11:e4197. [PMID: 34761069 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipids in biomembranes can control the structure and, therefore, the functionality of membrane-embedded protein complexes. Unraveling how the lipid composition determines the mode of operation of membrane proteins provides mechanistic insights into their functionality. We applied a proteoliposome technique for studying how proteins function in biomembranes. The incorporation of isolated membrane proteins in preformed liposomes made from a well-defined lipid composition (proteoliposomes) is a powerful tool for studying lipid-protein interactions. Over several decades, the proteoliposome technique was employed for many different membrane proteins. Recently, it was recognized that different lipid compositions control the light-harvesting functionality of the major photosynthetic light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) isolated from plant thylakoid membranes in vitro. This technique allows systematic examination of the role of so-called non-bilayer lipids on light-harvesting characteristics of LHCII. This protocol describes the isolation of LHCII from leaves and details a four-step procedure to incorporate the detergent-solubilized membrane protein in large unilamellar vesicles (LUV). The protocol was optimized to ensure a very high lipid/protein ratio, designed to specifically examine lipid-protein interactions by minimizing LHCII aggregation. The procedure provides structurally and functionally highly intact LHCII in a detergent-free lipid bilayer with a defined composition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helmut Kirchhoff
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Montero O, Velasco M, Miñón J, Marks EAN, Sanz-Arranz A, Rad C. Differential Membrane Lipid Profiles and Vibrational Spectra of Three Edaphic Algae and One Cyanobacterium. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11277. [PMID: 34681936 PMCID: PMC8538821 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222011277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The membrane glycerolipids of four phototrophs that were isolated from an edaphic assemblage were determined by UPLC-MS after cultivation in a laboratory growth chamber. Identification was carried out by 18S and 16S rDNA sequencing. The algal species were Klebsormidium flaccidum (Charophyta), Oocystis sp. (Chlorophyta), and Haslea spicula (Bacillariophyta), and the cyanobacterium was Microcoleus vaginatus (Cyanobacteria). The glycerolipid profile of Oocystis sp. was dominated by monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) species, with MGDG(18:3/16:4) accounting for 68.6%, whereas MGDG(18:3/16:3) was the most abundant glycerolipid in K. flaccidum (50.1%). A ratio of digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) species to MGDG species (DGDG/MGDG) was shown to be higher in K. flaccidum (0.26) than in Oocystis sp. (0.14). This ratio increased under high light (HL) as compared to low light (LL) in all the organisms, with its highest value being shown in cyanobacterium (0.38-0.58, LL-HL). High contents of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5) and hexadecenoic acid were observed in the glycerolipids of H. spicula. Similar Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectra were found for K. flaccidum and Oocystis sp. Specific bands at 1629.06 and 1582.78 cm-1 were shown by M. vaginatus in the Raman spectra. Conversely, specific bands in the FTIR spectrum were observed for H. spicula at 1143 and 1744 cm-1. The results of this study point out differences in the membrane lipid composition between species, which likely reflects their different morphology and evolutionary patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olimpio Montero
- Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics (IBGM), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Sanz y Forés Str. 3, 47003 Valladolid, Spain;
| | - Marta Velasco
- Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics (IBGM), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Sanz y Forés Str. 3, 47003 Valladolid, Spain;
| | - Jorge Miñón
- Composting Research Group UBUCOMP, Faculty of Sciences, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain; (J.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Evan A. N. Marks
- BETA Technological Center, University of Vic-University of Central Catalonia, Edifici Can Baumann, Crta. de Roda 70, 08500 Vic, Spain;
| | - Aurelio Sanz-Arranz
- Department of Fisica de la Materia Condensada, University of Valladolid, 47002 Valladolid, Spain;
| | - Carlos Rad
