Nine mutants of Chlorobium tepidum each unable to synthesize a different chlorosome protein still assemble functional chlorosomes

Photon Energy-Dependent Ultrafast Exciton Transfer in Chlorosomes of Chlorobium tepidum and the Role of Supramolecular Dynamics

The antenna complex of green sulfur bacteria, the chlorosome, is one of the most efficient supramolecular systems for efficient long-range exciton transfer in nature. Femtosecond transient absorption experiments provide new insight into how vibrationally induced quantum overlap between exciton states supports highly efficient long-range exciton transfer in the chlorosome of Chlorobium tepidum. Our work shows that excitation energy is delocalized over the chlorosome in <1 ps at room temperature. The following exciton transfer to the baseplate occurs in ∼3 to 5 ps, in line with earlier work also performed at room temperature, but significantly faster than at the cryogenic temperatures used in previous studies. This difference can be attributed to the increased vibrational motion at room temperature. We observe a so far unknown impact of the excitation photon energy on the efficiency of this process. This dependency can be assigned to distinct optical domains due to structural disorder, combined with an exciton trapping channel competing with exciton transfer toward the baseplate. An oscillatory transient signal damped in <1 ps has the highest intensity in the case of the most efficient exciton transfer to the baseplate. These results agree well with an earlier computational finding of exciton transfer driven by low-frequency rotational motion of molecules in the chlorosome. Such an exciton transfer process belongs to the quantum coherent regime, for which the Förster theory for intermolecular exciton transfer does not apply. Our work hence strongly indicates that structural flexibility is important for efficient long-range exciton transfer in chlorosomes.

Formation and function of bacterial organelles

Advances in imaging technologies have revealed that many bacteria possess organelles with a proteomically defined lumen and a macromolecular boundary. Some are bound by a lipid bilayer (such as thylakoids, magnetosomes and anammoxosomes), whereas others are defined by a lipid monolayer (such as lipid bodies), a proteinaceous coat (such as carboxysomes) or have a phase-defined boundary (such as nucleolus-like compartments). These diverse organelles have various metabolic and physiological functions, facilitating adaptation to different environments and driving the evolution of cellular complexity. This Review highlights that, despite the diversity of reported organelles, some unifying concepts underlie their formation, structure and function. Bacteria have fundamental mechanisms of organelle formation, through which conserved processes can form distinct organelles in different species depending on the proteins recruited to the luminal space and the boundary of the organelle. These complex subcellular compartments provide evolutionary advantages as well as enabling metabolic specialization, biogeochemical processes and biotechnological advances. Growing evidence suggests that the presence of organelles is the rule, rather than the exception, in bacterial cells.

Synthesis and Self-Aggregation of π-Expanded Chlorophyll Derivatives to Construct Light-Harvesting Antenna Models

Chlorosomes are one of the elegant light-harvesting antenna systems in anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria, whose core is constructed from J-type self-aggregation of bacteriochlorophyll- c, bacteriochlorophyll- d, bacteriochlorophyll- e, and bacteriochlorophyll- f molecules without the influence of polypeptides. Chlorosomal supramolecular models were built up using synthetic porphyrin-type bacteriochlorophyll- d analogues with a methoxycarbonylethenyl, formyl, vinyl, or ethyl group at the 8-position. Their chlorosomal self-aggregates in an aqueous micelle solution showed relatively intense absorption bands around 500-600 nm where antennas of natural oxygenic phototrophs, as well as green sulfur bacteria possessing bacteriochlorophylls- c/ d, absorb light less efficiently; this observation is called the "green gap". Furthermore, the functional chlorosomal models were constructed by simple addition of a small amount of an energy acceptor model bearing a bacteriochlorin moiety to the pigment self-assemblies in an aqueous micelle. The resulting excited energy donor-acceptor supramolecules played the roles of chlorosomal light-harvesting and energy-transfer antenna systems and were efficient at light absorption in the "green gap" region.

Biosynthesis of unnatural glycolipids possessing diyne moiety in the acyl chain in the green sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum grown by supplementation of 10,12-heptadecadiynic acid

Unnatural glycolipids possessing the diyne moiety in their acyl groups were successfully biosynthesized in the green sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Chlorobaculum (Cba.) tepidum by cultivation with supplementation of 10,12-heptadecadiynic acid. Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and rhamnosylgalactosyldiacylglycerol (RGDG) esterified with one 10,12-heptadecadiynic acid were primarily formed in the cells, and small amounts of glycolipids esterified with the two unnatural fatty acids can also be detected. The relative ratio of these unnatural glycolipids occupied in the total glycolipids was estimated to be 49% based on HPLC analysis using a evaporative light scattering detector. These results indicate that the acyl groups in glycolipids, which play important roles in the formation of extramembranous antenna complexes called chlorosomes, can be modified in vivo by cultivation of green sulfur photosynthetic bacteria with exogenous synthetic fatty acids. Visible absorption and circular dichroism spectra of Cba. tepidum containing the unnatural glycolipids demonstrated the formation of chlorosomes, indicating that the unnatural glycolipids in this study did not interfere with the biogenesis of chlorosomes.

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Novel glycolipids possessing a diyne moiety in the acyl chain were biosynthesized.

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Supplemental fatty acids were used in the biosynthesis of glycolipids in the photosynthetic bacterium.

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The novel glycolipids did not inhibit the formation of photosynthetic antenna complexes.

Light harvesting in phototrophic bacteria: structure and function

This review serves as an introduction to the variety of light-harvesting (LH) structures present in phototrophic prokaryotes. It provides an overview of the LH complexes of purple bacteria, green sulfur bacteria (GSB), acidobacteria, filamentous anoxygenic phototrophs (FAP), and cyanobacteria. Bacteria have adapted their LH systems for efficient operation under a multitude of different habitats and light qualities, performing both oxygenic (oxygen-evolving) and anoxygenic (non-oxygen-evolving) photosynthesis. For each LH system, emphasis is placed on the overall architecture of the pigment–protein complex, as well as any relevant information on energy transfer rates and pathways. This review addresses also some of the more recent findings in the field, such as the structure of the CsmA chlorosome baseplate and the whole-cell kinetics of energy transfer in GSB, while also pointing out some areas in need of further investigation.

