1
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Cherepanov DA, Kurashov V, Gostev FE, Shelaev IV, Zabelin AA, Shen G, Mamedov MD, Aybush A, Shkuropatov AY, Nadtochenko VA, Bryant DA, Golbeck JH, Semenov AY. Femtosecond optical studies of the primary charge separation reactions in far-red photosystem II from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7335. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2024; 1865:149044. [PMID: 38588942 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2024.149044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Primary processes of light energy conversion by Photosystem II (PSII) were studied using femtosecond broadband pump-probe absorption difference spectroscopy. Transient absorption changes of core complexes isolated from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7335 grown under far-red light (FRL-PSII) were compared with the canonical Chl a containing spinach PSII core complexes upon excitation into the red edge of the Qy band. Absorption changes of FRL-PSII were monitored at 278 K in the 400-800 nm spectral range on a timescale of 0.1-500 ps upon selective excitation at 740 nm of four chlorophyll (Chl) f molecules in the light harvesting antenna, or of one Chl d molecule at the ChlD1 position in the reaction center (RC) upon pumping at 710 nm. Numerical analysis of absorption changes and assessment of the energy levels of the presumed ion-radical states made it possible to identify PD1+ChlD1- as the predominant primary charge-separated radical pair, the formation of which upon selective excitation of Chl d has an apparent time of ∼1.6 ps. Electron transfer to the secondary acceptor pheophytin PheoD1 has an apparent time of ∼7 ps with a variety of excitation wavelengths. The energy redistribution between Chl a and Chl f in the antenna occurs within 1 ps, whereas the energy migration from Chl f to the RC occurs mostly with lifetimes of 60 and 400 ps. Potentiometric analysis suggests that in canonical PSII, PD1+ChlD1- can be partially formed from the excited (PD1ChlD1)* state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry A Cherepanov
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina st., 4, 119991 Moscow, Russia; A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physical-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, building 40, 119992 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Vasily Kurashov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802, USA
| | - Fedor E Gostev
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina st., 4, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ivan V Shelaev
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina st., 4, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A Zabelin
- Institute of Basic Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Gaozhong Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802, USA
| | - Mahir D Mamedov
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physical-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, building 40, 119992 Moscow, Russia
| | - Arseny Aybush
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina st., 4, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anatoly Ya Shkuropatov
- Institute of Basic Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Victor A Nadtochenko
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina st., 4, 119991 Moscow, Russia; Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Donald A Bryant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802, USA
| | - John H Golbeck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802, USA; Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802, USA
| | - Alexey Yu Semenov
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina st., 4, 119991 Moscow, Russia; A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physical-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, building 40, 119992 Moscow, Russia.
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2
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Ara AM, D'Haene S, van Grondelle R, Wahadoszamen M. Unveiling large charge transfer character of PSII in an iron-deficient cyanobacterial membrane: A Stark fluorescence spectroscopy study. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2024; 160:77-86. [PMID: 38619701 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-024-01099-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
In this work, we applied Stark fluorescence spectroscopy to an iron-stressed cyanobacterial membrane to reveal key insights about the electronic structures and excited state dynamics of the two important pigment-protein complexes, IsiA and PSII, both of which prevail simultaneously within the membrane during iron deficiency and whose fluorescence spectra are highly overlapped and hence often hardly resolved by conventional fluorescence spectroscopy. Thanks to the ability of Stark fluorescence spectroscopy, the fluorescence signatures of the two complexes could be plausibly recognized and disentangled. The systematic analysis of the SF spectra, carried out by employing standard Liptay formalism with a realistic spectral deconvolution protocol, revealed that the IsiA in an intact membrane retains almost identical excited state electronic structures and dynamics as compared to the isolated IsiA we reported in our earlier study. Moreover, the analysis uncovered that the excited state of the PSII subunit of the intact membrane possesses a significantly large CT character. The observed notably large magnitude of the excited state CT character may signify the supplementary role of PSII in regulative energy dissipation during iron deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjue Mane Ara
- Department of Physics, Jagannath University, Dhaka, 1100, Bangladesh
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sandrine D'Haene
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rienk van Grondelle
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Md Wahadoszamen
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Physics, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
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3
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Forde A, Maity S, Freixas VM, Fernandez-Alberti S, Neukirch AJ, Kleinekathöfer U, Tretiak S. Stabilization of Charge-Transfer Excited States in Biological Systems: A Computational Focus on the Special Pair in Photosystem II Reaction Centers. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:4142-4150. [PMID: 38593451 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Charge-transfer (CT) excited states play an important role in many biological processes. However, many computational approaches often inadequately address the equilibration effects of nuclear and environmental degrees of freedom on these states. One prominent example of systems in which CT states are of utmost importance is reaction centers (RC) in photosystems. Here we use a multiscale approach combined with time-dependent density functional theory to explore the lowest CT excited state of the special pair PD1-PD2 in the Photosystem II-RC of a cyanobacterium. We find that the nonequilibrium CT excited state resides near the Soret band, making an exciton the lowest-energy excited state. However, accounting for nuclear and state-specific dielectric equilibration along the CT potential energy surface (PES), the CT state PD1--PD2+ stabilizes energetically below the excitonic state. This underscores the crucial role of state-specific solvation in mapping the PES of CT states, as demonstrated in a simplified dimer model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Forde
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
- Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Sayan Maity
- School of Science, Constructor University, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Victor M Freixas
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologiia, Univresidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | | | - Amanda J Neukirch
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | | | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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4
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Jha A, Zhang PP, Tiwari V, Chen L, Thorwart M, Miller RJD, Duan HG. Unraveling quantum coherences mediating primary charge transfer processes in photosystem II reaction center. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk1312. [PMID: 38446882 PMCID: PMC10917350 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk1312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Photosystem II (PSII) reaction center (RC) is a unique complex that is capable of efficiently separating electronic charges across the membrane. The primary energy- and charge-transfer (CT) processes occur on comparable ultrafast timescales, which makes it extremely challenging to understand the fundamental mechanism responsible for the near-unity quantum efficiency of the transfer. Here, we elucidate the role of quantum coherences in the ultrafast energy and CT in the PSII RC by performing two-dimensional (2D) electronic spectroscopy at the cryogenic temperature of 20 kelvin, which captures the distinct underlying quantum coherences. Specifically, we uncover the electronic and vibrational coherences along with their lifetimes during the primary ultrafast processes of energy and CT. We construct an excitonic model that provides evidence for coherent energy and CT at low temperature in the 2D electronic spectra. The principles could provide valuable guidelines for creating artificial photosystems with exploitation of system-bath coupling and control of coherences to optimize the photon conversion efficiency to specific functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Jha
- Department of Physics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, P.R. China
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
- Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
| | - Pan-Pan Zhang
- Department of Physics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, P.R. China
| | - Vandana Tiwari
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lipeng Chen
- Zhejiang Laboratory, Hangzhou 311100, P.R. China
| | - Michael Thorwart
- I. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Hamburg, Notkestr. 9, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - R. J. Dwayne Miller
- The Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Hong-Guang Duan
- Department of Physics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, P.R. China
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
- I. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Hamburg, Notkestr. 9, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
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5
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Gemeinhardt FG, Lahav Y, Schapiro I, Noy D, Müh F, Lindorfer D, Renger T. Short-Range Effects in the Special Pair of Photosystem II Reaction Centers: The Nonconservative Nature of Circular Dichroism. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:11758-11767. [PMID: 38117270 PMCID: PMC10758115 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Photosystem II reaction centers extract electrons from water, providing the basis of oxygenic life on earth. Among the light-sensitive pigments of the reaction center, a central chlorophyll a dimer, known as the special pair, so far has escaped a complete theoretical characterization of its excited state properties. The close proximity of the special pair pigments gives rise to short-range effects that comprise a coupling between local and charge transfer (CT) excited states as well as other intermolecular quantum effects. Using a multiscale simulation and a diabatization technique, we show that the coupling to CT states is responsible for 45% of the excitonic coupling in the special pair. The other short-range effects cause a nonconservative nature of the circular dichroism spectrum of the reaction center by effectively rotating the electric transition dipole moments of the special pair pigments inverting and strongly enhancing their intrinsic rotational strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix G. Gemeinhardt
- Institut
für Theoretische Physik, Johannes
Kepler Universität Linz, Altenberger Strasse 69, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Yigal Lahav
- Fritz
Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics Research, Institute of Chemistry, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
- MIGAL
- Galilee Research Institute, S. Industrial Zone, 1101602 Kiryat Shmona, Israel
| | - Igor Schapiro
- Fritz
Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics Research, Institute of Chemistry, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Dror Noy
- MIGAL
- Galilee Research Institute, S. Industrial Zone, 1101602 Kiryat Shmona, Israel
- Faculty
of Sciences and Technology, Tel-Hai Academic
College, 1220800 Upper Galilee, Israel
| | - Frank Müh
- Institut
für Theoretische Physik, Johannes
Kepler Universität Linz, Altenberger Strasse 69, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Dominik Lindorfer
- Institut
für Theoretische Physik, Johannes
Kepler Universität Linz, Altenberger Strasse 69, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Thomas Renger
- Institut
für Theoretische Physik, Johannes
Kepler Universität Linz, Altenberger Strasse 69, 4040 Linz, Austria
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6