- Composting Research Group UBUCOMP, Faculty of Sciences, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain; (J.M.); (C.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hancock AM, Son M, Nairat M, Wei T, Jeuken LJC, Duffy CDP, Schlau-Cohen GS, Adams PG. Ultrafast energy transfer between lipid-linked chromophores and plant light-harvesting complex II. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:19511-19524. [PMID: 34524278 PMCID: PMC8442836 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01628h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Light-Harvesting Complex II (LHCII) is a membrane protein found in plant chloroplasts that has the crucial role of absorbing solar energy and subsequently performing excitation energy transfer to the reaction centre subunits of Photosystem II. LHCII provides strong absorption of blue and red light, however, it has minimal absorption in the green spectral region where solar irradiance is maximal. In a recent proof-of-principle study, we enhanced the absorption in this spectral range by developing a biohybrid system where LHCII proteins together with lipid-linked Texas Red (TR) chromophores were assembled into lipid membrane vesicles. The utility of these systems was limited by significant LHCII quenching due to protein-protein interactions and heterogeneous lipid structures. Here, we organise TR and LHCII into a lipid nanodisc, which provides a homogeneous, well-controlled platform to study the interactions between TR molecules and single LHCII complexes. Fluorescence spectroscopy determined that TR-to-LHCII energy transfer has an efficiency of at least 60%, resulting in a 262% enhancement of LHCII fluorescence in the 525-625 nm range, two-fold greater than in the previous system. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy revealed two time constants of 3.7 and 128 ps for TR-to-LHCII energy transfer. Structural modelling and theoretical calculations indicate that these timescales correspond to TR-lipids that are loosely- or tightly-associated with the protein, respectively, with estimated TR-to-LHCII separations of ∼3.5 nm and ∼1 nm. Overall, we demonstrate that a nanodisc-based biohybrid system provides an idealised platform to explore the photophysical interactions between extrinsic chromophores and membrane proteins with potential applications in understanding more complex natural or artificial photosynthetic systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Hancock
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. .,Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Minjung Son
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Muath Nairat
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Tiejun Wei
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Lars J C Jeuken
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.,Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Christopher D P Duffy
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Gabriela S Schlau-Cohen
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Peter G Adams
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. .,Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Lipid Polymorphism of the Subchloroplast-Granum and Stroma Thylakoid Membrane-Particles. I. 31P-NMR Spectroscopy. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092354. [PMID: 34572003 PMCID: PMC8470346 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Build-up of the energized state of thylakoid membranes and the synthesis of ATP are warranted by organizing their bulk lipids into a bilayer. However, the major lipid species of these membranes, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, is a non-bilayer lipid. It has also been documented that fully functional thylakoid membranes, in addition to the bilayer, contain an inverted hexagonal (HII) phase and two isotropic phases. To shed light on the origin of these non-lamellar phases, we performed 31P-NMR spectroscopy experiments on sub-chloroplast particles of spinach: stacked, granum and unstacked, stroma thylakoid membranes. These membranes exhibited similar lipid polymorphism as the whole thylakoids. Saturation transfer experiments, applying saturating pulses at characteristic frequencies at 5 °C, provided evidence for distinct lipid phases—with component spectra very similar to those derived from mathematical deconvolution of the 31P-NMR spectra. Wheat-germ lipase treatment of samples selectively eliminated the phases exhibiting sharp isotropic peaks, suggesting easier accessibility of these lipids compared to the bilayer and the HII phases. Gradually increasing lipid exchanges were observed between the bilayer and the two isotropic phases upon gradually elevating the temperature from 5 to 35 °C, suggesting close connections between these lipid phases. Data concerning the identity and structural and functional roles of different lipid phases will be presented in the accompanying paper.