In situ high-resolution structure of the baseplate antenna complex in Chlorobaculum tepidum

Photosynthetic antenna systems enable organisms harvesting light and transfer the energy to the photosynthetic reaction centre, where the conversion to chemical energy takes place. One of the most complex antenna systems, the chlorosome, found in the photosynthetic green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum (Cba.) tepidum contains a baseplate, which is a scaffolding super-structure, formed by the protein CsmA and bacteriochlorophyll a. Here we present the first high-resolution structure of the CsmA baseplate using intact fully functional, light-harvesting organelles from Cba. tepidum, following a hybrid approach combining five complementary methods: solid-state NMR spectroscopy, cryo-electron microscopy, isotropic and anisotropic circular dichroism and linear dichroism. The structure calculation was facilitated through development of new software, GASyCS for efficient geometry optimization of highly symmetric oligomeric structures. We show that the baseplate is composed of rods of repeated dimers of the strongly amphipathic CsmA with pigments sandwiched within the dimer at the hydrophobic side of the helix.

The chlorosome of the photosynthetic bacterium C. tepidum harvests light and transfers the energy to the photosynthetic reaction centre. Here the authors determine the structure of the baseplate, a scaffolding super-structure, to show that the baseplate consists of rods of repeated CsmA dimers containing pigment molecules.

Glycolipid analyses of light-harvesting chlorosomes from envelope protein mutants of Chlorobaculum tepidum

Chlorosomes are large and efficient light-harvesting organelles in green photosynthetic bacteria, and they characteristically contain large numbers of bacteriochlorophyll c, d, or e molecules. Self-aggregated bacteriochlorophyll pigments are surrounded by a monolayer envelope membrane comprised of glycolipids and Csm proteins. Here, we analyzed glycolipid compositions of chlorosomes from the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum mutants lacking one, two, or three Csm proteins by HPLC equipped with an evaporative light-scattering detector. The ratio of monogalactosyldiacylglyceride (MGDG) to rhamnosylgalactosyldiacylglyceride (RGDG) was smaller in chlorosomes from mutants lacking two or three proteins in CsmC/D/H motif family than in chlorosomes from the wild-type, whereas chlorosomes lacking CsmIJ showed relatively less RGDG than MGDG. The results suggest that the CsmC, CsmD, CsmH, and other chlorosome proteins are involved in organizing MGDG and RGDG and thereby affect the size and shape of the chlorosome.

Fur-type transcriptional repressors and metal homeostasis in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002

Metal homeostasis is a crucial cellular function for nearly all organisms. Some heavy metals (e.g., Fe, Zn, Co, Mo) are essential because they serve as cofactors for enzymes or metalloproteins, and chlorophototrophs such as cyanobacteria have an especially high demand for iron. At excessive levels, however, metals become toxic to cyanobacteria. Therefore, a tight control mechanism is essential for metal homeostasis. Metal homeostasis in microorganisms comprises two elements: metal acquisition from the environment and detoxification or excretion of excess metal ions. Different families of metal-sensing regulators exist in cyanobacteria and each addresses a more or less specific set of target genes. In this study the regulons of three Fur-type and two ArsR-SmtB-type regulators were investigated in a comparative approach in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. One Fur-type regulator controls genes for iron acquisition (Fur); one controls genes for zinc acquisition (Zur); and the third controls two genes involved in oxidative stress (Per). Compared to other well-investigated cyanobacterial strains, however, the set of target genes for each regulator is relatively small. Target genes for the two ArsR-SmtB transcriptional repressors (SmtB (SYNPCC7002_A2564) and SYNPCC7002_A0590) are involved in zinc homeostasis in addition to Zur. Their target genes, however, are less specific for zinc and point to roles in a broader heavy metal detoxification response.

Strong coupling between chlorosomes of photosynthetic bacteria and a confined optical cavity mode

Strong exciton-photon coupling is the result of a reversible exchange of energy between an excited state and a confined optical field. This results in the formation of polariton states that have energies different from the exciton and photon. We demonstrate strong exciton-photon coupling between light-harvesting complexes and a confined optical mode within a metallic optical microcavity. The energetic anti-crossing between the exciton and photon dispersions characteristic of strong coupling is observed in reflectivity and transmission with a Rabi splitting energy on the order of 150 meV, which corresponds to about 1,000 chlorosomes coherently coupled to the cavity mode. We believe that the strong coupling regime presents an opportunity to modify the energy transfer pathways within photosynthetic organisms without modification of the molecular structure.

ChlR protein of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 is a transcription activator that uses an oxygen-sensitive [4Fe-4S] cluster to control genes involved in pigment biosynthesis

Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 and many other cyanobacteria have two genes that encode key enzymes involved in chlorophyll a, biliverdin, and heme biosynthesis: acsFI/acsFII, ho1/ho2, and hemF/hemN. Under atmospheric O2 levels, AcsFI synthesizes 3,8-divinyl protochlorophyllide from Mg-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester, Ho1 oxidatively cleaves heme to form biliverdin, and HemF oxidizes coproporphyrinogen III to protoporphyrinogen IX. Under microoxic conditions, another set of genes directs the synthesis of alternative enzymes AcsFII, Ho2, and HemN. In Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, open reading frame SynPCC7002_A1993 encodes a MarR family transcriptional regulator, which is located immediately upstream from the operon comprising acsFII, ho2, hemN, and desF (the latter encodes a putative fatty acid desaturase). Deletion and complementation analyses showed that this gene, denoted chlR, is a transcriptional activator that is essential for transcription of the acsFII-ho2-hemN-desF operon under microoxic conditions. Global transcriptome analyses showed that ChlR controls the expression of only these four genes. Co-expression of chlR with a yfp reporter gene under the control of the acsFII promoter from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 in Escherichia coli demonstrated that no other cyanobacterium-specific components are required for proper functioning of this regulatory circuit. A combination of analytical methods and Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopies showed that reconstituted, recombinant ChlR forms homodimers that harbor one oxygen-sensitive [4Fe-4S] cluster. We conclude that ChlR is a transcriptional activator that uses a [4Fe-4S] cluster to sense O2 levels and thereby control the expression of the acsFII-ho2-hemN-desF operon.

Computational determination of the pigment binding motif in the chlorosome protein a of green sulfur bacteria

We present a molecular-scale model of Bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a) binding to the chlorosome protein A (CsmA) of Chlorobaculum tepidum, and the aggregated pigment–protein dimer, as determined from protein–ligand docking and quantum chemistry calculations. Our calculations provide strong evidence that the BChl a molecule is coordinated to the His25 residue of CsmA, with the magnesium center of the bacteriochlorin ring situated\3 A° from the imidazole nitrogen atom of the histidine sidechain, and the phytyl tail aligned along the nonpolar residues of the a-helix of CsmA. We also confirm that the Qy band in the absorption spectra of BChl a experiences a large (?16 to ?43 nm) redshift when aggregated with another BChl a molecule in the CsmA dimer, compared to the BChl a in solvent; this redshift has been previously established by experimental researchers. We propose that our model of the BChl a–CsmA binding motif, where the dimer contains parallel aligned N-terminal regions, serves as the smallest repeating unit in a larger model of the para-crystalline chlorosome baseplate protein.

