Photosystem II: an enzyme of global significance

2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 619-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Barber
Keyword(s):  
Photosystem Ii ◽  
Water Splitting ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Metal Cluster ◽  
Thylakoid Membranes ◽  
Chemical System ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
Structural Details ◽  
Lipid Environment

Photosystem II (PSII) is a multisubunit enzyme embedded in the lipid environment of the thylakoid membranes of plants, algae and cyanobacteria. Powered by light, this enzyme catalyses the chemically and thermodynamically demanding reaction of water splitting. In so doing, it releases dioxygen into the atmosphere and provides the reducing equivalents required for the conversion of CO2 into the organic molecules of life. Recently, a fully refined structure of a 700 kDa cyanobacterial dimeric PSII complex was elucidated by X-ray crystallography which gave organizational and structural details of the 19 subunits (16 intrinsic and three extrinsic) which make up each monomer and provided information about the position and protein environments of 57 different cofactors. The water-splitting site was revealed as a cluster of four Mn ions and a Ca2+ ion surrounded by amino acid side chains, of which six or seven form direct ligands to the metals. The metal cluster was modelled as a cubane-like structure composed of three Mn ions and the Ca2+ linked by oxo-bonds with the fourth Mn attached to the cubane via one of its oxygens. The overall structure of the catalytic site is providing a framework to develop a mechanistic scheme for the water-splitting process, knowledge which could have significant implications for mimicking the reaction in an artificial chemical system.

‘Photosystem II: the water splitting enzyme of photosynthesis and the origin of oxygen in our atmosphere’

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Barber
Keyword(s):  
Photosystem Ii ◽  
Water Splitting ◽  
Water Oxidation ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Metal Cluster ◽  
Oxygen Evolving Complex ◽  
Structural Details ◽  
Unlimited Supply ◽  
Lipid Environment ◽  
Oxygen Evolving

AbstractAbout 3 billion years ago an enzyme emerged which would dramatically change the chemical composition of our planet and set in motion an unprecedented explosion in biological activity. This enzyme used solar energy to power the thermodynamically and chemically demanding reaction of water splitting. In so doing it provided biology with an unlimited supply of reducing equivalents needed to convert carbon dioxide into the organic molecules of life while at the same time produced oxygen to transform our planetary atmosphere from an anaerobic to an aerobic state. The enzyme which facilitates this reaction and therefore underpins virtually all life on our planet is known as Photosystem II (PSII). It is a pigment-binding, multisubunit protein complex embedded in the lipid environment of the thylakoid membranes of plants, algae and cyanobacteria. Today we have detailed understanding of the structure and functioning of this key and unique enzyme. The journey to this level of knowledge can be traced back to the discovery of oxygen itself in the 18th-century. Since then there has been a sequence of mile stone discoveries which makes a fascinating story, stretching over 200 years. But it is the last few years that have provided the level of detail necessary to reveal the chemistry of water oxidation and O–O bond formation. In particular, the crystal structure of the isolated PSII enzyme has been reported with ever increasing improvement in resolution. Thus the organisational and structural details of its many subunits and cofactors are now well understood. The water splitting site was revealed as a cluster of four Mn ions and a Ca ion surrounded by amino-acid side chains, of which seven provide direct ligands to the metals. The metal cluster is organised as a cubane structure composed of three Mn ions and a Ca2+ linked by oxo-bonds with the fourth Mn ion attached to the cubane. This structure has now been synthesised in a non-protein environment suggesting that it is a totally inorganic precursor for the evolution of the photosynthetic oxygen-evolving complex. In summary, the overall structure of the catalytic site has given a framework on which to build a mechanistic scheme for photosynthetic dioxygen generation and at the same time provide a blue-print and incentive to develop catalysts for artificial photo-electrochemical systems to split water and generate renewable solar fuels.

scholarly journals The structure of the Mn 4 Ca 2+ cluster of photosystem II and its protein environment as revealed by X-ray crystallography

2007 ◽  
Vol 363 (1494) ◽  
pp. 1129-1138 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Barber ◽  
James W Murray
Keyword(s):  
Fine Structure ◽  
Photosystem Ii ◽  
Water Splitting ◽  
Metal Ion ◽  
Spectroscopic Techniques ◽  
Precise Position ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
X Ray Absorption ◽  
Protein Environment