Collapse
|
16
|
Manna P, Davies T, Hoffmann M, Johnson MP, Schlau-Cohen GS. Membrane-dependent heterogeneity of LHCII characterized using single-molecule spectroscopy. Biophys J 2021; 120:3091-3102. [PMID: 34214527 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In green plants, light harvesting complex of Photosystem II (LHCII) absorbs and transports excitation energy toward the photosynthetic reaction centers and serves as a site for energy-dependent nonphotochemical quenching (qE), the photoprotective dissipation of energy as heat. LHCII is thought to activate dissipation through conformational changes that change the photophysical behaviors. Understanding this balance requires a characterization of how the conformations of LHCII, and thus its photophysics, are influenced by individual factors within the membrane environment. Here, we used ensemble and single-molecule fluorescence to characterize the excited-state lifetimes and switching kinetics of LHCII embedded in nanodisc- and liposome-based model membranes of various sizes and lipid compositions. As the membrane area decreased, the quenched population and the rate of conformational dynamics both increased because of interactions with other proteins, the aqueous solution, and/or disordered lipids. Although the conformational states and dynamics were similar in both thylakoid and asolectin lipids, photodegradation increased with thylakoid lipids, likely because of their charge and pressure properties. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the ability of membrane environments to tune the conformations and photophysics of LHCII.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Premashis Manna
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Thomas Davies
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Madeline Hoffmann
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Matthew P Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Plant transporters involved in combating boron toxicity: beyond 3D structures. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 48:1683-1696. [PMID: 32779723 PMCID: PMC7458394 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Membrane transporters control the movement and distribution of solutes, including the disposal or compartmentation of toxic substances that accumulate in plants under adverse environmental conditions. In this minireview, in the light of the approaching 100th anniversary of unveiling the significance of boron to plants (K. Warington, 1923; Ann. Bot.37, 629) we discuss the current state of the knowledge on boron transport systems that plants utilise to combat boron toxicity. These transport proteins include: (i) nodulin-26-like intrinsic protein-types of aquaporins, and (ii) anionic efflux (borate) solute carriers. We describe the recent progress made on the structure–function relationships of these transport proteins and point out that this progress is integral to quantitative considerations of the transporter's roles in tissue boron homeostasis. Newly acquired knowledge at the molecular level has informed on the transport mechanics and conformational states of boron transport systems that can explain their impact on cell biology and whole plant physiology. We expect that this information will form the basis for engineering transporters with optimised features to alleviate boron toxicity tolerance in plants exposed to suboptimal soil conditions for sustained food production.
Collapse
|
18
|
Höhner R, Day PM, Zimmermann SE, Lopez LS, Krämer M, Giavalisco P, Correa Galvis V, Armbruster U, Schöttler MA, Jahns P, Krueger S, Kunz HH. Stromal NADH supplied by PHOSPHOGLYCERATE DEHYDROGENASE3 is crucial for photosynthetic performance. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 186:142-167. [PMID: 33779763 PMCID: PMC8154072 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaa117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
During photosynthesis, electrons travel from light-excited chlorophyll molecules along the electron transport chain to the final electron acceptor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) to form NADPH, which fuels the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle (CBBC). To allow photosynthetic reactions to occur flawlessly, a constant resupply of the acceptor NADP is mandatory. Several known stromal mechanisms aid in balancing the redox poise, but none of them utilizes the structurally highly similar coenzyme NAD(H). Using Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) as a C3-model, we describe a pathway that employs the stromal enzyme PHOSPHOGLYCERATE DEHYDROGENASE 3 (PGDH3). We showed that PGDH3 exerts high NAD(H)-specificity and is active in photosynthesizing chloroplasts. PGDH3 withdrew its substrate 3-PGA directly from the CBBC. As a result, electrons become diverted from NADPH via the CBBC into the separate NADH redox pool. pgdh3 loss-of-function mutants revealed an overreduced NADP(H) redox pool but a more oxidized plastid NAD(H) pool compared to wild-type plants. As a result, photosystem I acceptor side limitation increased in pgdh3. Furthermore, pgdh3 plants displayed delayed CBBC activation, changes in nonphotochemical quenching, and altered proton motive force partitioning. Our fluctuating light-stress phenotyping data showed progressing photosystem II damage in pgdh3 mutants, emphasizing the significance of PGDH3 for plant performance under natural light environments. In summary, this study reveals an NAD(H)-specific mechanism in the stroma that aids in balancing the chloroplast redox poise. Consequently, the stromal NAD(H) pool may provide a promising target to manipulate plant photosynthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricarda Höhner
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Philip M Day
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Sandra E Zimmermann