Genomic analysis reveals key aspects of prokaryotic symbiosis in the phototrophic consortium "Chlorochromatium aggregatum"

BACKGROUND

'Chlorochromatium aggregatum' is a phototrophic consortium, a symbiosis that may represent the highest degree of mutual interdependence between two unrelated bacteria not associated with a eukaryotic host. 'Chlorochromatium aggregatum' is a motile, barrel-shaped aggregate formed from a single cell of 'Candidatus Symbiobacter mobilis", a polarly flagellated, non-pigmented, heterotrophic bacterium, which is surrounded by approximately 15 epibiont cells of Chlorobium chlorochromatii, a non-motile photolithoautotrophic green sulfur bacterium.

RESULTS

We analyzed the complete genome sequences of both organisms to understand the basis for this symbiosis. Chl. chlorochromatii has acquired relatively few symbiosis-specific genes; most acquired genes are predicted to modify the cell wall or function in cell-cell adhesion. In striking contrast, 'Ca. S. mobilis' appears to have undergone massive gene loss, is probably no longer capable of independent growth, and thus may only reproduce when consortia divide. A detailed model for the energetic and metabolic bases of the dependency of 'Ca. S. mobilis' on Chl. chlorochromatii is described.

CONCLUSIONS

Genomic analyses suggest that three types of interactions lead to a highly sophisticated relationship between these two organisms. Firstly, extensive metabolic exchange, involving carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur sources as well as vitamins, occurs from the epibiont to the central bacterium. Secondly, 'Ca. S. mobilis' can sense and move towards light and sulfide, resources that only directly benefit the epibiont. Thirdly, electron cycling mechanisms, particularly those mediated by quinones and potentially involving shared protonmotive force, could provide an important basis for energy exchange in this and other symbiotic relationships.

Chlorosome antenna complexes from green photosynthetic bacteria

Chlorosomes are the distinguishing light-harvesting antenna complexes that are found in green photosynthetic bacteria. They contain bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c, d, e in natural organisms, and recently through mutation, BChl f, as their principal light-harvesting pigments. In chlorosomes, these pigments self-assemble into large supramolecular structures that are enclosed inside a lipid monolayer to form an ellipsoid. The pigment assembly is dictated mostly by pigment-pigment interactions as opposed to protein-pigment interactions. On the bottom face of the chlorosome, the CsmA protein aggregates into a paracrystalline baseplate with BChl a, and serves as the interface to the next energy acceptor in the system. The exceptional light-harvesting ability at very low light conditions of chlorosomes has made them an attractive subject of study for both basic and applied science. This review, incorporating recent advancements, considers several important aspects of chlorosomes: pigment biosynthesis, organization of pigments and proteins, spectroscopic properties, and applications to bio-hybrid and bio-inspired devices.

Nitrogen oxyanion-dependent dissociation of a two-component complex that regulates bacterial nitrate assimilation

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for growth and is readily available to microbes in many environments in the form of ammonium and nitrate. Both ions are of environmental significance due to sustained use of inorganic fertilizers on agricultural soils. Diverse species of bacteria that have an assimilatory nitrate/nitrite reductase system (NAS) can use nitrate or nitrite as the sole nitrogen source for growth when ammonium is limited. In Paracoccus denitrificans, the pathway-specific two-component regulator for NAS expression is encoded by the nasT and nasS genes. Here, we show that the putative RNA-binding protein NasT is a positive regulator essential for expression of the nas gene cluster (i.e. nasABGHC). By contrast, a nitrogen oxyanion-binding sensor (NasS) is required for nitrate/nitrite-responsive control of nas gene expression. The NasS and NasT proteins co-purify as a stable heterotetrameric regulatory complex, NasS-NasT. This protein-protein interaction is sensitive to nitrate and nitrite, which cause dissociation of the NasS-NasT complex into monomeric NasS and an oligomeric form of NasT. NasT has been shown to bind the leader RNA for nasA. Thus, upon liberation from the complex, the positive regulator NasT is free to up-regulate nas gene expression.

[2Fe-2S] proteins in Chlorosomes: redox properties of CsmI, CsmJ, and CsmX of the Chlorosome envelope of Chlorobaculum tepidum

The chlorosome envelope of Chlorobaculum tepidum contains 10 polypeptides, three of which, CsmI, CsmJ, and CsmX, have an adrenodoxin-like domain harboring a single [2Fe-2S] cluster. Mutants that produced chlorosomes containing two, one, or none of these Fe-S proteins were constructed [Li, H., et al. (2013) Biochemistry 52, preceding paper in this issue ( DOI: 10.1021/bi301454g )]. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra, g values, and line widths of the Fe-S clusters in individual CsmI, CsmJ, and CsmX proteins were obtained from studies with isolated chlorosomes. The Fe-S clusters in these proteins were characterized by EPR and could be differentiated on the basis of their g values and line widths. The EPR spectrum of wild-type chlorosomes could be simulated by a 1:1 admixture of the CsmI and CsmJ spectra. No contribution of CsmX to the EPR spectrum of chlorosomes was observed because of its low abundance. In chlorosomes that contained only CsmI or CsmJ, the midpoint potential of the [2Fe-2S] clusters was -205 or 8 mV, respectively; the midpoint potential of the [2Fe-2S] cluster in CsmX was estimated to be more oxidizing than -180 mV. In wild-type chlorosomes, the midpoint potentials of the [2Fe-2S] clusters were -348 mV for CsmI and 92 mV for CsmJ. The lower potential for CsmI in the presence of CsmJ, and the higher potential for CsmJ in the presence of CsmI, were attributed to interactions that occur when these proteins form complexes in the chlorosome envelope. The redox properties of CsmI and CsmJ are consistent with their proposed participation in the transfer of electrons to and from quenchers of energy transfer in chlorosomes.