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Sirohiwal A, Pantazis DA. Reaction Center Excitation in Photosystem II: From Multiscale Modeling to Functional Principles. Acc Chem Res 2023; 56:2921-2932. [PMID: 37844298 PMCID: PMC10634305 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.3c00392] [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: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Oxygenic photosynthesis is the fundamental energy-converting process that utilizes sunlight to generate molecular oxygen and the organic compounds that sustain life. Protein-pigment complexes harvest light and transfer excitation energy to specialized pigment assemblies, reaction centers (RC), where electron transfer cascades are initiated. A molecular-level understanding of the primary events is indispensable for elucidating the principles of natural photosynthesis and enabling development of bioinspired technologies. The primary enzyme in oxygenic photosynthesis is Photosystem II (PSII), a membrane-embedded multisubunit complex, that catalyzes the light-driven oxidation of water. The RC of PSII consists of four chlorophyll a and two pheophytin a pigments symmetrically arranged along two core polypeptides; only one branch participates in electron transfer. Despite decades of research, fundamental questions remain, including the origin of this functional asymmetry, the nature of primary charge-transfer states and the identity of the initial electron donor, the origin of the capability of PSII to enact charge separation with far-red photons, i.e., beyond the "red limit" where individual chlorophylls absorb, and the role of protein conformational dynamics in modulating charge-separation pathways.In this Account, we highlight developments in quantum-chemistry based excited-state computations for multipigment assemblies and the refinement of protocols for computing protein-induced electrochromic shifts and charge-transfer excitations calibrated with modern local correlation coupled cluster methods. We emphasize the importance of multiscale atomistic quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, which enabled direct and accurate modeling of primary processes in RC excitation at the quantum mechanical level.Our findings show how differential protein electrostatics enable spectral tuning of RC pigments and generate functional asymmetry in PSII. A chlorophyll pigment on the active branch (ChlD1) has the lowest site energy in PSII and is the primary electron donor. The complete absence of low-lying charge-transfer states within the central pair of chlorophylls excludes a long-held assumption about the initial charge separation. Instead, we identify two primary charge separation pathways, both with the same pheophytin acceptor (PheoD1): a fast pathway with ChlD1 as the primary electron donor (short-range charge-separation) and a slow pathway with PD1PD2 as the initial donor (long-range charge separation). The low-energy spectrum is dominated by two states with significant charge-transfer character, ChlD1δ+PheoD1δ- and PD1δ+PheoD1δ-. The conformational dynamics of PSII allows these charge-transfer states to span wide energy ranges, pushing oxygenic photosynthesis beyond the "red limit". These results provide a quantum mechanical picture of the primary events in the RC of oxygenic photosynthesis, forming a solid basis for interpreting experimental observations and for extending photosynthesis research in new directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Sirohiwal
- Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dimitrios A. Pantazis
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
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7
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Bhattacharjee S, Neese F, Pantazis DA. Triplet states in the reaction center of Photosystem II. Chem Sci 2023; 14:9503-9516. [PMID: 37712047 PMCID: PMC10498673 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc02985a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In oxygenic photosynthesis sunlight is harvested and funneled as excitation energy into the reaction center (RC) of Photosystem II (PSII), the site of primary charge separation that initiates the photosynthetic electron transfer chain. The chlorophyll ChlD1 pigment of the RC is the primary electron donor, forming a charge-separated radical pair with the vicinal pheophytin PheoD1 (ChlD1+PheoD1-). To avert charge recombination, the electron is further transferred to plastoquinone QA, whereas the hole relaxes to a central pair of chlorophylls (PD1PD2), subsequently driving water oxidation. Spin-triplet states can form within the RC when forward electron transfer is inhibited or back reactions are favored. This can lead to formation of singlet dioxygen, with potential deleterious effects. Here we investigate the nature and properties of triplet states within the PSII RC using a multiscale quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics (QM/MM) approach. The low-energy spectrum of excited singlet and triplet states, of both local and charge-transfer nature, is compared using range-separated time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). We further compute electron paramagnetic resonance properties (zero-field splitting parameters and hyperfine coupling constants) of relaxed triplet states and compare them with available experimental data. Moreover, the electrostatic modulation of excited state energetics and redox properties of RC pigments by the semiquinone QA- is described. The results provide a detailed electronic-level understanding of triplet states within the PSII RC and form a refined basis for discussing primary and secondary electron transfer, charge recombination pathways, and possible photoprotection mechanisms in PSII.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinjini Bhattacharjee
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
| | - Frank Neese
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
| | - Dimitrios A Pantazis
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
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8
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Sahoo SR, Patterson CH. Spectroscopic Identification of the Charge Transfer State in Thiophene/Fullerene Heterojunctions: Electroabsorption Spectroscopy from GW/BSE Calculations. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2023; 127:15928-15942. [PMID: 37609383 PMCID: PMC10440814 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c03734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Creation of charge transfer (CT) states in bulk heterojunction systems such as C60/polymer blends is an important intermediate step in the creation of carriers in organic photovoltaic systems. CT states generally have small oscillator strengths in linear optical absorption spectroscopy owing to limited spatial overlap of electron and hole wave functions in the CT excited state. Electroabsorption spectroscopy (EA) exploits changes in wave function character of CT states in response to static electric fields to enhance detection of CT states via nonlinear optical absorption spectroscopies. A 4 × 4 model Hamiltonian is used to derive splittings of even and odd Frenkel (FR) excited states and changes in wave function character of CT excited states in an external electric field. These are used to explain why FR and CT states yield EA lineshapes which are first and second derivatives of the linear optical absorption spectrum. The model is applied to ammonia-borane molecules and pairs of molecules with large and small B-N separations and CT or FR excited states. EA spectra are obtained from differences in linear optical absorption spectra in the presence or absence of a static electric field and from perturbative sum over states (SOS) configuration interaction singles χ(2) and χ(3) nonlinear susceptibility calculations. Good agreement is found between finite field (FF) and SOS methods at field strengths similar to those used in EA experiments. EA spectra of three C60/oligothiophene complexes are calculated using the SOS method combined with GW/BSE methods. For these C60/oligothiophene complexes, we find several CT states in a narrow energy range in which charge transfer from the thiophene HOMO level to several closely spaced C60 acceptor levels yields an EA signal around 10% of the signal from oligothiophene.
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9
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Novoderezhkin VI. Excitonic interactions and Stark fluorescence spectra. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:054114. [PMID: 37548302 DOI: 10.1063/5.0158393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We develop the theory for the Stark fluorescence (SF) of molecular aggregates by taking into account the mixing of the excited states [including the states with charge-transfer (CT) characters]. We use the sum-over-state approach and modified rotating wave approximation to describe interactions of the static and optical fields with the permanent and transition dipoles of the excited states. The SF spectral profiles are calculated using the standard and modified Redfield theories for the emission lineshapes. The resulting expression allows an interpretation of the SF response based on the calculation of only one-exciton states (i.e., the calculation of two-exciton states is not needed). The shape and amplitude of the SF spectrum can exhibit dramatic changes in the presence of the CT states, especially when the CT state is mixed with the red-most emitting exciton levels. In this case, the SF responses are much more sensitive to the exciton-CT mixing as compared with the usual Stark absorption. The limitation of the proposed theory is related to the simplified nature of the Redfield picture, which neglects the dynamic localization within the mixed exciton-CT configuration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir I Novoderezhkin
- A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119992, Russia
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10
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Nguyen HH, Song Y, Maret EL, Silori Y, Willow R, Yocum CF, Ogilvie JP. Charge separation in the photosystem II reaction center resolved by multispectral two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade7190. [PMID: 37134172 PMCID: PMC10156117 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade7190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The photosystem II reaction center (PSII RC) performs the primary energy conversion steps of oxygenic photosynthesis. While the PSII RC has been studied extensively, the similar time scales of energy transfer and charge separation and the severely overlapping pigment transitions in the Qy region have led to multiple models of its charge separation mechanism and excitonic structure. Here, we combine two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) with a continuum probe and two-dimensional electronic vibrational spectroscopy (2DEV) to study the cyt b559-D1D2 PSII RC at 77 K. This multispectral combination correlates the overlapping Qy excitons with distinct anion and pigment-specific Qx and mid-infrared transitions to resolve the charge separation mechanism and excitonic structure. Through extensive simultaneous analysis of the multispectral 2D data, we find that charge separation proceeds on multiple time scales from a delocalized excited state via a single pathway in which PheoD1 is the primary electron acceptor, while ChlD1 and PD1 act in concert as the primary electron donor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoang H Nguyen
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yin Song
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- School of Optics and Photonics, Beijing Institute of Technology, 5 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Elizabeth L Maret
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yogita Silori
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Rhiannon Willow
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Charles F Yocum
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 450 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jennifer P Ogilvie
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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11
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Sen S, Visscher L. Towards the description of charge transfer states in solubilised LHCII using subsystem DFT. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2023; 156:39-57. [PMID: 35988131 PMCID: PMC10070235 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-022-00950-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Light harvesting complex II (LHCII) in plants and green algae have been shown to adapt their absorption properties, depending on the concentration of sunlight, switching between a light harvesting and a non-harvesting or quenched state. In a recent work, combining classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with quantum chemical calculations (Liguori et al. in Sci Rep 5:15661, 2015) on LHCII, it was shown that the Chl611-Chl612 cluster of the terminal emitter domain can play an important role in modifying the spectral properties of the complex. In that work the importance of charge transfer (CT) effects was highlighted, in re-shaping the absorption intensity of the chlorophyll dimer. Here in this work, we investigate the combined effect of the local excited (LE) and CT states in shaping the energy landscape of the chlorophyll dimer. Using subsystem Density Functional Theory over the classical [Formula: see text]s MD trajectory we look explicitly into the excitation energies of the LE and the CT states of the dimer and their corresponding couplings. Upon doing so, we observe a drop in the excitation energies of the CT states, accompanied by an increase in the couplings between the LE/LE and the LE/CT states facilitated by a shorter interchromophoric distance upon equilibration. Both these changes in conjunction, effectively produces a red-shift of the low-lying mixed exciton/CT states of the supramolecular chromophore pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souloke Sen