- Biocenter University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Science, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Laura S Lopez
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Moritz Krämer
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | | | - Viviana Correa Galvis
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Wissenschaftspark Golm, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Ute Armbruster
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Wissenschaftspark Golm, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Mark Aurel Schöttler
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Wissenschaftspark Golm, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Peter Jahns
- Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany
| | - Stephan Krueger
- Biocenter University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Science, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Hans-Henning Kunz
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Aggregation-related quenching of LHCII fluorescence in liposomes revealed by single-molecule spectroscopy. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2021; 218:112174. [PMID: 33799009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2021.112174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Incorporation of membrane proteins into reconstituted lipid membranes is a common approach for studying their structure and function relationship in a native-like environment. In this work, we investigated fluorescence properties of liposome-reconstituted major light-harvesting complexes of plants (LHCII). By utilizing liposome labelling with the fluorescent dye molecules and single-molecule microscopy techniques, we were able to study truly liposome-reconstituted LHCII and compare them with bulk measurements and liposome-free LHCII aggregates bound to the surface. Our results showed that fluorescence lifetime obtained in bulk and in single liposome measurements were correlated. The fluorescence lifetimes of LHCII were shorter for liposome-free LHCII than for reconstituted LHCII. In the case of liposome-reconstituted LHCII, fluorescence lifetime showed dependence on the protein density reminiscent to concentration quenching. The dependence of fluorescence lifetime of LHCII on the liposome size was not significant. Our results demonstrated that fluorescence quenching can be induced by LHCII - LHCII interactions in reconstituted membranes, most likely occurring via the same mechanism as photoprotective non-photochemical quenching in vivo.
Collapse
|
20
|
Antenna Protein Clustering In Vitro Unveiled by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22062969. [PMID: 33804002 PMCID: PMC8000295 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Antenna protein aggregation is one of the principal mechanisms considered effective in protecting phototrophs against high light damage. Commonly, it is induced, in vitro, by decreasing detergent concentration and pH of a solution of purified antennas; the resulting reduction in fluorescence emission is considered to be representative of non-photochemical quenching in vivo. However, little is known about the actual size and organization of antenna particles formed by this means, and hence the physiological relevance of this experimental approach is questionable. Here, a quasi-single molecule method, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), was applied during in vitro quenching of LHCII trimers from higher plants for a parallel estimation of particle size, fluorescence, and antenna cluster homogeneity in a single measurement. FCS revealed that, below detergent critical micelle concentration, low pH promoted the formation of large protein oligomers of sizes up to micrometers, and therefore is apparently incompatible with thylakoid membranes. In contrast, LHCII clusters formed at high pH were smaller and homogenous, and yet still capable of efficient quenching. The results altogether set the physiological validity limits of in vitro quenching experiments. Our data also support the idea that the small, moderately quenching LHCII oligomers found at high pH could be relevant with respect to non-photochemical quenching in vivo.
Collapse
|
21
|
Saccon F, Durchan M, Polívka T, Ruban AV. The robustness of the terminal emitter site in major LHCII complexes controls xanthophyll function during photoprotection. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2020; 19:1308-1318. [PMID: 32815966 DOI: 10.1039/d0pp00174k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Xanthophylls in light harvesting complexes perform a number of functions ranging from structural support to light-harvesting and photoprotection. In the major light harvesting complex of photosystem II in plants (LHCII), the innermost xanthophyll binding pockets are occupied by lutein molecules. The conservation of these sites within the LHC protein family suggests their importance in LHCII functionality. In the present work, we induced the photoprotective switch in LHCII isolated from the Arabidopsis mutant npq1lut2, where the lutein molecules are exchanged with violaxanthin. Despite the differences in the energetics of the pigments and the impairment of chlorophyll fluorescence quenching in vivo, we show that isolated complexes containing violaxanthin are still able to induce the quenching switch to a similar extent to wild type LHCII monomers. Moreover, the same spectroscopic changes take place, which suggest the involvement of the terminal emitter site (L1) in energy dissipation in both complexes. These results indicate the robust nature of the L1 xanthophyll binding domain in LHCII, where protein structural cues are the major determinant of the function of the bound carotenoid.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Saccon
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road E1 4NS, London, UK.