Bacteriochlorophyll f: properties of chlorosomes containing the "forbidden chlorophyll"

The chlorosomes of green sulfur bacteria (GSB) are mainly assembled from one of three types of bacteriochlorophylls (BChls), BChls c, d, and e. By analogy to the relationship between BChl c and BChl d (20-desmethyl-BChl c), a fourth type of BChl, BChl f (20-desmethyl-BChl e), should exist but has not yet been observed in nature. The bchU gene (bacteriochlorophyllide C-20 methyltransferase) of the brown-colored green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum limnaeum was inactivated by conjugative transfer from Eshcerichia coli and homologous recombination of a suicide plasmid carrying a portion of the bchU. The resulting bchU mutant was greenish brown in color and synthesized BChl f(F). The chlorosomes of the bchU mutant had similar size and polypeptide composition as those of the wild type (WT), but the Q(y) absorption band of the BChl f aggregates was blue-shifted 16 nm (705 nm vs. 721 nm for the WT). Fluorescence spectroscopy showed that energy transfer to the baseplate was much less efficient in chlorosomes containing BChl f than in WT chlorosomes containing BChl e. When cells were grown at high irradiance with tungsten or fluorescent light, the WT and bchU mutant had identical growth rates. However, the WT grew about 40% faster than the bchU mutant at low irradiance (10 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1)). Less efficient energy transfer from BChl f aggregates to BChl a in the baseplate, the much slower growth of the strain producing BChl f relative to the WT, and competition from other phototrophs, may explain why BChl f is not observed naturally.

In situ solid-state NMR spectroscopy of protein in heterogeneous membranes: the baseplate antenna complex of Chlorobaculum tepidum

A clever combination: an in situ solid-state NMR analysis of CsmA proteins in the heterogeneous environment of the photoreceptor of Chlorobaculum tepidum is reported. Using different combinations of 2D and 3D solid-state NMR spectra, 90 % of the CsmA resonances are assigned and provide on the basis of chemical shift data information about the structure and conformation of CsmA in the CsmA-bacteriochlorophyll a complex.

Structural variability in wild-type and bchQ bchR mutant chlorosomes of the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum

The self-aggregated state of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c molecules in chlorosomes belonging to a bchQ bchR mutant of the green sulfur bacteria Chlorobaculum tepidum, which mostly produces a single 17(2)-farnesyl-(R)-[8-ethyl,12-methyl]BChl c homologue, was characterized by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy. A nearly complete (1)H and (13)C chemical shift assignment was obtained from well-resolved homonuclear (13)C-(13)C and heteronuclear (1)H-(13)C NMR data sets collected from (13)C-enriched chlorosome preparations. Pronounced doubling (1:1) of specific (13)C and (1)H resonances revealed the presence of two distinct and nonequivalent BChl c components, attributed to all syn- and all anti-coordinated parallel stacks, depending on the rotation of the macrocycle with respect to the 3(1)-methyl group. Steric hindrance from the 20-methyl functionality induces structural differences between the syn and anti forms. A weak but significant and reproducible reflection at 1/0.69 nm(-1) in the direction perpendicular to the curvature of cylindrical segments observed with electron microscopy also suggests parallel stacking of BChl c molecules, though the observed lamellar spacing of 2.4 nm suggests weaker packing than for wild-type chlorosomes. We propose that relaxation of the pseudosymmetry observed for the wild type and a related BChl d mutant leads to extended domains of alternating syn and anti stacks in the bchQ bchR chlorosomes. Domains can be joined to form cylinders by helical syn-anti transition trajectories. The phase separation in domains on the cylindrical surface represents a basic mechanism for establishing suprastructural heterogeneity in an otherwise uniform supramolecular scaffolding framework that is well-ordered at the molecular level.

Environmental constraints defining the distribution, composition, and evolution of chlorophototrophs in thermal features of Yellowstone National Park

Chlorophotoautotrophy, the use of chlorophylls to convert light energy into chemical energy for carbon dioxide fixation, is the primary metabolic process linking the inorganic and organic carbon pools on Earth. To understand the potential effects of various environmental constraints on the evolution of chlorophototrophy better, we studied the distribution, diversity, and abundance of chlorophylls and genes involved in their synthesis along geothermal gradients in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Genes involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis were constrained to temperatures of less than ~70 °C and were only detected at this elevated temperature when the pH was in the circumneutral to alkaline range. The upper temperature limit for the detection of chlL/bchL(1) and bchY(2) decreased systematically with increasingly acidic pH, an observation likely attributable to sulfide, which upon oxidation, generates acidic spring water and reduces the availability of bicarbonate the preferred source of inorganic carbon for phototrophs. Spring pH was also the best predictor of the phylogenetic diversity of chlL/bchL communities. The phylogenetic similarity of chlL/bchL genes between sites was significantly correlated with that of chlorophylls. The predominance of chlorophyll a and bacteriochlorophyll a among extracted pigments was consistent with predominance of chlL/bchL genes affiliated with the Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexiales, respectively, and might be related to the fact that the majority of these organisms are photoautotrophs. Together, these results suggest that a combination of temperature, pH, and/or sulfide influences the distribution, diversity, and evolution of chlorophotrophs and the chlorophylls that they synthesize.

'Candidatus Thermochlorobacter aerophilum:' an aerobic chlorophotoheterotrophic member of the phylum Chlorobi defined by metagenomics and metatranscriptomics

An uncultured member of the phylum Chlorobi, provisionally named 'Candidatus Thermochlorobacter aerophilum', occurs in the microbial mats of alkaline siliceous hot springs at the Yellowstone National Park. 'Ca. T. aerophilum' was investigated through metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches. 'Ca. T. aerophilum' is a member of a novel, family-level lineage of Chlorobi, a chlorophototroph that synthesizes type-1 reaction centers and chlorosomes similar to cultivated relatives among the green sulfur bacteria, but is otherwise very different physiologically. 'Ca. T. aerophilum' is proposed to be an aerobic photoheterotroph that cannot oxidize sulfur compounds, cannot fix N(2), and does not fix CO(2) autotrophically. Metagenomic analyses suggest that 'Ca. T. aerophilum' depends on other mat organisms for fixed carbon and nitrogen, several amino acids, and other important nutrients. The failure to detect bchU suggests that 'Ca. T. aerophilum' synthesizes bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) d, and thus it occupies a different ecological niche than other chlorosome-containing chlorophototrophs in the mat. Transcription profiling throughout a diel cycle revealed distinctive gene expression patterns. Although 'Ca. T. aerophilum' probably photoassimilates organic carbon sources and synthesizes most of its cell materials during the day, it mainly transcribes genes for BChl synthesis during late afternoon and early morning, and it synthesizes and assembles its photosynthetic apparatus during the night.