The location, structure and protein environment of the Mn 4 Ca 2+ cluster, which catalyses the light-driven, water-splitting reaction of photosystem II, has been revealed by X-ray crystallography. However, owing to the low resolutions of the crystal structures reported to date, and the possibility of radiation damage at the catalytic centre, the precise position of each metal ion remains unknown. To some extent, these problems have been overcome by applying spectroscopic techniques like extended X-ray absorption fine structure. Taking into account the most recent results obtained with these two X-ray-based techniques, we have attempted to refine models of the structure of the Mn 4 Ca 2+ cluster and its protein environment.

Photosynthetic water splitting by the Mn4Ca2+OX catalyst of photosystem II: its structure, robustness and mechanism

2017 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Barber
Keyword(s):  
Photosystem Ii ◽  
Water Splitting ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Metal Cluster ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Reaction Centre ◽  
Light Reaction ◽  
Terminal Electron Acceptor ◽  
Lipid Environment ◽  
Reducing Equivalents

AbstractThe biological energy cycle of our planet is driven by photosynthesis whereby sunlight is absorbed by chlorophyll and other accessory pigments. The excitation energy is then efficiently transferred to a reaction centre where charge separation occurs in a few picoseconds. In the case of photosystem II (PSII), the energy of the charge transfer state is used to split water into oxygen and reducing equivalents. This is accomplished by the relatively low energy content of four photons of visible light. PSII is a large multi-subunit membrane protein complex embedded in the lipid environment of the thylakoid membranes of plants, algae and cyanobacteria. Four high energy electrons, together with four protons (4H+), are used to reduce plastoquinone (PQ), the terminal electron acceptor of PSII, to plastoquinol (PQH2). PQH2 passes its reducing equivalents to an electron transfer chain which feeds into photosystem I (PSI) where they gain additional reducing potential from a second light reaction which is necessary to drive CO2 reduction. The catalytic centre of PSII consists of a cluster of four Mn ions and a Ca2+ linked by oxo bonds. In addition, there are seven amino acid ligands. In this Article, I discuss the structure of this metal cluster, its stability and the probability that an acid-base (nucleophilic-electrophilic) mechanism catalyses the water splitting reaction on the surface of the metal-cluster. Evidence for this mechanism is presented from studies on water splitting catalysts consisting of organo-complexes of ruthenium and manganese and also by comparison with the enzymology of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH). Finally the relevance of our understanding of PSII is discussed in terms of artificial photosynthesis with emphasis on inorganic water splitting catalysts as oxygen generating photoelectrodes.

scholarly journals High-resolution cryo-EM structure of photosystem II reveals damage from high-dose electron beams

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Koji Kato ◽  
Naoyuki Miyazaki ◽  
Tasuku Hamaguchi ◽  
Yoshiki Nakajima ◽  
Fusamichi Akita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Photosystem Ii ◽  
Physiological State ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Final State ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Redox States ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Redox Active ◽  
Beam Damage

AbstractPhotosystem II (PSII) plays a key role in water-splitting and oxygen evolution. X-ray crystallography has revealed its atomic structure and some intermediate structures. However, these structures are in the crystalline state and its final state structure has not been solved. Here we analyzed the structure of PSII in solution at 1.95 Å resolution by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The structure obtained is similar to the crystal structure, but a PsbY subunit was visible in the cryo-EM structure, indicating that it represents its physiological state more closely. Electron beam damage was observed at a high-dose in the regions that were easily affected by redox states, and reducing the beam dosage by reducing frames from 50 to 2 yielded a similar resolution but reduced the damage remarkably. This study will serve as a good indicator for determining damage-free cryo-EM structures of not only PSII but also all biological samples, especially redox-active metalloproteins.