| | - Milan Durchan
- University of South Bohemia, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Polívka
- University of South Bohemia, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Alexander V Ruban
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road E1 4NS, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Saccon F, Durchan M, Bína D, Duffy CD, Ruban AV, Polívka T. A Protein Environment-Modulated Energy Dissipation Channel in LHCII Antenna Complex. iScience 2020; 23:101430. [PMID: 32818906 PMCID: PMC7452274 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The major light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHCII) is the main contributor to sunlight energy harvesting in plants. The flexible design of LHCII underlies a photoprotective mechanism whereby this complex switches to a dissipative state in response to high light stress, allowing the rapid dissipation of excess excitation energy (non-photochemical quenching, NPQ). In this work, we locked single LHCII trimers in a quenched conformation after immobilization of the complexes in polyacrylamide gels to impede protein interactions. A comparison of their pigment excited-state dynamics with quenched LHCII aggregates in buffer revealed the presence of a new spectral band at 515 nm arising after chlorophyll excitation. This is suggested to be the signature of a carotenoid excited state, linked to the quenching of chlorophyll singlet excited states. Our data highlight the marked sensitivity of pigment excited-state dynamics in LHCII to structural changes induced by the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Saccon
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road, E1 4NS London, UK
| | - Milan Durchan
- University of South Bohemia, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - David Bína
- University of South Bohemia, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Christopher D.P. Duffy
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road, E1 4NS London, UK
| | - Alexander V. Ruban
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road, E1 4NS London, UK
| | - Tomáš Polívka
- University of South Bohemia, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Girr P, Paulsen H. How water-soluble chlorophyll protein extracts chlorophyll from membranes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1863:183479. [PMID: 32961122 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Water-soluble chlorophyll proteins (WSCPs) found in Brassicaceae are non-photosynthetic proteins that bind only a small number of chlorophylls. Their biological function remains unclear, but recent data indicate that WSCPs are involved in stress response and pathogen defense as producers of reactive oxygen species and/or Chl-regulated protease inhibitors. For those functions, WSCP apoprotein supposedly binds Chl to become physiologically active or inactive, respectively. Thus, Chl-binding seems to be a pivotal step for the biological function of WSCP. WSCP can extract Chl from the thylakoid membrane but little is known about the mechanism of how Chl is sequestered from the membrane into the binding sites. Here, we investigate the interaction of WSCP with the thylakoid membrane in detail. The extraction of Chl from the thylakoid by WSCP apoprotein is a slow and inefficient reaction, because WSCP presumably does not directly extract Chl from other Chl-binding proteins embedded in the membrane. WSCP apoprotein interacts with model membranes that contain the thylakoid lipids MGDG, DGDG or PG, and can extract Chl from those. Furthermore, the WSCP-Chl complex, once formed, no longer interacts with membranes. We concluded that the surroundings of the WSCP pigment-binding site are involved in the WSCP-membrane interaction and identified a ring of hydrophobic amino acids with two conserved Trp residues around the Chl-binding site. Indeed, WSCP variants, in which one of the Trp residues was exchanged for Phe, still interact with the membrane but are no longer able to extract Chl.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Girr
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Johannes-von-Müller-Weg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Harald Paulsen
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Johannes-von-Müller-Weg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Wilhelm C, Goss R, Garab G. The fluid-mosaic membrane theory in the context of photosynthetic membranes: Is the thylakoid membrane more like a mixed crystal or like a fluid? JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 252:153246. [PMID: 32777580 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2020.153246] [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: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Since the publication of the fluid-mosaic membrane theory by Singer and Nicolson in 1972 generations of scientists have adopted this fascinating concept for all biological membranes. Assuming the membrane as a fluid implies that the components embedded in the lipid bilayer can freely diffuse like swimmers in a water body. During the detailed biochemical analysis of the thylakoid protein components of chloroplasts from higher plants and algae, in the '80 s and '90 s it became clear that photosynthetic membranes are not homogeneous either in the vertical or the lateral directions. The lateral heterogeneity became obvious by the differentiation of grana and stroma thylakoids, but also the margins have been identified with a highly specific protein pattern. Further refinement of the fluid mosaic model was needed to take