Ultrastructural analysis and identification of envelope proteins of "Candidatus Chloracidobacterium thermophilum" chlorosomes

Chlorosomes are sac-like, light-harvesting organelles that characteristically contain very large numbers of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c, d, or e molecules. These antenna structures occur in chlorophototrophs belonging to some members of the Chlorobi and Chloroflexi phyla and are also found in a recently discovered member of the phylum Acidobacteria, "Candidatus Chloracidobacterium thermophilum." "Ca. Chloracidobacterium thermophilum" is the first aerobic organism discovered to possess chlorosomes as light-harvesting antennae for phototrophic growth. Chlorosomes were isolated from "Ca. Chloracidobacterium thermophilum" and subjected to electron microscopic, spectroscopic, and biochemical analyses. The chlorosomes of "Ca. Chloracidobacterium thermophilum" had an average size of ∼100 by 30 nm. Cryo-electron microscopy showed that the BChl c molecules formed folded or twisted, sheet-like structures with a lamellar spacing of ∼2.3 nm. Unlike the BChls in the chlorosomes of the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum, concentric cylindrical nanotubes were not observed. Chlorosomes of "Ca. Chloracidobacterium thermophilum" contained a homolog of CsmA, the BChl a-binding, baseplate protein; CsmV, a protein distantly related to CsmI, CsmJ, and CsmX of C. tepidum, which probably binds a single [2Fe-2S] cluster; and five unique polypeptides (CsmR, CsmS, CsmT, CsmU, and a type II NADH dehydrogenase homolog). Although "Ca. Chloracidobacterium thermophilum" is an aerobe, energy transfer among the BChls in these chlorosomes was very strongly quenched in the presence of oxygen (as measured by quenching of fluorescence emission). The combined analyses showed that the chlorosomes of "Ca. Chloracidobacterium thermophilum" possess a number of unique features but also share some properties with the chlorosomes found in anaerobic members of other phyla.

CsmA Protein is Associated with BChl a in the Baseplate Subantenna of Chlorosomes of the Photosynthetic Green Filamentous Bacterium Oscillochloris trichoides belonging to the Family Oscillochloridaceae

The baseplate subantenna in chlorosomes of green anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria, belonging to the families Chloroflexaceae and Chlorobiaceae, is known to represent a complex of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a with the ~6 kDa CsmA proteins. Earlier, we showed the existence of a similar BChl a subantenna in chlorosomes of the photosynthetic green bacterium Oscillochloris trichoides, member of Oscillochloridaceae, the third family of green photosynthetic bacteria. However, this BChl a subantenna was not visually identified in absorption spectra of isolated Osc. trichoides chlorosomes in contrast to those of Chloroflexaceae and Chlorobiaceae. In this work, using room and low-temperature absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of alkaline-treated and untreated chlorosomes of Osc. trichoides, we showed that the baseplate BChl a subantenna does exist in Oscillochloridaceae chlorosomes as a complex of BChl a with the 5.7 kDa CsmA protein. The present results support the idea that the baseplate subantenna, representing a complex of BChl a with a ~6 kDa CsmA protein, is a universal interface between the BChl c subantenna of chlorosomes and the nearest light-harvesting BChl a subantenna in all three known families of green anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria.

A composite biochemical system for bacterial nitrate and nitrite assimilation as exemplified by Paracoccus denitrificans

The denitrifying bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans can grow aerobically or anaerobically using nitrate or nitrite as the sole nitrogen source. The biochemical pathway responsible is expressed from a gene cluster comprising a nitrate/nitrite transporter (NasA), nitrite transporter (NasH), nitrite reductase (NasB), ferredoxin (NasG) and nitrate reductase (NasC). NasB and NasG are essential for growth with nitrate or nitrite as the nitrogen source. NADH serves as the electron donor for nitrate and nitrite reduction, but only NasB has a NADH-oxidizing domain. Nitrate and nitrite reductase activities show the same Km for NADH and can be separated by anion-exchange chromatography, but only fractions containing NasB retain the ability to oxidize NADH. This implies that NasG mediates electron flux from the NADH-oxidizing site in NasB to the sites of nitrate and nitrite reduction in NasC and NasB respectively. Delivery of extracellular nitrate to NasBGC is mediated by NasA, but both NasA and NasH contribute to nitrite uptake. The roles of NasA and NasC can be substituted during anaerobic growth by the biochemically distinct membrane-bound respiratory nitrate reductase (Nar), demonstrating functional overlap. nasG is highly conserved in nitrate/nitrite assimilation gene clusters, which is consistent with a key role for the NasG ferredoxin, as part of a phylogenetically widespread composite nitrate and nitrite reductase system.

A monogalactosyldiacylglycerol synthase found in the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum reveals important roles for galactolipids in photosynthesis

Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), which is conserved in almost all photosynthetic organisms, is the most abundant natural polar lipid on Earth. In plants, MGDG is highly accumulated in the chloroplast membranes and is an important bulk constituent of thylakoid membranes. However, precise functions of MGDG in photosynthesis have not been well understood. Here, we report a novel MGDG synthase from the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum. This enzyme, MgdA, catalyzes MGDG synthesis using UDP-Gal as a substrate. The gene encoding MgdA was essential for this bacterium; only heterozygous mgdA mutants could be isolated. An mgdA knockdown mutation affected in vivo assembly of bacteriochlorophyll c aggregates, suggesting the involvement of MGDG in the construction of the light-harvesting complex called chlorosome. These results indicate that MGDG biosynthesis has been independently established in each photosynthetic organism to perform photosynthesis under different environmental conditions. We complemented an Arabidopsis thaliana MGDG synthase mutant by heterologous expression of MgdA. The complemented plants showed almost normal levels of MGDG, although they also had abnormal morphological phenotypes, including reduced chlorophyll content, no apical dominance in shoot growth, atypical flower development, and infertility. These observations provide new insights regarding the importance of regulated MGDG synthesis in the physiology of higher plants.

Cell biology of prokaryotic organelles

Mounting evidence in recent years has challenged the dogma that prokaryotes are simple and undefined cells devoid of an organized subcellular architecture. In fact, proteins once thought to be the purely eukaryotic inventions, including relatives of actin and tubulin control prokaryotic cell shape, DNA segregation, and cytokinesis. Similarly, compartmentalization, commonly noted as a distinguishing feature of eukaryotic cells, is also prevalent in the prokaryotic world in the form of protein-bounded and lipid-bounded organelles. In this article we highlight some of these prokaryotic organelles and discuss the current knowledge on their ultrastructure and the molecular mechanisms of their biogenesis and maintenance.