Cryo-Electron Microscopy: Moving Beyond X-Ray Crystal Structures for Drug Receptors and Drug Development

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier García-Nafría ◽  
Christopher G. Tate
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
Receptor Modulation ◽  
Lipid Environment ◽  
Drug Receptors

Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) has revolutionized structure determination of membrane proteins and holds great potential for structure-based drug discovery. Here we discuss the potential of cryo-EM in the rational design of therapeutics for membrane proteins compared to X-ray crystallography. We also detail recent progress in the field of drug receptors, focusing on cryo-EM of two protein families with established therapeutic value, the γ-aminobutyric acid A receptors (GABAARs) and G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). GABAARs are pentameric ion channels, and cryo-EM structures of physiological heteromeric receptors in a lipid environment have uncovered the molecular basis of receptor modulation by drugs such as diazepam. The structures of ten GPCR–G protein complexes from three different classes of GPCRs have now been determined by cryo-EM. These structures give detailed insights into molecular interactions with drugs, GPCR–G protein selectivity, how accessory membrane proteins alter receptor–ligand pharmacology, and the mechanism by which HIV uses GPCRs to enter host cells.

scholarly journals General discussion summary

2002 ◽  
Vol 357 (1426) ◽  
pp. 1419-1420 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Water Splitting ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
And Function ◽  
Splitting Process

This general discussion was chaired by A. W. Rutherford ( Service de Bioénergétique, Saclay, France ) and revolved around two major topics: (i) the implications of X–ray crystallography on the relationships between structure and function; (ii) the molecular mechanisms of the water–splitting process.

scholarly journals Temperature-dependent macromolecular X-ray crystallography

2010 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 437-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Weik ◽  
Jacques-Philippe Colletier
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Damage ◽  
Routine Data ◽  
Dynamical Behaviour ◽  
Biological Macromolecules ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
Structural Details ◽  
Induced Changes ◽  
Structural Insights ◽  
Reaction Initiation

X-ray crystallography provides structural details of biological macromolecules. Whereas routine data are collected close to 100 K in order to mitigate radiation damage, more exotic temperature-controlled experiments in a broader temperature range from 15 K to room temperature can provide both dynamical and structural insights. Here, the dynamical behaviour of crystalline macromolecules and their surrounding solvent as a function of cryo-temperature is reviewed. Experimental strategies of kinetic crystallography are discussed that have allowed the generation and trapping of macromolecular intermediate states by combining reaction initiation in the crystalline state with appropriate temperature profiles. A particular focus is on recruiting X-ray-induced changes for reaction initiation, thus unveiling useful aspects of radiation damage, which otherwise has to be minimized in macromolecular crystallography.

scholarly journals Bicarbonate Activation of Monomeric Photosystem II-PsbS/Psb27 Complex

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. William Rutherford ◽  
Andrea Fantuzzi ◽  
Dario Piano ◽  
Patrycja Haniewicz ◽  
Domenica Farci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Transfer ◽  
Photosystem Ii ◽  
Water Splitting ◽  
Thylakoid Membranes ◽  
Protective Mechanism ◽  
Slow Electron ◽  
Enhanced Fluorescence ◽  
Transfer Rates ◽  
Redox Tuning ◽  
In Transit

In thylakoid membranes, Photosystem II monomers from the stromal lamellae contain the subunits PsbS and Psb27 (PSIIm-S/27), while Photosystem II monomers from granal regions (PSIIm) lack these subunits. Here, we have isolated and characterised these two types of Photosystem II complexes. The PSIIm-S/27 showed enhanced fluorescence, the near-absence of oxygen evolution, as well as limited and slow electron transfer from QA to QB compared to the near-normal activities in the granal PSIIm. However, when bicarbonate was added to the PSIIm-S/27, water splitting and QA to QB electron transfer rates were comparable to those in granal PSIIm. The findings suggest that the binding of PsbS and/or Psb27 inhibits forward electron transfer and lowers the binding affinity for the bicarbonate. This can be rationalized in terms of the recently discovered photoprotection role played by bicarbonate binding via the redox tuning of the QA/QA?- couple, which controls the charge recombination route, and this limits chlorophyll triplet mediated 1O2 formation (Brinkert K et al. (2016) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 113(43):12144-12149). These findings suggest that PSIIm-S/27 is an intermediate in the assembly of PSII in which PsbS and/or Psb27 restrict PSII activity while in transit, by using a bicarbonate-mediated switch and protective mechanism.

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