into account the presence of non-bilayer lipids, which are the most abundant lipids in all energy-converting membranes, and the polymorphism of lipid phases, which has also been documented in thylakoid membranes. These observations lead to the question, how mobile the components are in the lipid phase and how this ordering is made and maintained and how these features might be correlated with the non-bilayer propensity of the membrane lipids. Assuming instead of free diffusion, a "controlled neighborhood" replaced the model of fluidity by the model of a "mixed crystal structure". In this review we describe why basic photosynthetic regulation mechanisms depend on arrays of crystal-like lipid-protein macro-assemblies. The mechanisms which define the ordering in macrodomains are still not completely clear, but some recent experiments give an idea how this fascinating order is produced, adopted and maintained. We use the operation of the xanthophyll cycle as a rather well understood model challenging and complementing the standard Singer-Nicolson model via assigning special roles to non-bilayer lipids and non-lamellar lipid phases in the structure and function of thylakoid membranes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Wilhelm
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, SenProf Algal Biotechnology, Permoserstr. 15, 04315, Leipzig, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Reimund Goss
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Department of Plant Physiology, Johannisallee 21-23, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gyözö Garab
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Plant Biology, Temesvári körút 62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary; University of Ostrava, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Chittussiho 10, CZ-710 00, Ostrava, Slezská Ostrava, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Dlouhý O, Kurasová I, Karlický V, Javornik U, Šket P, Petrova NZ, Krumova SB, Plavec J, Ughy B, Špunda V, Garab G. Modulation of non-bilayer lipid phases and the structure and functions of thylakoid membranes: effects on the water-soluble enzyme violaxanthin de-epoxidase. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11959. [PMID: 32686730 PMCID: PMC7371714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68854-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of non-bilayer lipids and non-lamellar lipid phases in biological membranes is an enigmatic problem of membrane biology. Non-bilayer lipids are present in large amounts in all membranes; in energy-converting membranes they constitute about half of their total lipid content—yet their functional state is a bilayer. In vitro experiments revealed that the functioning of the water-soluble violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) enzyme of plant thylakoids requires the presence of a non-bilayer lipid phase. 31P-NMR spectroscopy has provided evidence on lipid polymorphism in functional thylakoid membranes. Here we reveal reversible pH- and temperature-dependent changes of the lipid-phase behaviour, particularly the flexibility of isotropic non-lamellar phases, of isolated spinach thylakoids. These reorganizations are accompanied by changes in the permeability and thermodynamic parameters of the membranes and appear to control the activity of VDE and the photoprotective mechanism of non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll-a fluorescence. The data demonstrate, for the first time in native membranes, the modulation of the activity of a water-soluble enzyme by a non-bilayer lipid phase.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Dlouhý
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Irena Kurasová
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.,Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Karlický
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.,Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Uroš Javornik
- Slovenian NMR Center, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Primož Šket
- Slovenian NMR Center, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,EN-FIST Center of Excellence, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nia Z Petrova
- Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Sashka B Krumova
- Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Janez Plavec
- Slovenian NMR Center, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,EN-FIST Center of Excellence, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Bettina Ughy
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic. .,Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Vladimír Špunda
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic. .,Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Győző Garab