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lucas Visscher
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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12
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Saito K, Mitsuhashi K, Tamura H, Ishikita H. Quantum mechanical analysis of excitation energy transfer couplings in photosystem II. Biophys J 2023; 122:470-483. [PMID: 36609140 PMCID: PMC9941724 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We evaluated excitation energy transfer (EET) coupling (J) between all pairs of chlorophylls (Chls) and pheophytins (Pheos) in the protein environment of photosystem II based on the time-dependent density functional theory with a quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics approach. In the reaction center, the EET coupling between Chls PD1 and PD2 is weaker (|J(PD1/PD2)| = 79 cm-1), irrespective of a short edge-to-edge distance of 3.6 Å (Mg-to-Mg distance of 8.1 Å), than the couplings between PD1 and the accessory ChlD1 (|J(PD1/ChlD2)| = 104 cm-1) and between PD2 and ChlD2 (|J(PD2/ChlD1)| = 101 cm-1), suggesting that PD1 and PD2 are two monomeric Chls rather than a "special pair". There exist strongly coupled Chl pairs (|J| > ∼100 cm-1) in the CP47 and CP43 core antennas, which may be candidates for the red-shifted Chls observed in spectroscopic studies. In CP47 and CP43, Chls ligated to CP47-His26 and CP43-His56, which are located in the middle layer of the thylakoid membrane, play a role in the "hub" that mediates the EET from the lumenal to stromal layers. In the stromal layer, Chls ligated to CP47-His466, CP43-His441, and CP43-His444 mediate the EET from CP47 to ChlD2/PheoD2 and from CP43 to ChlD1/PheoD1 in the reaction center. Thus, the excitation energy from both CP47 and CP43 can always be utilized for the charge-separation reaction in the reaction center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Saito
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Koji Mitsuhashi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tamura
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hiroshi Ishikita
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
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13
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Sen S, Senjean B, Visscher L. Characterization of excited states in time-dependent density functional theory using localized molecular orbitals. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:054115. [PMID: 36754801 DOI: 10.1063/5.0137729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Localized molecular orbitals are often used for the analysis of chemical bonds, but they can also serve to efficiently and comprehensibly compute linear response properties. While conventional canonical molecular orbitals provide an adequate basis for the treatment of excited states, a chemically meaningful identification of the different excited-state processes is difficult within such a delocalized orbital basis. In this work, starting from an initial set of supermolecular canonical molecular orbitals, we provide a simple one-step top-down embedding procedure for generating a set of orbitals, which are localized in terms of the supermolecule but delocalized over each subsystem composing the supermolecule. Using an orbital partitioning scheme based on such sets of localized orbitals, we further present a procedure for the construction of local excitations and charge-transfer states within the linear response framework of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). This procedure provides direct access to approximate diabatic excitation energies and, under the Tamm-Dancoff approximation, also their corresponding electronic couplings-quantities that are of primary importance in modeling energy transfer processes in complex biological systems. Our approach is compared with a recently developed diabatization procedure based on subsystem TDDFT using projection operators, which leads to a similar set of working equations. Although both of these methods differ in the general localization strategies adopted and the type of basis functions (Slaters vs Gaussians) employed, an overall decent agreement is obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souloke Sen
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bruno Senjean
- ICGM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Lucas Visscher
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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14
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Zakutauskaitė K, Mačernis M, Nguyen HH, Ogilvie JP, Abramavičius D. Extracting the excitonic Hamiltonian of a chlorophyll dimer from broadband two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:015103. [PMID: 36610982 DOI: 10.1063/5.0108166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We apply Frenkel exciton theory to model the entire Q-band of a tightly bound chlorophyll dimer inspired by the photosynthetic reaction center of photosystem II. The potential of broadband two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy experiment spanning the Qx and Qy regions to extract the parameters of the model dimer Hamiltonian is examined through theoretical simulations of the experiment. We find that the local nature of Qx excitation enables identification of molecular properties of the delocalized Qy excitons. Specifically, we demonstrate that the cross-peak region, where excitation energy is resonant with Qy while detection is at Qx, contains specific spectral signatures that can reveal the full real-space molecular Hamiltonian, a task that is impossible by considering the Qy transitions alone. System-bath coupling and site energy disorder in realistic systems may limit the resolution of these spectral signatures due to spectral congestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Zakutauskaitė
- Institute of Chemical Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio al. 9-III, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Mindaugas Mačernis
- Institute of Chemical Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio al. 9-III, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Hoang H Nguyen
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Jennifer P Ogilvie
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Darius Abramavičius
- Institute of Chemical Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio al. 9-III, Vilnius, Lithuania
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15
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From antenna to reaction center: Pathways of ultrafast energy and charge transfer in photosystem II. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2208033119. [PMID: 36215463 PMCID: PMC9586314 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208033119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The photosystem II core complex (PSII-CC) is a photosynthetic complex that contains antenna proteins, which collect energy from sunlight, and a reaction center, which converts the collected energy to redox potential. Understanding the interplay between the antenna proteins and the reaction center will facilitate the development of more efficient solar energy conversion technologies. Here, we study the sub-100-ps dynamics of PSII-CC with two-dimensional electronic-vibrational spectroscopy, which connects energy flows with physical space, allowing a direct mapping of energy transfer pathways. Our results reveal a complex dynamical scheme which includes a specific pathway that connects CP43 to the reaction center. Resolving this pathway experimentally provides insights into the energy conversion processes in natural photosynthesis. The photosystem II core complex (PSII-CC) is the smallest subunit of the oxygenic photosynthetic apparatus that contains core antennas and a reaction center, which together allow for rapid energy transfer and charge separation, ultimately leading to efficient solar energy conversion. However, there is a lack of consensus on the interplay between the energy transfer and charge separation dynamics of the core complex. Here, we report the application of two-dimensional electronic-vibrational (2DEV) spectroscopy to the spinach PSII-CC at 77 K. The simultaneous temporal and spectral resolution afforded by 2DEV spectroscopy facilitates the separation and direct assignment of coexisting dynamical processes. Our results show that the dominant dynamics of the PSII-CC are distinct in different excitation energy regions. By separating the excitation regions, we are able to distinguish the intraprotein dynamics and interprotein energy transfer. Additionally, with the improved resolution, we are able to identify the key pigments involved in the pathways, allowing for a direct connection between dynamical and structural information. Specifically, we show that C505 in CP43 and the peripheral chlorophyll ChlzD1 in the reaction center are most likely responsible for energy transfer from CP43 to the reaction center.
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16
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Manrho M, Jansen TLC, Knoester J. Optical Signatures of the Coupling between Excitons and Charge Transfer States in Linear Molecular Aggregates. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:224112. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0095470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Charge Transfer (CT) has enjoyed continuous interest due to increasing experimental control over molecular structure leading to applications in, for example, photovoltaics and hydrogen production. In this paper, we investigate the effect of CT states on the absorption spectrum of linear molecular aggregates using a scattering matrix technique that allows us to deal with arbitrarily large systems. The presented theory performs well for both strong and weak mixing of exciton and CT states, bridging the gap between previously employed methods which are applicable in only one of these limits. In experimental spectra the homogeneous linewidth is often too large to resolve all optically allowed transitions individually, resulting in a characteristic two-peak absorption spectrum in both the weak- and strong-coupling regime. Using the scattering matrix technique we examine the contributions of free and bound states in detail. We conclude that the skewness of the high-frequency peak may be used as a new way to identify the exciton-CT-state coupling strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marick Manrho
- University of Groningen, University of Groningen Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Netherlands
| | - Thomas L. C. Jansen
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Netherlands
| | - Jasper Knoester
- University of Groningen Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Netherlands
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17
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Yoneda Y, Arsenault EA, Yang SJ, Orcutt K, Iwai M, Fleming GR. The initial charge separation step in oxygenic photosynthesis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2275. [PMID: 35477708 PMCID: PMC9046298 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29983-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Photosystem II is crucial for life on Earth as it provides oxygen as a result of photoinduced electron transfer and water splitting reactions. The excited state dynamics of the photosystem II-reaction center (PSII-RC) has been a matter of vivid debate because the absorption spectra of the embedded chromophores significantly overlap and hence it is extremely difficult to distinguish transients. Here, we report the two-dimensional electronic-vibrational spectroscopic study of the PSII-RC. The simultaneous resolution along both the visible excitation and infrared detection axis is crucial in allowing for the character of the excitonic states and interplay between them to be clearly distinguished. In particular, this work demonstrates that the mixed exciton-charge transfer state, previously proposed to be responsible for the far-red light operation of photosynthesis, is characterized by the ChlD1+Phe radical pair and can be directly prepared upon photoexcitation. Further, we find that the initial electron acceptor in the PSII-RC is Phe, rather than PD1, regardless of excitation wavelength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Yoneda
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
- Research Center of Integrative Molecular Systems, Institute for Molecular Science, National Institute of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Eric A Arsenault
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
- Kavli Energy Nanoscience Institute at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
| | - Shiun-Jr Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
| | - Kaydren Orcutt
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
| | - Masakazu Iwai
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
| | - Graham R Fleming
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States.
