Article
Plant Sciences
Liping Che, Han Meng, Junxiang Ruan, Lianwei Peng, Lin Zhang
Summary: RBD1 is crucial for PSII assembly in higher plants, as it not only contributes to the formation of functional PSII core complex, but also participates in the translation of D1 protein.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yu Sugo, Keisuke Saito, Hiroshi Ishikita
Summary: This study focuses on the electron and proton transfer process of the secondary quinone QB in photosynthetic reaction centers from purple bacteria, identifying PT pathways involving Grotthuss-like pre-PT H-bond network and low-barrier H-bond formation. The findings also reveal a water molecule chain connecting protonated Glu-L212 and deprotonated His-L190, serving as a pathway for reprotonation of His-L190.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lisa M. Utschig, Udita Brahmachari, Karen L. Mulfort, Jens Niklas, Oleg G. Poluektov
Summary: Flavin chemistry plays a ubiquitous role in biological systems, especially in photosynthesis where it facilitates electron transfer and charge accumulation. Understanding the mechanisms of photosynthetic charge accumulation is important for the development of photon-to-fuel schemes. This study reveals the crucial role of flavoproteins in the light-driven electron transfer chain and provides valuable insights for further research in this area.
Article
Plant Sciences
Long-Sheng Zhao, Chun-Yang Li, Xiu-Lan Chen, Qiang Wang, Yu-Zhong Zhang, Lu-Ning Liu
Summary: Visualization of the photosynthetic complexes in the thylakoid membranes of a cyanobacterium reveals their native architecture and interactions, providing insights into the organization and adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus under environmental stress. This study sheds light on the molecular mechanisms of efficient light harvesting and energy conversion.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katherine H. Richardson, John J. Wright, Mantas Simenas, Jacqueline Thiemann, Ana M. Esteves, Gemma McGuire, William K. Myers, John J. L. Morton, Michael Hippler, Marc M. Nowaczyk, Guy T. Hanke, Maxie M. Roessler
Summary: Photosynthetic Complex I (PS-CI) links the oxidation of ferredoxin and reduction of plastoquinone to proton pumping across thylakoid membranes, generating ATP in photosynthesis. By overcoming challenges, the authors determined the reduction potentials of PS-CI's iron-sulfur clusters, providing insight into the bioenergetics of the electron transfer relay.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Beatrice Battaglino, Alessandro Grinzato, Cristina Pagliano
Summary: This study investigated the inhibitory effects of several PSII-inhibiting herbicides on plant PSII, revealing some of them have a high affinity for the D1 Q(B) site, which could provide valuable information for the future design of more selective herbicides.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Abhishek Sirohiwal, Dimitrios A. Pantazis
Summary: Photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes harness solar energy efficiently, mainly through structured electrostatic environments that tune the spectral properties of embedded pigments. The study explores the spatial principles of electrostatic preorganization for different protein matrices and characterizes the differences in electrostatic potentials for various photosynthetic pigments. The findings suggest unique spatial profiles and modes of electrostatic tuning for each pigment, providing insights for protein design and engineering with implications for spectral tuning in biological systems.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ingrid Pereira, Joyce K. Dare, Elaine F. F. da Cunha, Matheus P. Freitas
Summary: This study combines two congeneric series of benzamide herbicides and models their herbicidal activities against PSII. It predicts the pIC(50) of new agrochemical candidates and identifies the most promising compound based on chemical features and ligand-enzyme interactions.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Sergey K. Zharmukhamedov, Mehriban S. Shabanova, Margarita Rodionova, Irada M. Huseynova, Mehmet Sayim Karacan, Nurcan Karacan, Kubra Begum Asik, Vladimir D. Kreslavski, Saleh Alwasel, Suleyman Allakhverdiev
Summary: The effects of the [CuL2]Br-2 complex on PSII activity and chlorophyll fluorescence yield in spinach were investigated. The complex was found to inhibit photosynthetic oxygen evolution and the photoreduction of the primary quinone electron acceptor. The inhibition depended on the concentration of [CuL2]Br-2 and was not affected by artificial electron donors.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wei Huang, Hong Hu, Shi-Bao Zhang
Summary: The study found that fluctuating light combined with chilling temperature leads to over-reduction of photosynthetic electron chain in deciduous species, mainly caused by increased electron flow from PSII.
JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Han-Yu Wu, Mei-Yu Qiao, Ya-Jun Zhang, Wei-Jian Kang, Qing-Hu Ma, Hui-Yuan Gao, Wang-Feng Zhang, Chuang-Dao Jiang
Summary: The photosynthetic mechanism of crop yields in fluctuating light environments in the field remains controversial. Increased planting density enhanced the light fluctuation frequency and reduced the duration of daily high light, as well as the light-saturated photosynthetic rate, biomass, and yield per plant. Proteomic data also demonstrated that photosynthesis was mainly affected by the duration of high light and not by the light fluctuation frequency.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shin Nakamura, Matteo Capone, Giuseppe Mattioli, Leonardo Guidoni
Summary: By using density functional theory and first-principles simulations, this study explored the initial formation process of hydroxo and oxo bridges between divalent transition metals in aqueous solution, shedding light on the structural basis of amorphous metal-(hydr)oxo catalysts. The research showed that specific ligands can reduce the electrochemical potentials required for the oxidation of metals, and highlighted the key role of manganese in the photosynthetic water oxidation process in living organisms.
CATALYSIS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jinlu Hu, Ning Zhang, Balamurugan Srinivasan, Jiancheng Yang, Kaixin Tang, Lifei Zhang, Xueli Liu, Xin Zhang
Summary: Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) contamination is common and harmful in aquatic environments. This study investigates the response mechanisms of Chlorella pyrenoidosa to PBDE exposure, finding that photosynthetic damage and inhibition were caused by the binding of BDE47 to PSII and PSI complexes. However, C. pyrenoidosa showed a positive resistance and metabolic ability to PBDEs, indicating its potential as a bioremediator for wastewater-borne PBDEs.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hazar Balti, Mejda Abassi, Karl-Josef Dietz, Vijay Kumar
Summary: In this study, three different Eucalyptus ecotypes with potential differential salt sensitivity were compared, with Eucalyptus loxophleba showing efficient K+-Na+ balance and a more dynamic range of redox changes in photosynthetic electron transport chain components.
Review
Plant Sciences
Xiuxiu Li, Gongxian Yang, Xinyi Yuan, Fenghua Wu, Wenda Wang, Jian-Ren Shen, Tingyun Kuang, Xiaochun Qin
Summary: PSI plays a crucial role in photosynthesis with its high quantum efficiency and fast energy transfer speed. The study of its structure and function over the past decades has shed light on how energy is transferred in vascular plants, providing important insights for future research.
FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lauren A. Macadlo, Iskander M. Ibrahim, Sujith Puthiyaveetil
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stefanie Tietz, Michelle Leuenberger, Ricarda Hohner, Alice H. Olson, Graham R. Fleming, Helmut Kirchhoff
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ricarda Hoehner, Mathias Pribil, Miroslava Herbstova, Laura Susanna Lopez, Hans-Henning Kunz, Meng Li, Magnus Wood, Vaclav Svoboda, Sujith Puthiyaveetil, Dario Leister, Helmut Kirchhoff
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2020)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gilbert E. Kayanja, Iskander M. Ibrahim, Sujith Puthiyaveetil
Summary: Diatoms are important primary producers in the ocean, with their high photosynthetic productivity and ecological success linked to rhythmic transcriptional accumulation of plastid genes. Changes in light quantity have little effect on plastid gene transcription, while the impact of light quality is mainly dependent on the redox state of the plastoquinone pool.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sujith Puthiyaveetil, Steven D. McKenzie, Gilbert E. Kayanja, Iskander M. Ibrahim
Summary: The control of plastid gene expression relies not only on posttranscriptional regulation, but also on precise transcription initiation control, including the coordinated synthesis of RNA polymerases and Sigma factors, the regulation of Sigma factor activity, and the action of one- or two-component transcriptional regulators.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
C. O. S. Sorzano, D. Semchonok, S-C Lin, Y-C Lo, J. L. Vilas, A. Jimenez-Moreno, M. Gragera, S. Vacca, D. Maluenda, M. Martinez, E. Ramirez-Aportela, R. Melero, A. Cuervo, J. J. Conesa, P. Conesa, P. Losana, L. Del Cano, J. Jimenez de la Morena, Y. C. Fonseca, R. Sanchez-Garcia, D. Strelak, E. Fernandez-Gimenez, F. de Isidro, D. Herreros, P. L. Kastritis, R. Marabini, B. D. Bruce, J. M. Carazo
Summary: The presence of preferred orientations in SPA by cryoEM poses a challenge for achieving high-resolution structures, but some image processing algorithms are more robust against these detrimental conditions.
JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Fotis L. Kyrilis, Dmitry A. Semchonok, Ioannis Skalidis, Christian Tuting, Farzad Hamdi, Francis J. O'Reilly, Juri Rappsilber, Panagiotis L. Kastritis
Summary: The study successfully identified fully assembled pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in native cell extracts and characterized its structure using multiple techniques. The findings provide a framework for further understanding the structure and function of the complex.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kevin Janson, Jennifer Zierath, Fotis L. Kyrilis, Dmitry A. Semchonok, Farzad Hamdi, Ioannis Skalidis, Adrian H. Kopf, Manabendra Das, Cenek Kolar, Marie Rasche, Carolyn Vargas, Sandro Keller, Panagiotis L. Kastritis, Annette Meister
Summary: Certain amphiphilic copolymers are best suited to solubilize negatively charged membranes at high ionic strengths even at low polymer/lipid ratios, forming lipid-bilayer nanodiscs.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Iskander M. Ibrahim, Stephen J. L. Rowden, William A. Cramer, Christopher J. Howe, Sujith Puthiyaveetil
Summary: Cyanobacteria employ two-component sensor-response regulator systems to monitor and respond to environmental challenges. The response regulators RpaA, RpaB, Rre1, and RppA are integral to circadian clock function and abiotic stress acclimation in cyanobacteria. Researchers have discovered that Rre1, RpaA, and RpaB exist as higher-order oligomers under oxidizing conditions and can be converted to monomers by reduced thioredoxin A, suggesting a direct thiol modulation of their activity independent of their cognate sensor kinases.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Iskander M. Ibrahim, Steven D. McKenzie, Jae Chung, Uma K. Aryal, Walter D. Leon-Salas, Sujith Puthiyaveetil
Summary: The research found that the adjustment of photosystem stoichiometry is primarily driven by the regulation of photosystem I content, forming the major thylakoid proteomic response under light quality. Additionally, the light quality-responsive accumulation of photosystem I gene transcripts and proteins requires the involvement of phytochrome B photoreceptor.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yue Zhou, Jawhar H. Syed, Dmitry A. Semchonok, Edward Wright, Fotis L. Kyrilis, Farzad Hamdi, Panagiotis L. Kastritis, Barry D. Bruce, Todd B. Reynolds
Summary: Phosphatidylserine (PS) synthase encoded by the CHO1 gene is a potential drug target for antifungals against systemic candidiasis. This study investigated methods to solubilize and purify Cho1 protein, which has a transmembrane nature. The results showed that digitonin or DDM were the most effective detergents for solubilization, and protein purification was achieved through affinity chromatography and TEV protease treatment. The purified Cho1 protein exhibited optimal enzyme activity under specific conditions of temperature, pH, and manganese and detergent concentrations, which is important for substrate determination and drug screening.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Monika Opatikova, Dmitry A. Semchonok, David Kopecny, Petr Ilik, Pavel Pospisil, Iva Ilikova, Pavel Roudnicky, Sanja Cavar Zeljkovic, Petr Tarkowski, Fotis L. Kyrilis, Farzad Hamdi, Panagiotis L. Kastritis, Roman Kouril
Summary: This study presents the structure of photosystem II supercomplex from Picea abies determined by cryo-electron microscopy, revealing the presence of unique features such as the light-harvesting protein Lhcb8 and α-tocopherol molecule with potential physiological function.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dmitry A. Semchonok, Jyotirmoy Mondal, Connor J. Cooper, Katrina Schlum, Meng Li, Muhamed Amin, Carlos O. S. Sorzano, Erney Ramirez-Aportela, Panagiotis L. Kastritis, Egbert J. Boekema, Albert Guskov, Barry D. Bruce
Summary: The tetrameric structure of photosystem I in cyanobacteria has been studied, showing that the tetramer is arranged through two different interfaces. The localization of chlorophyll molecules allows for excitation energy transfer within and between monomers. Tetrameric PSI may play a significant role in the evolution of photosynthetic organisms.
PLANT COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Letter
Plant Sciences
Frank Muh, Bart van Oort, Sujith Puthiyaveetil, Helmut Kirchhoff
Article
Biology
Iskander M. Ibrahim, Huan Wu, Roman Ezhov, Gilbert E. Kayanja, Stanislav D. Zakharov, Yanyan Du, Weiguo Andy Tao, Yulia Pushkar, William A. Cramer, Sujith Puthiyaveetil
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2020)