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic. .,Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Maksimov EG, Protasova EA, Tsoraev GV, Yaroshevich IA, Maydykovskiy AI, Shirshin EA, Gostev TS, Jelzow A, Moldenhauer M, Slonimskiy YB, Sluchanko NN, Friedrich T. Probing of carotenoid-tryptophan hydrogen bonding dynamics in the single-tryptophan photoactive Orange Carotenoid Protein. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11729. [PMID: 32678150 PMCID: PMC7366913 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68463-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The photoactive Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP) plays a key role in cyanobacterial photoprotection. In OCP, a single non-covalently bound keto-carotenoid molecule acts as a light intensity sensor, while the protein is responsible for forming molecular contacts with the light-harvesting antenna, the fluorescence of which is quenched by OCP. Activation of this physiological interaction requires signal transduction from the photoexcited carotenoid to the protein matrix. Recent works revealed an asynchrony between conformational transitions of the carotenoid and the protein. Intrinsic tryptophan (Trp) fluorescence has provided valuable information about the protein part of OCP during its photocycle. However, wild-type OCP contains five Trp residues, which makes extraction of site-specific information impossible. In this work, we overcame this problem by characterizing the photocycle of a fully photoactive OCP variant (OCP-3FH) with only the most critical tryptophan residue (Trp-288) in place. Trp-288 is of special interest because it forms a hydrogen bond to the carotenoid's keto-oxygen to keep OCP in its dark-adapted state. Using femtosecond pump-probe fluorescence spectroscopy we analyzed the photocycle of OCP-3FH and determined the formation rate of the very first intermediate suggesting that generation of the recently discovered S* state of the carotenoid in OCP precedes the breakage of the hydrogen bonds. Therefore, following Trp fluorescence of the unique photoactive OCP-3FH variant, we identified the rate of the H-bond breakage and provided novel insights into early events accompanying photoactivation of wild-type OCP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eugene G. Maksimov
- 0000 0001 2342 9668grid.14476.30Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia ,0000 0004 0468 2555grid.425156.1A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena A. Protasova
- 0000 0001 2342 9668grid.14476.30Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Georgy V. Tsoraev
- 0000 0001 2342 9668grid.14476.30Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor A. Yaroshevich
- 0000 0001 2342 9668grid.14476.30Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton I. Maydykovskiy
- 0000 0001 2342 9668grid.14476.30Department of Quantum Electronics, Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia
| | - Evgeny A. Shirshin
- 0000 0001 2342 9668grid.14476.30Department of Quantum Electronics, Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia
| | - Timofey S. Gostev
- 0000 0001 2342 9668grid.14476.30Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Marcus Moldenhauer
- 0000 0001 2292 8254grid.6734.6Technical University of Berlin, Institute of Chemistry PC 14, Straße des des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Yury B. Slonimskiy
- 0000 0004 0468 2555grid.425156.1A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikolai N. Sluchanko
- 0000 0001 2342 9668grid.14476.30Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia ,0000 0004 0468 2555grid.425156.1A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Thomas Friedrich
- 0000 0001 2292 8254grid.6734.6Technical University of Berlin, Institute of Chemistry PC 14, Straße des des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Li H, Wang Y, Ye M, Li S, Li D, Ren H, Wang M, Du L, Li H, Veglia G, Gao J, Weng Y. Dynamical and allosteric regulation of photoprotection in light harvesting complex II. Sci China Chem 2020; 63:1121-1133. [PMID: 33163014 DOI: 10.1007/s11426-020-9771-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Major light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHCII) plays a dual role in light-harvesting and excited energy dissipation to protect photodamage from excess energy. The regulatory switch is induced by increased acidity, temperature or both. However, the molecular origin of the protein dynamics at the atomic level is still unknown. We carried out temperature-jump time-resolved infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to determine the energy quenching dynamics and conformational changes of LHCII trimers. We found that the spontaneous formation of a pair of local α-helices from the 310-helix E/loop and the C-terminal coil of the neighboring monomer, in response to the increased environmental temperature and/or acidity, induces a scissoring motion of transmembrane helices A and B, shifting the conformational equilibrium to a more open state, with an increased angle between the associated carotenoids. The dynamical allosteric conformation change leads to close contacts between the first excited state of carotenoid lutein 1 and chlorophyll pigments, facilitating the fluorescence quenching. Based on these results, we suggest a unified mechanism by which the LHCII trimer controls the dissipation of excess excited energy in response to increased temperature and acidity, as an intrinsic result of intense sun light in plant photosynthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Li
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yingjie Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Manping Ye
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Deyong Li
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Haisheng Ren
- Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Mohan Wang
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Luchao Du
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Heng Li
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Gianluigi Veglia
- Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jiali Gao
- Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Laboratory of Computational Chemistry and Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuxiang Weng
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| |
Collapse
|