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States.
- Kavli Energy Nanoscience Institute at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States.
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18
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Akhtar P, Sipka G, Han W, Li X, Han G, Shen JR, Garab G, Tan HS, Lambrev PH. Ultrafast excitation quenching by the oxidized photosystem II reaction center. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:145101. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0086046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Photosystem II (PSII) is the pigment–protein complex driving the photoinduced oxidation of water and reduction of plastoquinone in all oxygenic photosynthetic organisms. Excitations in the antenna chlorophylls are photochemically trapped in the reaction center (RC) producing the chlorophyll–pheophytin radical ion pair P+ Pheo−. When electron donation from water is inhibited, the oxidized RC chlorophyll P+ acts as an excitation quencher, but knowledge on the kinetics of quenching is limited. Here, we used femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy to compare the excitation dynamics of PSII with neutral and oxidized RC (P+). We find that equilibration in the core antenna has a major lifetime of about 300 fs, irrespective of the RC redox state. Two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy revealed additional slower energy equilibration occurring on timescales of 3–5 ps, concurrent with excitation trapping. The kinetics of PSII with open RC can be described well with previously proposed models according to which the radical pair P+ Pheo− is populated with a main lifetime of about 40 ps, which is primarily determined by energy transfer between the core antenna and the RC chlorophylls. Yet, in PSII with oxidized RC (P+), fast excitation quenching was observed with decay lifetimes as short as 3 ps and an average decay lifetime of about 90 ps, which is shorter than the excited-state lifetime of PSII with open RC. The underlying mechanism of this extremely fast quenching prompts further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parveen Akhtar
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Link 21, 637371, Singapore
- Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
- ELI-ALPS, ELI-HU Non-profit Ltd., Wolfgang Sandner u. 3, Szeged 6728, Hungary
| | - Gábor Sipka
- Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - Wenhui Han
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingyue Li
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guangye Han
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Ren Shen
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, and Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Győző Garab
- Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - Howe-Siang Tan
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Link 21, 637371, Singapore
| | - Petar H. Lambrev
- Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
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19
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Braver Y, Valkunas L, Gelzinis A. Stark absorption and Stark fluorescence spectroscopies: Theory and simulations. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:244101. [PMID: 34972359 DOI: 10.1063/5.0073962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Stark spectroscopy experiments are widely used to study the properties of molecular systems, particularly those containing charge-transfer (CT) states. However, due to the small transition dipole moments and large static dipole moments of the CT states, the standard interpretation of the Stark absorption and Stark fluorescence spectra in terms of the Liptay model may be inadequate. In this work, we provide a theoretical framework for calculations of Stark absorption and Stark fluorescence spectra and propose new methods of simulations that are based on the quantum-classical theory. In particular, we use the forward-backward trajectory solution and a variant of the Poisson bracket mapping equation, which have been recently adapted for the calculation of conventional (field-free) absorption and fluorescence spectra. For comparison, we also apply the recently proposed complex time-dependent Redfield theory, while exact results are obtained using the hierarchical equations of motion approach. We show that the quantum-classical methods produce accurate results for a wide range of systems, including those containing CT states. The CT states contribute significantly to the Stark spectra, and the standard Liptay formalism is shown to be inapplicable for the analysis of spectroscopic data in those cases. We demonstrate that states with large static dipole moments may cause a pronounced change in the total fluorescence yield of the system in the presence of an external electric field. This effect is correctly captured by the quantum-classical methods, which should therefore prove useful for further studies of Stark spectra of real molecular systems. As an example, we calculate the Stark spectra for the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex of green sulfur bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yakov Braver
- Faculty of Physics, Institute of Chemical Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Ave. 9-III, LT-10222 Vilnius, Lithuania and Department of Molecular Compound Physics, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Saulėtekio Ave. 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Leonas Valkunas
- Faculty of Physics, Institute of Chemical Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Ave. 9-III, LT-10222 Vilnius, Lithuania and Department of Molecular Compound Physics, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Saulėtekio Ave. 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Andrius Gelzinis
- Faculty of Physics, Institute of Chemical Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Ave. 9-III, LT-10222 Vilnius, Lithuania and Department of Molecular Compound Physics, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Saulėtekio Ave. 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
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20
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Gorka M, Baldansuren A, Malnati A, Gruszecki E, Golbeck JH, Lakshmi KV. Shedding Light on Primary Donors in Photosynthetic Reaction Centers. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:735666. [PMID: 34659164 PMCID: PMC8517396 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.735666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlorophylls (Chl)s exist in a variety of flavors and are ubiquitous in both the energy and electron transfer processes of photosynthesis. The functions they perform often occur on the ultrafast (fs-ns) time scale and until recently, these have been difficult to measure in real time. Further, the complexity of the binding pockets and the resulting protein-matrix effects that alter the respective electronic properties have rendered theoretical modeling of these states difficult. Recent advances in experimental methodology, computational modeling, and emergence of new reaction center (RC) structures have renewed interest in these processes and allowed researchers to elucidate previously ambiguous functions of Chls and related pheophytins. This is complemented by a wealth of experimental data obtained from decades of prior research. Studying the electronic properties of Chl molecules has advanced our understanding of both the nature of the primary charge separation and subsequent electron transfer processes of RCs. In this review, we examine the structures of primary electron donors in Type I and Type II RCs in relation to the vast body of spectroscopic research that has been performed on them to date. Further, we present density functional theory calculations on each oxidized primary donor to study both their electronic properties and our ability to model experimental spectroscopic data. This allows us to directly compare the electronic properties of hetero- and homodimeric RCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Gorka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Amgalanbaatar Baldansuren
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and The Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Amanda Malnati
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and The Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Elijah Gruszecki
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and The Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - John H. Golbeck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - K. V. Lakshmi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and The Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
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21
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Tamura H, Saito K, Ishikita H. The origin of unidirectional charge separation in photosynthetic reaction centers: nonadiabatic quantum dynamics of exciton and charge in pigment-protein complexes. Chem Sci 2021; 12:8131-8140. [PMID: 34194703 PMCID: PMC8208306 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc01497h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Exciton charge separation in photosynthetic reaction centers from purple bacteria (PbRC) and photosystem II (PSII) occurs exclusively along one of the two pseudo-symmetric branches (active branch) of pigment-protein complexes. The microscopic origin of unidirectional charge separation in photosynthesis remains controversial. Here we elucidate the essential factors leading to unidirectional charge separation in PbRC and PSII, using nonadiabatic quantum dynamics calculations in conjunction with time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) with the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics/polarizable continuum model (QM/MM/PCM) method. This approach accounts for energetics, electronic coupling, and vibronic coupling of the pigment excited states under electrostatic interactions and polarization of whole protein environments. The calculated time constants of charge separation along the active branches of PbRC and PSII are similar to those observed in time-resolved spectroscopic experiments. In PbRC, Tyr-M210 near the accessary bacteriochlorophyll reduces the energy of the intermediate state and drastically accelerates charge separation overcoming the electron-hole interaction. Remarkably, even though both the active and inactive branches in PSII can accept excitons from light-harvesting complexes, charge separation in the inactive branch is prevented by a weak electronic coupling due to symmetry-breaking of the chlorophyll configurations. The exciton in the inactive branch in PSII can be transferred to the active branch via direct and indirect pathways. Subsequently, the ultrafast electron transfer to pheophytin in the active branch prevents exciton back transfer to the inactive branch, thereby achieving unidirectional charge separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Tamura
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8654 Japan
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku Tokyo 153-8904 Japan
| | - Keisuke Saito
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8654 Japan
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku Tokyo 153-8904 Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ishikita
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8654 Japan
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku Tokyo 153-8904 Japan
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22
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Sirohiwal A, Neese F, Pantazis DA. How Can We Predict Accurate Electrochromic Shifts for Biochromophores? A Case Study on the Photosynthetic Reaction Center. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:1858-1873. [PMID: 33566610 PMCID: PMC8023663 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c01152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Protein-embedded chromophores are responsible for light harvesting, excitation energy transfer, and charge separation in photosynthesis. A critical part of the photosynthetic apparatus are reaction centers (RCs), which comprise groups of (bacterio)chlorophyll and (bacterio)pheophytin molecules that transform the excitation energy derived from light absorption into charge separation. The lowest excitation energies of individual pigments (site energies) are key for understanding photosynthetic systems, and form a prime target for quantum chemistry. A major theoretical challenge is to accurately describe the electrochromic (Stark) shifts in site energies produced by the inhomogeneous electric field of the protein matrix. Here, we present large-scale quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations of electrochromic shifts for the RC chromophores of photosystem II (PSII) using various quantum chemical methods evaluated against the domain-based local pair natural orbital (DLPNO) implementation of the similarity-transformed equation of motion coupled cluster theory with single and double excitations (STEOM-CCSD). We show that certain range-separated density functionals (ωΒ97, ωΒ97X-V, ωΒ2PLYP, and LC-BLYP) correctly reproduce RC site energy shifts with time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). The popular CAM-B3LYP functional underestimates the shifts and is not recommended. Global hybrid functionals are too insensitive to the environment and should be avoided, while nonhybrid functionals are strictly nonapplicable. Among the applicable approximate coupled cluster methods, the canonical versions of CC2 and ADC(2) were found to deviate significantly from the reference results both for the description of the lowest excited state and for the electrochromic shifts. By contrast, their spin-component-scaled (SCS) and particularly the scale-opposite-spin (SOS) variants compare well with the reference DLPNO-STEOM-CCSD and the best range-separated DFT methods. The emergence of RC excitation asymmetry is discussed in terms of intrinsic and protein electrostatic potentials. In addition, we evaluate a minimal structural scaffold of PSII, the D1-D2-CytB559 RC complex often employed in experimental studies, and show that it would have the same site energy distribution of RC chromophores as the full PSII supercomplex, but only under the unlikely conditions that the core protein organization and cofactor arrangement remain identical to those of the intact enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Sirohiwal