Characterization of an FMO variant of Chlorobaculum tepidum carrying bacteriochlorophyll a esterified by geranylgeraniol

The Fenna-Matthews-Olson light-harvesting antenna (FMO) protein has been a model system for understanding pigment-protein interactions in the energy transfer process in photosynthesis. All previous studies have utilized wild-type FMO proteins from several species. Here we report the purification and characterization of the first FMO protein variant generated via replacement of the esterifying alcohol at the C-17 propionate residue of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a, phytol, with geranylgeraniol, which possesses three more double bonds. The FMO protein still assembles with the modified pigment, but both the whole cell absorption and the biochemical purification indicate that the mutant cells contain a much less mature FMO protein. The gene expression was checked using qRT-PCR, and none of the genes encoding BChl a-binding proteins are strongly regulated at the transcriptional level. The smaller amount of the FMO protein in the mutant cell is probably due to the degradation of the apo-FMO protein at different stages after it does not bind the normal pigment. The absorption, fluorescence, and CD spectra of the purified FMO variant protein are similar to those of the wild-type FMO protein except the conformations of most pigments are more heterogeneous, which broadens the spectral bands. Interestingly, the lowest-energy pigment binding site seems to be unchanged and is the only peak that can be well resolved in 77 K absorption spectra. The excited-state lifetime of the variant FMO protein is unchanged from that of the wild type and shows a temperature-dependent modulation similar to that of the wild type. The variant FMO protein is less thermally stable than the wild type. The assembly of the FMO protein and also the implications of the decreased FMO/chlorosome stoichiometry are discussed in terms of the topology of these two antennas on the cytoplasmic membrane.

Characterization of the FMO protein from the aerobic chlorophototroph, Candidatus Chloracidobacterium thermophilum

Candidatus Chloracidobacterium (Cab.) thermophilum is a recently discovered aerobic chlorophototroph belonging to the phylum Acidobacteria. From analyses of genomic sequence data, this organism was inferred to have type-1 homodimeric reaction centers, chlorosomes, and the bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a-binding Fenna-Matthews-Olson protein (FMO). Here, we report the purification and characterization of Cab. thermophilum FMO. Absorption, fluorescence emission, and CD spectra of the FMO protein were measured at room temperature and at 77 K. The spectroscopic features of this FMO protein were different from those of the FMO protein of green sulfur bacteria (GSB) and suggested that exciton coupling of the BChls in the FMO protein is weaker than in FMO of GSB especially at room temperature. HPLC analysis of the pigments extracted from the FMO protein only revealed the presence of BChl a esterified with phytol. Despite the distinctive spectroscopic properties, the residues known to bind BChl a molecules in the FMO of GSB are well conserved in the primary structure of the Cab. thermophilum FMO protein. This suggests that the FMO of Cab. thermophilum probably also binds seven or possibly eight BChl a(P) molecules. The results imply that, without changing pigment composition or structure dramatically, the FMO protein has acquired properties that allow it to perform light harvesting efficiently under aerobic conditions.

A model of the protein-pigment baseplate complex in chlorosomes of photosynthetic green bacteria

In contrast to photosynthetic reaction centers, which share the same structural architecture, more variety is found in the light-harvesting antenna systems of phototrophic organisms. The largest antenna system described, so far, is the chlorosome found in anoxygenic green bacteria, as well as in a recently discovered aerobic phototroph. Chlorosomes are the only antenna system, in which the major light-harvesting pigments are organized in self-assembled supramolecular aggregates rather than on protein scaffolds. This unique feature is believed to explain why some green bacteria are able to carry out photosynthesis at very low light intensities. Encasing the chlorosome pigments is a protein-lipid monolayer including an additional antenna complex: the baseplate, a two-dimensional paracrystalline structure containing the chlorosome protein CsmA and bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a). In this article, we review current knowledge of the baseplate antenna complex, which physically and functionally connects the chlorosome pigments to the reaction centers via the Fenna-Matthews-Olson protein, with special emphasis on the well-studied green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum (previously Chlorobium tepidum). A possible role for the baseplate in the biogenesis of chlorosomes is discussed. In the final part, we present a structural model of the baseplate through combination of a recent NMR structure of CsmA and simulation of circular dichroism and optical spectra for the CsmA-BChl a complex.

The cobinamide amidohydrolase (cobyric acid-forming) CbiZ enzyme: a critical activity of the cobamide remodelling system of Rhodobacter sphaeroides

The chemical structures of cobamides [cobalamin (Cbl)-like compounds] are the same, except for the lower ligand, which in adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) is 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole, and in adenosylpseudocobalamin (AdopseudoCbl) is adenine. Why the lower ligand of cobamides varies and what the mechanism of lower ligand replacement is are long-standing questions in the field of B(12) biosynthesis. Work reported here uncovers the strategy used by the photosynthetic alpha-proteobacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides to procure the cobamide it needs to grow on acetate as a carbon and energy source. On the basis of genetic and biochemical evidence we conclude that, in R. sphaeroides, the activity of the cobyric acid-producing amidohydrolase CbiZ enzyme is essential for the conversion of AdopseudoCbl into AdoCbl, the cobamide needed for the catabolism of acetate. The CbiZ enzyme uses AdopseudoCbl as a substrate, but not AdoCbl. Implications of these findings for cobamide remodelling in R. sphaeroides and in other CbiZ-containing microorganisms are discussed.

Envelope proteins of the CsmB/CsmF and CsmC/CsmD motif families influence the size, shape, and composition of chlorosomes in Chlorobaculum tepidum

The chlorosome envelope of Chlorobaculum tepidum contains 10 proteins that belong to four structural motif families. A previous mutational study (N.-U. Frigaard, H. Li, K. J. Milks, and D. A. Bryant, J. Bacteriol. 186:646-653, 2004) suggested that some of these proteins might have redundant functions. Six multilocus mutants were constructed to test the effects of eliminating the proteins of the CsmC/CsmD and CsmB/CsmF motif families, and the resulting strains were characterized physiologically and biochemically. Mutants lacking all proteins of either motif family still assembled functional chlorosomes, and as measured by growth rates of the mutant strains, light harvesting was affected only at the lowest light intensities tested (9 and 32 micromol photons m(-2) s(-1)). The size, composition, and biogenesis of the mutant chlorosomes differed from those of wild-type chlorosomes. Mutants lacking proteins of the CsmC/CsmD motif family produced smaller chlorosomes than did the wild type, and the Q(y) absorbance maximum for the bacteriochlorophyll c aggregates in these chlorosomes was strongly blueshifted. Conversely, the chlorosomes of mutants lacking proteins of the CsmB/CsmF motif family were larger than wild-type chlorosomes, and the Q(y) absorption for their bacteriochlorophyll c aggregates was redshifted. When CsmH was eliminated in addition to other proteins of either motif family, chlorosomes had smaller diameters. These data show that the chlorosome envelope proteins of the CsmB/CsmF and CsmC/CsmD families play important roles in determining chlorosome size as well as the assembly and supramolecular organization of the bacteriochlorophyll c aggregates within the chlorosome.