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
- Fakultät
für Chemie und Biochemie, Ruhr-Universität
Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Frank Neese
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Dimitrios A. Pantazis
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
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23
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Non-conservative circular dichroism of photosystem II reaction centers: Is there an enhancement by a coupling with charge transfer states? J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2020.112883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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24
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Sirohiwal A, Neese F, Pantazis DA. Protein Matrix Control of Reaction Center Excitation in Photosystem II. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:18174-18190. [PMID: 33034453 PMCID: PMC7582616 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c08526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Photosystem II (PSII) is a multisubunit pigment-protein complex that uses light-induced charge separation to power oxygenic photosynthesis. Its reaction center chromophores, where the charge transfer cascade is initiated, are arranged symmetrically along the D1 and D2 core polypeptides and comprise four chlorophyll (PD1, PD2, ChlD1, ChlD2) and two pheophytin molecules (PheoD1 and PheoD2). Evolution favored productive electron transfer only via the D1 branch, with the precise nature of primary excitation and the factors that control asymmetric charge transfer remaining under investigation. Here we present a detailed atomistic description for both. We combine large-scale simulations of membrane-embedded PSII with high-level quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics (QM/MM) calculations of individual and coupled reaction center chromophores to describe reaction center excited states. We employ both range-separated time-dependent density functional theory and the recently developed domain based local pair natural orbital (DLPNO) implementation of the similarity transformed equation of motion coupled cluster theory with single and double excitations (STEOM-CCSD), the first coupled cluster QM/MM calculations of the reaction center. We find that the protein matrix is exclusively responsible for both transverse (chlorophylls versus pheophytins) and lateral (D1 versus D2 branch) excitation asymmetry, making ChlD1 the chromophore with the lowest site energy. Multipigment calculations show that the protein matrix renders the ChlD1 → PheoD1 charge-transfer the lowest energy excitation globally within the reaction center, lower than any pigment-centered local excitation. Remarkably, no low-energy charge transfer states are located within the "special pair" PD1-PD2, which is therefore excluded as the site of initial charge separation in PSII. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations suggest that modulation of the electrostatic environment due to protein conformational flexibility enables direct excitation of low-lying charge transfer states by far-red light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Sirohiwal
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
- Fakultät
für Chemie und Biochemie, Ruhr-Universität
Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Frank Neese
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Dimitrios A. Pantazis
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
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25
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Nguyen HH, Loukianov AD, Ogilvie JP, Abramavicius D. Two-dimensional electronic Stark spectroscopy of a photosynthetic dimer. J Chem Phys 2020; 153:144203. [PMID: 33086821 DOI: 10.1063/5.0021529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Stark spectroscopy, which measures changes in the linear absorption of a sample in the presence of an external DC electric field, is a powerful experimental tool for probing the existence of charge-transfer (CT) states in photosynthetic systems. CT states often have small transition dipole moments, making them insensitive to other spectroscopic methods, but are particularly sensitive to Stark spectroscopy due to their large permanent dipole moment. In a previous study, we demonstrated a new experimental method, two-dimensional electronic Stark spectroscopy (2DESS), which combines two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) and Stark spectroscopy. In order to understand how the presence of CT states manifest in 2DESS, here, we perform computational modeling and calculations of 2DESS as well as 2DES and Stark spectra, studying a photosynthetic dimer inspired by the photosystem II reaction center. We identify specific cases where qualitatively different sets of system parameters produce similar Stark and 2DES spectra but significantly different 2DESS spectra, showing the potential for 2DESS to aid in identifying CT states and their coupling to excitonic states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoang H Nguyen
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, 450 Church St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Anton D Loukianov
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, 450 Church St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Jennifer P Ogilvie
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, 450 Church St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Darius Abramavicius
- Institute of Chemical Physics, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 9-III, 10222 Vilnius, Lithuania
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26
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Kavanagh MA, Karlsson JKG, Colburn JD, Barter LMC, Gould IR. A TDDFT investigation of the Photosystem II reaction center: Insights into the precursors to charge separation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:19705-19712. [PMID: 32747579 PMCID: PMC7443915 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1922158117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Photosystem II (PS II) captures solar energy and directs charge separation (CS) across the thylakoid membrane during photosynthesis. The highly oxidizing, charge-separated state generated within its reaction center (RC) drives water oxidation. Spectroscopic studies on PS II RCs are difficult to interpret due to large spectral congestion, necessitating modeling to elucidate key spectral features. Herein, we present results from time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations on the largest PS II RC model reported to date. This model explicitly includes six RC chromophores and both the chlorin phytol chains and the amino acid residues <6 Å from the pigments' porphyrin ring centers. Comparing our wild-type model results with calculations on mutant D1-His-198-Ala and D2-His-197-Ala RCs, our simulated absorption-difference spectra reproduce experimentally observed shifts in known chlorophyll absorption bands, demonstrating the predictive capabilities of this model. We find that inclusion of both nearby residues and phytol chains is necessary to reproduce this behavior. Our calculations provide a unique opportunity to observe the molecular orbitals that contribute to the excited states that are precursors to CS. Strikingly, we observe two high oscillator strength, low-lying states, in which molecular orbitals are delocalized over ChlD1 and PheD1 as well as one weaker oscillator strength state with molecular orbitals delocalized over the P chlorophylls. Both these configurations are a match for previously identified exciton-charge transfer states (ChlD1+PheD1-)* and (PD2+PD1-)*. Our results demonstrate the power of TDDFT as a tool, for studies of natural photosynthesis, or indeed future studies of artificial photosynthetic complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve A Kavanagh
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, W12 0BZ London, United Kingdom
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, W12 0BZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Joshua K G Karlsson
- Molecular Photonics Laboratory, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan D Colburn
- School of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9ST, Scotland
| | - Laura M C Barter
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, W12 0BZ London, United Kingdom;
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, W12 0BZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Ian R Gould
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, W12 0BZ London, United Kingdom;
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, W12 0BZ London, United Kingdom
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27
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Asymmetry in Charge Transfer Pathways Caused by Pigment–Protein Interactions in the Photosystem II Reaction Center Complex. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10060718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This article discusses the photoinduced charge transfer (CT) kinetics within the reaction center complex of photosystem II (PSII RC). The PSII RC exhibits a structural symmetry in its arrangement of pigments forming two prominent branches, D1 and D2. Despite this symmetry, the CT has been observed to occur exclusively in the D1 branch. The mechanism to realize such functional asymmetry is yet to be understood. To approach this matter, we applied the theoretical tight-binding model of pigment excitations and simulated CT dynamics based upon the framework of an open quantum system. This simulation used a recently developed method of computation based on the quasi-adiabatic propagator path integral. A quantum CT state is found to be dynamically active when its site energy is resonant with the exciton energies of the PSII RC, regardless of the excitonic landscape we utilized. Through our investigation, it was found that the relative displacement between the local molecular energy levels of pigments can play a crucial role in realizing this resonance and therefore greatly affects the CT asymmetry in the PSII RC. Using this mechanism phenomenologically, we demonstrate that a near 100-to-1 ratio of reduction between the pheophytins in the D1 and D2 branches can be realized at both 77 K and 300 K. Our results indicate that the chlorophyll Chl D 1 is the most active precursor of the primary charge separation in the D1 branch and that the reduction of the pheophytins can occur within pico-seconds. Additionally, a broad resonance of the active CT state implies that a large static disorder observed in the CT state originates in the fluctuations of the relative displacements between the local molecular energy levels of the pigments in the PSII RC.
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28
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The primary donor of far-red photosystem II: Chl D1 or P D2? BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2020; 1861:148248. [PMID: 32565079 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2020.148248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Far-red light (FRL) Photosystem II (PSII) isolated from Chroococcidiopsis thermalis is studied using parallel analyses of low-temperature absorption, circular dichroism (CD) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopies in conjunction with fluorescence measurements. This extends earlier studies (Nurnberg et al 2018 Science 360 (2018) 1210-1213). We confirm that the chlorophyll absorbing at 726 nm is the primary electron donor. At 1.8 K efficient photochemistry occurs when exciting at 726 nm and shorter wavelengths; but not at wavelengths longer than 726 nm. The 726 nm absorption peak exhibits a 21 ± 4 cm-1 electrochromic shift due to formation of the semiquinone anion, QA-. Modelling indicates that no other FRL pigment is located among the 6 central reaction center chlorins: PD1, PD2 ChlD1, ChlD2, PheoD1 and PheoD2. Two of these chlorins, ChlD1 and PD2, are located at a distance and orientation relative to QA- so as to account for the observed electrochromic shift. Previously, ChlD1 was taken as the most likely candidate for the primary donor based on spectroscopy, sequence analysis and mechanistic arguments. Here, a more detailed comparison of the spectroscopic data with exciton modelling of the electrochromic pattern indicates that PD2 is at least as likely as ChlD1 to be responsible for the 726 nm absorption. The correspondence in sign and magnitude of the CD observed at 726 nm with that predicted from modelling favors PD2 as the primary donor. The pros and cons of PD2 vs ChlD1 as the location of the FRL-primary donor are discussed.
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29
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Turley AT, Danos A, Prlj A, Monkman AP, Curchod BFE, McGonigal PR, Etherington MK. Modulation of charge transfer by N-alkylation to control photoluminescence energy and quantum yield. Chem Sci 2020; 11:6990-6995. [PMID: 34122995 PMCID: PMC8159361 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc02460k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Charge transfer in organic fluorophores is a fundamental photophysical process that can be either beneficial, e.g., facilitating thermally activated delayed fluorescence, or detrimental, e.g., mediating emission quenching. N-Alkylation is shown to provide straightforward synthetic control of the charge transfer, emission energy and quantum yield of amine chromophores. We demonstrate this concept using quinine as a model. N-Alkylation causes changes in its emission that mirror those caused by changes in pH (i.e., protonation). Unlike protonation, however, alkylation of quinine's two N sites is performed in a stepwise manner to give kinetically stable species. This kinetic stability allows us to isolate and characterize an N-alkylated analogue of an ‘unnatural’ protonation state that is quaternized selectively at the less basic site, which is inaccessible using acid. These materials expose (i) the through-space charge-transfer excited state of quinine and (ii) the associated loss pathway, while (iii) developing a simple salt that outperforms quinine sulfate as a quantum yield standard. This N-alkylation approach can be applied broadly in the discovery of emissive materials by tuning charge-transfer states. A versatile N-alkylation strategy controls the presence of charge-transfer excited states and the emission colour of N-heterocyclic chromophores.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Turley
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University South Road Durham DH1 3LE UK
| | - Andrew Danos
- Department of Physics, Durham University South Road Durham DH1 3LE UK
| | - Antonio Prlj
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University South Road Durham DH1 3LE UK
| | - Andrew P Monkman
- Department of Physics, Durham University South Road Durham DH1 3LE UK
| | | | - Paul R McGonigal
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University South Road Durham DH1 3LE UK
| | - Marc K Etherington
- Department of Physics, Durham University South Road Durham DH1 3LE UK .,Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering, Northumbria University Ellison Place NE1 8ST UK
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30
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Ostroumov EE, Götze JP, Reus M, Lambrev PH, Holzwarth AR. Characterization of fluorescent chlorophyll charge-transfer states as intermediates in the excited state quenching of light-harvesting complex II. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2020; 144:171-193. [PMID: 32307623 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-020-00745-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) is the major antenna complex in higher plants and green algae. It has been suggested that a major part of the excited state energy dissipation in the so-called "non-photochemical quenching" (NPQ) is located in this antenna complex. We have performed an ultrafast kinetics study of the low-energy fluorescent states related to quenching in LHCII in both aggregated and the crystalline form. In both sample types the chlorophyll (Chl) excited states of LHCII are strongly quenched in a similar fashion. Quenching is accompanied by the appearance of new far-red (FR) fluorescence bands from energetically low-lying Chl excited states. The kinetics of quenching, its temperature dependence down to 4 K, and the properties of the FR-emitting states are very similar both in LHCII aggregates and in the crystal. No such FR-emitting states are found in unquenched trimeric LHCII. We conclude that these states represent weakly emitting Chl-Chl charge-transfer (CT) states, whose formation is part of the quenching process. Quantum chemical calculations of the lowest energy exciton and CT states, explicitly including the coupling to the specific protein environment, provide detailed insight into the chemical nature of the CT states and the mechanism of CT quenching. The experimental data combined with the results of the calculations strongly suggest that the quenching mechanism consists of a sequence of two proton-coupled electron transfer steps involving the three quenching center Chls 610/611/612. The FR-emitting CT states are reaction intermediates in this sequence. The polarity-controlled internal reprotonation of the E175/K179 aa pair is suggested as the switch controlling quenching. A unified model is proposed that is able to explain all known conditions of quenching or non-quenching of LHCII, depending on the environment without invoking any major conformational changes of the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny E Ostroumov
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, 45470, Mülheim a. d. Ruhr, Germany
- Quantum Matter Institute, University of British Columbia, 2355 East Mall, Vancouver, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Jan P Götze
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, 45470, Mülheim a. d. Ruhr, Germany
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 22, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Reus
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, 45470, Mülheim a. d. Ruhr, Germany
| | - Petar H Lambrev
- Biological Research Centre, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged, 6726, Hungary
| | - Alfred R Holzwarth
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, 45470, Mülheim a. d. Ruhr, Germany.
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31
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Wahadoszamen M, Krüger TPJ, Ara AM, van Grondelle R, Gwizdala M. Charge transfer states in phycobilisomes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2020; 1861:148187. [PMID: 32173383 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2020.148187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Phycobilisomes (PBs) absorb light and supply downstream photosynthetic processes with excitation energy in many cyanobacteria and algae. In response to a sudden increase in light intensity, excess excitation energy is photoprotectively dissipated in PBs by means of the orange carotenoid protein (OCP)-related mechanism or via a light-activated intrinsic decay channel. Recently, we have identified that both mechanisms are associated with far-red emission states. Here, we investigate the far-red states involved with the light-induced intrinsic mechanism by exploring the energy landscape and electro-optical properties of the pigments in PBs. While Stark spectroscopy showed that the far-red states in PBs exhibit a strong charge-transfer (CT) character at cryogenic temperatures, single molecule spectroscopy revealed that CT states should also be present at room temperature. Owing to the strong environmental sensitivity of CT states, the knowledge gained from this study may contribute to the design of a new generation of fluorescence markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Wahadoszamen
- Department of Physics, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Tjaart P J Krüger
- Department of Physics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0023, South Africa
| | - Anjue Mane Ara
- Department of Physics, Jagannath University, Dhaka 1100, Bangladesh
| | - Rienk van Grondelle
- Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Michal Gwizdala
- Department of Physics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0023, South Africa; Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081 HV, the Netherlands.
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32
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Oviedo-Casado S, Šanda F, Hauer J, Prior J. Magnetic pulses enable multidimensional optical spectroscopy of dark states. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:084201. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5139409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Oviedo-Casado
- Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Cartagena 30202, Spain
| | - František Šanda
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 5, Prague 121 16, Czech Republic
- Fakultät für Chemie, TU München, Oettingenstraße 67, 80538 Munich, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hauer
- Fakultät für Chemie, TU München, Oettingenstraße 67, 80538 Munich, Germany
- Photonics Institute, TU Wien, Gußhausstraße 27-29, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Javier Prior
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Cartagena 30202, Spain
- Instituto Carlos I de Física Teórica y Computacional, Universidad de Granada, Granada 18071, Spain
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33
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Müh F, Zouni A. Structural basis of light-harvesting in the photosystem II core complex. Protein Sci 2020; 29:1090-1119. [PMID: 32067287 PMCID: PMC7184784 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Photosystem II (PSII) is a membrane-spanning, multi-subunit pigment-protein complex responsible for the oxidation of water and the reduction of plastoquinone in oxygenic photosynthesis. In the present review, the recent explosive increase in available structural information about the PSII core complex based on X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy is described at a level of detail that is suitable for a future structure-based analysis of light-harvesting processes. This description includes a proposal for a consistent numbering scheme of protein-bound pigment cofactors across species. The structural survey is complemented by an overview of the state of affairs in structure-based modeling of excitation energy transfer in the PSII core complex with emphasis on electrostatic computations, optical properties of the reaction center, the assignment of long-wavelength chlorophylls, and energy trapping mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Müh
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Athina Zouni
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute for Biology, Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Berlin, Germany
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34
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Van Wittenberghe S, Alonso L, Malenovský Z, Moreno J. In vivo photoprotection mechanisms observed from leaf spectral absorbance changes showing VIS-NIR slow-induced conformational pigment bed changes. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2019; 142:283-305. [PMID: 31541418 PMCID: PMC6874624 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-019-00664-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Regulated heat dissipation under excessive light comprises a complexity of mechanisms, whereby the supramolecular light-harvesting pigment-protein complex (LHC) shifts state from light harvesting towards heat dissipation, quenching the excess of photo-induced excitation energy in a non-photochemical way. Based on whole-leaf spectroscopy measuring upward and downward spectral radiance fluxes, we studied spectrally contiguous (hyperspectral) transient time series of absorbance A(λ,t) and passively induced chlorophyll fluorescence F(λ,t) dynamics of intact leaves in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths (VIS-NIR, 400-800 nm) after sudden strong natural-like illumination exposure. Besides light avoidance mechanism, we observed on absorbance signatures, calculated from simultaneous reflectance R(λ,t) and transmittance T(λ,t) measurements as A(λ,t) = 1 - R(λ,t) - T(λ,t), major dynamic events with specific onsets and kinetical behaviour. A consistent well-known fast carotenoid absorbance feature (500-570 nm) appears within the first seconds to minutes, seen from both the reflected (backscattered) and transmitted (forward scattered) radiance differences. Simultaneous fast Chl features are observed, either as an increased or decreased scattering behaviour during quick light adjustment consistent with re-organizations of the membrane. The carotenoid absorbance feature shows up simultaneously with a major F decrease and corresponds to the xanthophyll conversion, as quick response to the proton gradient build-up. After xanthophyll conversion (t = 3 min), a kinetically slower but major and smooth absorbance increase was occasionally observed from the transmitted radiance measurements as wide peaks in the green (~ 550 nm) and the near-infrared (~ 750 nm) wavelengths, involving no further F quenching. Surprisingly, in relation to the response to high light, this broad and consistent VIS-NIR feature indicates a slowly induced absorbance increase with a sigmoid kinetical behaviour. In analogy to sub-leaf-level observations, we suggest that this mechanism can be explained by a structure-induced low-energy-shifted energy redistribution involving both Car and Chl. These findings might pave the way towards a further non-invasive spectral investigation of antenna conformations and their relations with energy quenching at the intact leaf level, which is, in combination with F measurements, of a high importance for assessing plant photosynthesis in vivo and in addition from remote observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shari Van Wittenberghe