In vivo analysis of cobinamide salvaging in Rhodobacter sphaeroides strain 2.4.1

The genome of Rhodobacter sphaeroides encodes the components of two distinct pathways for salvaging cobinamide (Cbi), a precursor of adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl, coenzyme B(12)). One pathway, conserved among bacteria, depends on a bifunctional kinase/guanylyltransferase (CobP) enzyme to convert adenosylcobinamide (AdoCbi) to AdoCbi-phosphate (AdoCbi-P), an intermediate in de novo AdoCbl biosynthesis. The other pathway, of archaeal origin, depends on an AdoCbi amidohydrolase (CbiZ) enzyme to generate adenosylcobyric acid (AdoCby), which is converted to AdoCbi-P by the AdoCbi-P synthetase (CobD) enzyme. Here we report that R. sphaeroides strain 2.4.1 synthesizes AdoCbl de novo and that it salvages Cbi using both of the predicted Cbi salvaging pathways. AdoCbl produced by R. sphaeroides was identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography and bioassay. The deletion of cobB (encoding an essential enzyme of the de novo corrin ring biosynthetic pathway) resulted in a strain of R. sphaeroides that would not grow on acetate in the absence of exogenous corrinoids. The results from a nutritional analysis showed that the presence of either CbiZ or CobP was necessary and sufficient for Cbi salvaging, that CbiZ-dependent Cbi salvaging depended on the presence of CobD, and that CobP-dependent Cbi salvaging occurred in a cbiZ(+) strain. Possible reasons why R. sphaeroides maintains two distinct pathways for Cbi salvaging are discussed.

Analysis of achromobactin biosynthesis by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a is known to produce the siderophore pyoverdine under iron-limited conditions. It has also been proposed that this pathovar has the ability to produce a second siderophore, achromobactin. Here we present genetic and biochemical evidence supporting the hypothesis that P. syringae pv. syringae B728a produces both of these siderophores. We show that strains unable to synthesize either pyoverdine or achromobactin are unable to grow under iron-limiting conditions, which is consistent with these two molecules being the only siderophores synthesized by P. syringae pv. syringae B728a. Enzymes associated with achromobactin biosynthesis were purified and analyzed for substrate recognition. We showed that AcsD, AcsA, and AcsC together are able to condense citrate, ethanolamine, 2,4-diaminobutyrate, and alpha-ketoglutarate into achromobactin. Replacement of ethanolamine with ethylene diamine or 1,3-diaminopropane in these reactions resulted in the formation of achromobactin analogs that were biologically active. This work provides insights into the biosynthetic steps in the formation of achromobactin and is the first in vitro reconstitution of achromobactin biosynthesis.

Alternating syn-anti bacteriochlorophylls form concentric helical nanotubes in chlorosomes

Chlorosomes are the largest and most efficient light-harvesting antennae found in nature, and they are constructed from hundreds of thousands of self-assembled bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c, d, or e pigments. Because they form very large and compositionally heterogeneous organelles, they had been the only photosynthetic antenna system for which no detailed structural information was available. In our approach, the structure of a member of the chlorosome class was determined and compared with the wild type (WT) to resolve how the biological light-harvesting function of the chlorosome is established. By constructing a triple mutant, the heterogeneous BChl c pigment composition of chlorosomes of the green sulfur bacteria Chlorobaculum tepidum was simplified to nearly homogeneous BChl d. Computational integration of two different bioimaging techniques, solid-state NMR and cryoEM, revealed an undescribed syn-anti stacking mode and showed how ligated BChl c and d self-assemble into coaxial cylinders to form tubular-shaped elements. A close packing of BChls via pi-pi stacking and helical H-bonding networks present in both the mutant and in the WT forms the basis for ultrafast, long-distance transmission of excitation energy. The structural framework is robust and can accommodate extensive chemical heterogeneity in the BChl side chains for adaptive optimization of the light-harvesting functionality in low-light environments. In addition, syn-anti BChl stacks form sheets that allow for strong exciton overlap in two dimensions enabling triplet exciton formation for efficient photoprotection.

Functional analysis of three sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase homologs in Chlorobaculum tepidum

Sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQR) catalyzes sulfide oxidation during sulfide-dependent chemo- and phototrophic growth in bacteria. The green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum (formerly Chlorobium tepidum) can grow on sulfide as the sole electron donor and sulfur source. C. tepidum contains genes encoding three SQR homologs: CT0117, CT0876, and CT1087. This study examined which, if any, of the SQR homologs possess sulfide-dependent ubiquinone reduction activity and are required for growth on sulfide. In contrast to CT0117 and CT0876, transcripts of CT1087 were detected only when cells actively oxidized sulfide. Mutation of CT0117 or CT1087 in C. tepidum decreased SQR activity in membrane fractions, and the CT1087 mutant could not grow with >or=6 mM sulfide. Mutation of both CT0117 and CT1087 in C. tepidum completely abolished SQR activity, and the double mutant failed to grow with >or=4 mM sulfide. A C-terminal His(6)-tagged CT1087 protein was membrane localized, as was SQR activity. Epitope-tagged CT1087 was detected only when sulfide was actively consumed by cells. Recombinantly produced CT1087 and CT0117 proteins had SQR activity, while CT0876 did not. In summary, we conclude that, under the conditions tested, both CT0117 and CT1087 function as SQR proteins in C. tepidum. CT0876 may support the growth of C. tepidum at low sulfide concentrations, but no evidence was found for SQR activity associated with this protein.