- Laboratory of Earth Observation, Image Processing Laboratory, University of Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia Spain
- Optics of Photosynthesis Laboratory, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Forest Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Luis Alonso
- Laboratory of Earth Observation, Image Processing Laboratory, University of Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia Spain
| | - Zbyněk Malenovský
- Geography and Spatial Sciences, School of Technology, Environments and Design, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 76, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia
| | - José Moreno
- Laboratory of Earth Observation, Image Processing Laboratory, University of Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia Spain
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35
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Segatta F, Cupellini L, Garavelli M, Mennucci B. Quantum Chemical Modeling of the Photoinduced Activity of Multichromophoric Biosystems. Chem Rev 2019; 119:9361-9380. [PMID: 31276384 PMCID: PMC6716121 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Multichromophoric biosystems represent a broad family with very diverse members, ranging from light-harvesting pigment-protein complexes to nucleic acids. The former are designed to capture, harvest, efficiently transport, and transform energy from sunlight for photosynthesis, while the latter should dissipate the absorbed radiation as quickly as possible to prevent photodamages and corruption of the carried genetic information. Because of the unique electronic and structural characteristics, the modeling of their photoinduced activity is a real challenge. Numerous approaches have been devised building on the theoretical development achieved for single chromophores and on model Hamiltonians that capture the essential features of the system. Still, a question remains: is a general strategy for the accurate modeling of multichromophoric systems possible? By using a quantum chemical point of view, here we review the advancements developed so far highlighting differences and similarities with the single chromophore treatment. Finally, we outline the important limitations and challenges that still need to be tackled to reach a complete and accurate picture of their photoinduced properties and dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Segatta
- Dipartimento
di Chimica Industriale “Toso Montanari” University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Cupellini
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, University
of Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Garavelli
- Dipartimento
di Chimica Industriale “Toso Montanari” University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Benedetta Mennucci
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, University
of Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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36
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Fujihashi Y, Higashi M, Ishizaki A. Intramolecular Vibrations Complement the Robustness of Primary Charge Separation in a Dimer Model of the Photosystem II Reaction Center. J Phys Chem Lett 2018; 9:4921-4929. [PMID: 30095266 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b02119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The energy conversion of oxygenic photosynthesis is triggered by primary charge separation in proteins at the photosystem II reaction center. Here, we investigate the impacts of the protein environment and intramolecular vibrations on primary charge separation at the photosystem II reaction center. This is accomplished by combining the quantum dynamic theories of condensed phase electron transfer with quantum chemical calculations to evaluate the vibrational Huang-Rhys factors of chlorophyll and pheophytin molecules. We report that individual vibrational modes play a minor role in promoting charge separation, contrary to the discussion in recent publications. Nevertheless, these small contributions accumulate to considerably influence the charge separation rate, resulting in subpicosecond charge separation almost independent of the driving force and temperature. We suggest that the intramolecular vibrations complement the robustness of the charge separation in the photosystem II reaction center against the inherently large static disorder of the involved electronic energies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Fujihashi
- Institute for Molecular Science , National Institutes of Natural Sciences , Okazaki 444-8585 , Japan
| | - Masahiro Higashi
- Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Marine Science , University of the Ryukyus , 1 Senbaru , Nishihara , Okinawa 903-0213 , Japan
| | - Akihito Ishizaki
- Institute for Molecular Science , National Institutes of Natural Sciences , Okazaki 444-8585 , Japan
- School of Physical Sciences , The Graduate University for Advanced Studies , Okazaki 444-8585 , Japan
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37
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Novoderezhkin VI, Romero E, Prior J, van Grondelle R. Exciton-vibrational resonance and dynamics of charge separation in the photosystem II reaction center. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 19:5195-5208. [PMID: 28149991 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp07308e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The dynamics of charge separation in the photosystem II reaction center (PSII-RC) in the presence of intramolecular vibrations with their frequency matching the energy gap between the exciton state acting as the primary electron donor and the first charge-transfer (CT) state are investigated. A reduced PSII-RC 4-state model explicitly including a CT state is analyzed within Redfield relaxation theory in the multidimensional exciton-vibrational (vibronic) basis. This model is used to study coherent energy/electron transfers and their spectral signatures obtained by two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES). Modeling of the time-resolved 2D frequency maps obtained by wavelet analysis reveals the origins of the coherences which produce the observed oscillating features in 2DES and allows comparing the lifetimes of the coherences. The results suggest faster excitonic decoherence as compared with longer-lived vibronic oscillations. The emerging picture of the dynamics unravels the role of resonant vibrations in sustaining the effective energy conversion in the PSII-RC. We demonstrate that the mixing of the exciton and CT states promoted by a resonant vibrational quantum allows faster penetration of excitation energy into the CT with subsequent dynamic localization at the bottom of the CT potential induced by the remaining non-resonant nuclear modes. The degree of vibration-assisted mixing and, correspondingly, the rate of primary charge separation, increases significantly in the case of electron-vibrational resonance. The observed features illustrate the principles of quantum design of the photosynthetic unit. These principles are connected with the phenomenon of coherent mixing within vibronic eigenstates, increasing the effectiveness of charge separation not only upon coherent and impulsive laser excitation utilized in the 2DES experiment, but also under natural conditions under non-coherent non-impulsive solar light illumination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir I Novoderezhkin
- A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 119992, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Elisabet Romero
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Javier Prior
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Cartagena 30202, Spain
| | - Rienk van Grondelle
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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38
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Primary Charge Separation in the Photosystem II Reaction Center Revealed by a Global Analysis of the Two-dimensional Electronic Spectra. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12347. [PMID: 28955056 PMCID: PMC5617839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12564-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The transfer of electronic charge in the reaction center of Photosystem II is one of the key building blocks of the conversion of sunlight energy into chemical energy within the cascade of the photosynthetic reactions. Since the charge transfer dynamics is mixed with the energy transfer dynamics, an effective tool for the direct resolution of charge separation in the reaction center is still missing. Here, we use experimental two-dimensional optical photon echo spectroscopy in combination with the theoretical calculation to resolve its signature. A global fitting analysis allows us to clearly and directly identify a decay pathway associated to the primary charge separation. In particular, it can be distinguished from regular energy transfer and occurs on a time scale of 1.5 ps under ambient conditions. This technique provides a general tool to identify charge separation signatures from the energy transport in two-dimensional optical spectroscopy.
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39
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Gelzinis A, Abramavicius D, Ogilvie JP, Valkunas L. Spectroscopic properties of photosystem II reaction center revisited. J Chem Phys 2017; 147:115102. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4997527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrius Gelzinis
- Department of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 9-III, 10222 Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Molecular Compound Physics, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Sauletekio 3, 10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Darius Abramavicius
- Department of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 9-III, 10222 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jennifer P. Ogilvie
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Leonas Valkunas
- Department of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 9-III, 10222 Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Molecular Compound Physics, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Sauletekio 3, 10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
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40
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Quantum design of photosynthesis for bio-inspired solar-energy conversion. Nature 2017; 543:355-365. [PMID: 28300093 DOI: 10.1038/nature22012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is the natural process that converts solar photons into energy-rich products that are needed to drive the biochemistry of life. Two ultrafast processes form the basis of photosynthesis: excitation energy transfer and charge separation. Under optimal conditions, every photon that is absorbed is used by the photosynthetic organism. Fundamental quantum mechanics phenomena, including delocalization, underlie the speed, efficiency and directionality of the charge-separation process. At least four design principles are active in natural photosynthesis, and these can be applied practically to stimulate the development of bio-inspired, human-made energy conversion systems.
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41
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Quantum - coherent dynamics in photosynthetic charge separation revealed by wavelet analysis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2890. [PMID: 28588203 PMCID: PMC5460264 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02906-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental/theoretical evidence for sustained vibration-assisted electronic (vibronic) coherence in the Photosystem II Reaction Center (PSII RC) indicates that photosynthetic solar-energy conversion might be optimized through the interplay of electronic and vibrational quantum dynamics. This evidence has been obtained by investigating the primary charge separation process in the PSII RC by two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) and Redfield modeling of the experimental data. However, while conventional Fourier transform analysis of the 2DES data allows oscillatory signatures of vibronic coherence to be identified in the frequency domain in the form of static 2D frequency maps, the real-time evolution of the coherences is lost. Here we apply for the first time wavelet analysis to the PSII RC 2DES data to obtain time-resolved 2D frequency maps. These maps allow us to demonstrate that (i) coherence between the excitons initiating the two different charge separation pathways is active for more than 500 fs, and (ii) coherence between exciton and charge-transfer states, the reactant and product of the charge separation reaction, respectively; is active for at least 1 ps. These findings imply that the PSII RC employs coherence (i) to sample competing electron transfer pathways, and ii) to perform directed, ultrafast and efficient electron transfer.