Long-range organization of bacteriochlorophyll in chlorosomes of Chlorobium tepidum investigated by cryo-electron microscopy

Intact chlorosomes of Chlorobium tepidum were embedded in amorphous ice layers and examined by cryo-electron microscopy to study the long-range organization of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) layers. End-on views reveal that chlorosomes are composed of several multi-layer tubules of variable diameter (20-30 nm) with some locally undulating non-tubular lamellae in between. The multi-layered tubular structures are more regular and larger in a C. tepidum mutant that only synthesizes [8-ethyl, 12-methyl]-BChl d. Our data show that wild-type C. tepidum chlorosomes do not have a highly regular, long-range BChl c layer organization and that they contain several multi-layered tubules rather than single-layer tubules or exclusively undulating lamellae as previously proposed.

Bacteriochlorophyllide c C-8(2) and C-12(1) methyltransferases are essential for adaptation to low light in Chlorobaculum tepidum

Bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c is the major photosynthetic pigment in the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum, in which it forms protein-independent aggregates that function in light harvesting. BChls c, d, and e are found only in chlorosome-producing bacteria and are unique among chlorophylls because of methylations that occur at the C-8(2) and C-12(1) carbons. Two genes required for these methylation reactions were identified and designated bchQ (CT1777) and bchR (CT1320). BchQ and BchR are members of the radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) protein superfamily; each has sequence motifs to ligate a [4Fe-4S] cluster, and we propose that they catalyze the methyl group transfers. bchQ, bchR, and bchQ bchR mutants of C. tepidum were constructed and characterized. The bchQ mutant produced BChl c that was not methylated at C-8(2), the bchR mutant produced BChl c that was not methylated at C-12(1), and the double mutant produced [8-ethyl, 12-methyl]-BChl c that lacked methylation at both the C-8(2) and C-12(1) positions. Compared to the wild type, the Qy absorption bands for BChl c in the mutant cells were narrower and blue shifted to various extents. All three mutants grew slower and had a lower cellular BChl c content than the wild type, an effect that was especially pronounced at low light intensities. These observations show that the C-8(2) and C-12(1) methylations of BChl c play important roles in the adaptation of C. tepidum to low light intensity. The data additionally suggest that these methylations also directly or indirectly affect the regulation of the BChl c biosynthetic pathway.

X-ray scattering and electron cryomicroscopy study on the effect of carotenoid biosynthesis to the structure of Chlorobium tepidum chlorosomes

Chlorosomes, the main antenna complexes of green photosynthetic bacteria, were isolated from null mutants of Chlorobium tepidum, each of which lacked one enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of carotenoids. The effects of the altered carotenoid composition on the structure of the chlorosomes were studied by means of x-ray scattering and electron cryomicroscopy. The chlorosomes from each mutant strain exhibited a lamellar arrangement of the bacteriochlorophyll c aggregates, which are the major constituents of the chlorosome interior. However, the carotenoid content and composition had a pronounced effect on chlorosome biogenesis and structure. The results indicate that carotenoids with a sufficiently long conjugated system are important for the biogenesis of the chlorosome baseplate. Defects in the baseplate structure affected the shape of the chlorosomes and were correlated with differences in the arrangement of lamellae and spacing between the lamellar planes of bacteriochlorophyll aggregates. In addition, comparisons among the various mutants enabled refinement of the assignments of the x-ray scattering peaks. While the main scattering peaks come from the lamellar structure of bacteriochlorophyll c aggregates, some minor peaks may originate from the paracrystalline arrangement of CsmA in the baseplate.

Triplet exciton formation as a novel photoprotection mechanism in chlorosomes of Chlorobium tepidum

Chlorosomes comprise thousands of bacteriochlorophylls (BChl c, d, or e) in a closely packed structure surrounded by a lipid-protein envelope and additionally contain considerable amounts of carotenoids, quinones, and BChl a. It has been suggested that carotenoids in chlorosomes provide photoprotection by rapidly quenching triplet excited states of BChl via a triplet-triplet energy transfer mechanism that prevents energy transfer to oxygen and the formation of harmful singlet oxygen. In this work we studied triplet energy transfer kinetics and photodegradation of chlorosomes isolated from wild-type Chlorobium tepidum and from genetically modified species with different types of carotenoids and from a carotenoid-free mutant. Supporting a photoprotective function of carotenoids, carotenoid-free chlorosomes photodegrade approximately 3 times faster than wild-type chlorosomes. However, a significant fraction of the BChls forms a long-lived, triplet-like state that does not interact with carotenoids or with oxygen. We propose that these states are triplet excitons that form due to triplet-triplet interaction between the closely packed BChls. Numerical exciton simulations predict that the energy of these triplet excitons may fall below that of singlet oxygen and triplet carotenoids; this would prevent energy transfer from triplet BChl. Thus, the formation of triplet excitons in chlorosomes serves as an alternative photoprotection mechanism.

Hypothesis on chlorosome biogenesis in green photosynthetic bacteria

Chlorosomes are specialized compartments that constitute the main light harvesting system of green sulfur bacteria (GSB) and some filamentous anoxygenic phototrophs (FAP). Chlorosome biogenesis promises to be a complex process requiring the generation of a unilayer membrane and the targeting of bacteriochlorophyll, carotenoids, quinones, and proteins to the chlorosome. The biogenesis of chlorosomes as well as their presence in two distinct bacterial groups, GSB and FAP, remains enigmatic. The photosynthetic machinery and overall metabolic characteristics of these two bacterial groups are very different, and horizontal gene transfer has been proposed to explain chlorosome distribution. Chlorosomes have been considered to be unique structures that require a specific assembly machinery. We propose that no special machinery is required for chlorosome assembly. Instead, it is suggested that chlorosomes are a special form of lipid body. We present a model for chlorosome biogenesis that combines aspects of lipid body biogenesis with established chlorosome characteristics and may help explain the presence of chlorosomes in two metabolically diverse organism groups.

The light-harvesting antenna of Chlorobium tepidum: interactions between the FMO protein and the major chlorosome protein CsmA studied by surface plasmon resonance

Green sulfur bacteria possess two external light-harvesting antenna systems, the chlorosome and the FMO protein, which participate in a sequential energy transfer to the reaction centers embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. However, little is known about the physical interaction between these two antenna systems. We have studied the interaction between the major chlorosome protein, CsmA, and the FMO protein in Chlorobium tepidum using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Our results show an interaction between the FMO protein and an immobilized synthetic peptide corresponding to 17 amino acids at the C terminal of CsmA. This interaction is dependent on the presence of a motif comprising six amino acids that are highly conserved in all the currently available CsmA protein sequences.