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42
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Müh F, Plöckinger M, Renger T. Electrostatic Asymmetry in the Reaction Center of Photosystem II. J Phys Chem Lett 2017; 8:850-858. [PMID: 28151674 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.6b02823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The exciton Hamiltonian of the chlorophyll (Chl) and pheophytin (Pheo) pigments in the reaction center (RC) of photosystem II is computed based on recent crystal structures by using the Poisson-Boltzmann/quantum-chemical method. Computed site energies largely confirm a previous model inferred from fits of optical spectra, in which ChlD1 has the lowest site energy, while that of PheoD1 is higher than that of PheoD2. The latter assignment has been challenged recently under reference to mutagenesis experiments. We argue that these data are not in contradiction to our results. We conclude that ChlD1 is the primary electron donor in both isolated RCs and intact core complexes at least at cryogenic temperatures. The main source of asymmetry in site energies is the charge distribution in the protein. Because many small contributions from various structural elements have to be taken into account, it can be assumed that this asymmetry was established in evolution by global optimization of the RC protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Müh
- Institute of Theoretical Physics, Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz , Altenberger Strasse 69, AT-4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Melanie Plöckinger
- Institute of Theoretical Physics, Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz , Altenberger Strasse 69, AT-4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Thomas Renger
- Institute of Theoretical Physics, Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz , Altenberger Strasse 69, AT-4040 Linz, Austria
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43
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Kramer T, Rodríguez M, Zelinskyy Y. Modeling of Transient Absorption Spectra in Exciton–Charge-Transfer Systems. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:463-470. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b09858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Kramer
- Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum für Informationstechnik Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department
of Physics, Harvard University, 17 Oxford Street, 02138 Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Mirta Rodríguez
- Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum für Informationstechnik Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Yaroslav Zelinskyy
- Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum für Informationstechnik Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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44
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Chen HB, Chiu PY, Chen YN. Vibration-induced coherence enhancement of the performance of a biological quantum heat engine. Phys Rev E 2016; 94:052101. [PMID: 27967118 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.94.052101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthesis has been a long-standing research interest due to its fundamental importance. Recently, studies on photosynthesis processes also have inspired attention from a thermodynamical aspect when considering photosynthetic apparatuses as biological quantum heat engines. Quantum coherence is shown to play a crucial role in enhancing the performance of these quantum heat engines. Based on the experimentally reported structure, we propose a quantum heat engine model with a non-Markovian vibrational mode. We show that one can obtain a performance enhancement easily for a wide range of parameters in the presence of the vibrational mode. Our results provide insights into the photosynthetic processes and a design principle mimicking natural organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Bin Chen
- Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Pin-Yi Chiu
- Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Nan Chen
- Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.,Physics Division, National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
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45
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Wahadoszamen M, Belgio E, Rahman MA, Ara AM, Ruban AV, van Grondelle R. Identification and characterization of multiple emissive species in aggregated minor antenna complexes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2016; 1857:1917-1924. [PMID: 27666345 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 09/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation induced conformational change of light harvesting antenna complexes is believed to constitute one of the pathways through which photosynthetic organisms can safely dissipate the surplus of energy while exposed to saturating light. In this study, Stark fluorescence (SF) spectroscopy is applied to minor antenna complexes (CP24, CP26 and CP29) both in their light-harvesting and energy-dissipating states to trace and characterize different species generated upon energy dissipation through aggregation (in-vitro) induced conformational change. SF spectroscopy could identify three spectral species in the dissipative state of CP24, two in CP26 and only one in CP29. The comprehensive analysis of the SF spectra yielded different sets of molecular parameters for the multiple spectral species identified in CP24 or CP26, indicating the involvement of different pigments in their formation. Interestingly, a species giving emission around the 730nm spectral region is found to form in both CP24 and CP26 following transition to the energy dissipative state, but not in CP29. The SF analyses revealed that the far red species has exceptionally large charge transfer (CT) character in the excited state. Moreover, the far red species was found to be formed invariably in both Zeaxanthin (Z)- and Violaxathin (V)-enriched CP24 and CP26 antennas with identical CT character but with larger emission yield in Z-enriched ones. This suggests that the carotenoid Z is not directly involved but only confers an allosteric effect on the formation of the far red species. Similar far red species with remarkably large CT character were also observed in the dissipative state of the major light harvesting antenna (LHCII) of plants [Wahadoszamen et al. PCCP, 2012], the fucoxanthin-chlorophyll protein (FCP) of brown algae [Wahadoszamen et al. BBA, 2014] and cyanobacterial IsiA [Wahadoszamen et al. BBA, 2015], thus pointing to identical sites and pigments active in the formation of the far red quenching species in different organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Wahadoszamen
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Physics, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.
| | - Erica Belgio
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Opatovický mlýn, 379 81 Třeboň, Czech Republic; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Queen Mary University of London
| | - Md Ashiqur Rahman
- Department of Physics, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Khulna 9203, Bangladesh
| | - Anjue Mane Ara
- Department of Physics, Jagannath University, Dhaka 1100, Bangladesh
| | - Alexander V Ruban
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Queen Mary University of London
| | - Rienk van Grondelle
- Biophysics of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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46
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Zheng F, Jin M, Mančal T, Zhao Y. Study of Electronic Structures and Pigment–Protein Interactions in the Reaction Center of Thermochromatium tepidum with a Dynamic Environment. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:10046-10058. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b06628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Fulu Zheng
- Division
of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Mengting Jin
- Division
of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Tomáš Mančal
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague, Ke Karlovu
5, 121 16 Prague
2, Czech Republic
| | - Yang Zhao
- Division
of Materials Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
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47
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Novoderezhkin VI, Romero E, van Grondelle R. How exciton-vibrational coherences control charge separation in the photosystem II reaction center. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 17:30828-41. [PMID: 25854607 DOI: 10.1039/c5cp00582e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
In photosynthesis absorbed sun light produces collective excitations (excitons) that form a coherent superposition of electronic and vibrational states of the individual pigments. Two-dimensional (2D) electronic spectroscopy allows a visualization of how these coherences are involved in the primary processes of energy and charge transfer. Based on quantitative modeling we identify the exciton-vibrational coherences observed in 2D photon echo of the photosystem II reaction center (PSII-RC). We find that the vibrations resonant with the exciton splittings can modify the delocalization of the exciton states and produce additional states, thus promoting directed energy transfer and allowing a switch between the two charge separation pathways. We conclude that the coincidence of the frequencies of the most intense vibrations with the splittings within the manifold of exciton and charge-transfer states in the PSII-RC is not occurring by chance, but reflects a fundamental principle of how energy conversion in photosynthesis was optimized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir I Novoderezhkin
- A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 119992, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Elisabet Romero
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rienk van Grondelle
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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48
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Dinh TC, Renger T. Lineshape theory of pigment-protein complexes: How the finite relaxation time of nuclei influences the exciton relaxation-induced lifetime broadening. J Chem Phys 2016; 145:034105. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4958322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thanh-Chung Dinh
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Str. 69, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Thomas Renger
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Str. 69, 4040 Linz, Austria
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49
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Challenges facing an understanding of the nature of low-energy excited states in photosynthesis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2016; 1857:1627-1640. [PMID: 27372198 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
While the majority of the photochemical states and pathways related to the biological capture of solar energy are now well understood and provide paradigms for artificial device design, additional low-energy states have been discovered in many systems with obscure origins and significance. However, as low-energy states are naively expected to be critical to function, these observations pose important challenges. A review of known properties of low energy states covering eight photochemical systems, and options for their interpretation, are presented. A concerted experimental and theoretical research strategy is suggested and outlined, this being aimed at providing a fully comprehensive understanding.
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50
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The lowest-energy chlorophyll of photosystem II is adjacent to the peripheral antenna: Emitting states of CP47 assigned via circularly polarized luminescence. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2016; 1857:1580-1593. [PMID: 27342201 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The identification of low-energy chlorophyll pigments in photosystem II (PSII) is critical to our understanding of the kinetics and mechanism of this important enzyme. We report parallel circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) measurements at liquid helium temperatures of the proximal antenna protein CP47. This assembly hosts the lowest-energy chlorophylls in PSII, responsible for the well-known "F695" fluorescence band of thylakoids and PSII core complexes. Our new spectra enable a clear identification of the lowest-energy exciton state of CP47. This state exhibits a small but measurable excitonic delocalization, as predicated by its CD and CPL. Using structure-based simulations incorporating the new spectra, we propose a revised set of site energies for the 16 chlorophylls of CP47. The significant difference from previous analyses is that the lowest-energy pigment is assigned as Chl 612 (alternately numbered Chl 11). The new assignment is readily reconciled with the large number of experimental observations in the literature, while the most common previous assignment for the lowest energy pigment, Chl 627(29), is shown to be inconsistent with CD and CPL results. Chl 612(11) is near the peripheral light-harvesting system in higher plants, in a lumen-exposed region of the thylakoid membrane. The low-energy pigment is also near a recently proposed binding site of the PsbS protein. This result consequently has significant implications for our understanding of the kinetics and regulation of energy transfer in PSII.
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