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Bag P, Schröder WP, Jansson S, Farci D. Solubilization Method for Isolation of Photosynthetic Mega- and Super-complexes from Conifer Thylakoids. Bio Protoc 2021; 11:e4144. [PMID: 34604449 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Photosynthesis is the main process by which sunlight is harvested and converted into chemical energy and has been a focal point of fundamental research in plant biology for decades. In higher plants, the process takes place in the thylakoid membranes where the two photosystems (PSI and PSII) are located. In the past few decades, the evolution of biophysical and biochemical techniques allowed detailed studies of the thylakoid organization and the interaction between protein complexes and cofactors. These studies have mainly focused on model plants, such as Arabidopsis, pea, spinach, and tobacco, which are grown in climate chambers even though significant differences between indoor and outdoor growth conditions are present. In this manuscript, we present a new mild-solubilization procedure for use with "fragile" samples such as thylakoids from conifers growing outdoors. Here, the solubilization protocol is optimized with two detergents in two species, namely Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). We have optimized the isolation and characterization of PSI and PSII multimeric mega- and super-complexes in a close-to-native condition by Blue-Native gel electrophoresis. Eventually, our protocol will not only help in the characterization of photosynthetic complexes from conifers but also in understanding winter adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pushan Bag
- Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Umeå University, Sweden
| | | | - Stefan Jansson
- Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Umeå University, Sweden
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Farci D, Aksoyoglu MA, Farci SF, Bafna JA, Bodrenko I, Ceccarelli M, Kirkpatrick J, Winterhalter M, Kereïche S, Piano D. Structural insights into the main S-layer unit of Deinococcus radiodurans reveal a massive protein complex with porin-like features. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:4224-4236. [PMID: 32071085 PMCID: PMC7105295 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.012174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In the extremophile bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans, the outermost surface layer is tightly connected with the rest of the cell wall. This integrated organization provides a compact structure that shields the bacterium against environmental stresses. The fundamental unit of this surface layer (S-layer) is the S-layer deinoxanthin-binding complex (SDBC), which binds the carotenoid deinoxanthin and provides both, thermostability and UV radiation resistance. However, the structural organization of the SDBC awaits elucidation. Here, we report the isolation of the SDBC with a gentle procedure consisting of lysozyme treatment and solubilization with the nonionic detergent n-dodecyl-β-d-maltoside, which preserved both hydrophilic and hydrophobic components of the SDBC and allows the retention of several minor subunits. As observed by low-resolution single-particle analysis, we show that the complex possesses a porin-like structural organization, but is larger than other known porins. We also noted that the main SDBC component, the protein DR_2577, shares regions of similarity with known porins. Moreover, results from electrophysiological assays with membrane-reconstituted SDBC disclosed that it is a nonselective channel that has some peculiar gating properties, but also exhibits behavior typically observed in pore-forming proteins, such as porins and ionic transporters. The functional properties of this system and its porin-like organization provide information critical for understanding ion permeability through the outer cell surface of S-layer-carrying bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenica Farci
- Department of Plant Physiology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska Str. 159, 02776 Warsaw, Poland.
| | | | - Stefano Francesco Farci
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Photobiology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Jayesh Arun Bafna
- Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Igor Bodrenko
- Department of Physics and IOM/CNR, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Matteo Ceccarelli
- Department of Physics and IOM/CNR, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Joanna Kirkpatrick
- Leibniz Institute on Ageing-Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745 Jena, Germany; The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, United Kingdom
| | - Mathias Winterhalter
- Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Sami Kereïche
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic.
| | - Dario Piano
- Department of Plant Physiology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska Str. 159, 02776 Warsaw, Poland.
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Szewczyk S, Abram M, Białek R, Haniewicz P, Karolczak J, Gapiński J, Kargul J, Gibasiewicz K. On the nature of uncoupled chlorophylls in the extremophilic photosystem I-light harvesting I supercomplex. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2020; 1861:148136. [PMID: 31825811 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2019.148136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Photosystem I core-light-harvesting antenna supercomplexes (PSI-LHCI) were isolated from the extremophilic red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae and studied by three fluorescence techniques in order to characterize chlorophylls (Chls) energetically uncoupled from the PSI reaction center (RC). Such Chls are observed in virtually all optical experiments of any PSI core and PSI-LHCI supercomplex preparations across various species and may influence the operation of PSI-based solar cells and other biohybrid systems. However, the nature of the uncoupled Chls (uChls) has never been explored deeply before. In this work, the amount of uChls was controlled by stirring the solution of C. merolae PSI-LHCI supercomplex samples at elevated temperature (~303 K) and was found to increase from <2% in control samples up to 47% in solutions stirred for 3.5 h. The fluorescence spectrum of uChls was found to be blue-shifted by ~20 nm (to ~680 nm) relative to the fluorescence band from Chls that are well coupled to PSI RC. This effect indicates that mechanical stirring leads to disappearance of some red Chls (emitting at above ~700 nm) that are present in the intact LHCI antenna associated with the PSI core. Comparative diffusion studies of control and stirred samples by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy together with biochemical analysis by SDS-PAGE and BN-PAGE indicate that energetically uncoupled Lhcr subunits are likely to be still physically attached to the PSI core, albeit with altered three-dimensional organization due to the mechanical stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Szewczyk
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 2, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Mateusz Abram
- Solar Fuels Lab, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2C, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Rafał Białek
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 2, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Patrycja Haniewicz
- Solar Fuels Lab, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2C, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jerzy Karolczak
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 2, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Jacek Gapiński
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 2, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Joanna Kargul
- Solar Fuels Lab, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2C, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Gibasiewicz
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 2, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
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Piano D, Cocco E, Guadalupi G, Kalaji HM, Kirkpatrick J, Farci D. Characterization under quasi-native conditions of the capsanthin/capsorubin synthase from Capsicum annuum L. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2019; 143:165-175. [PMID: 31505449 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2019.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Chromoplasts are typical plastids of fruits and flowers, deriving from chloroplasts through complex processes of re-organization and recycling. Since this transition leads to the production of reactive species, chromoplasts are characteristic sites for biosynthesis and accumulation of carotenoids and other antioxidants. Here, we have analysed the chromoplast membranes from Capsicum annuum L. fruits, finding a significant expression of the capsanthin/capsorubin synthase. This enzyme was isolated by a very mild procedure allowing its analyses under quasi-native conditions. The isolated complex appeared as a red coloured homo-trimer, suggesting the retention of at least one of the typical carotenoids from C. annuum. Moreover, the protein complex was co-purified with a non-proteinaceous fraction of carotenoid aggregates carrying a high molecular weight and separable only by Size Exclusion Chromatography. This last finding suggested a relationship between the carotenoids synthesis on chromoplast membranes, the presence, and storage of organised carotenoids aggregates typical for chromoplasts. Further MS analyses also provided important hints on the interactome network associated to the capsanthin/capsorubin synthase, confirming its functional relevance during ripening. Results are discussed in the frame of the primary role played by carotenoids in quenching the growing oxidative stress during fruits ripening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Piano
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory of Photobiology and Plant Physiology, University of Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123, Cagliari, Italy; Department of Plant Physiology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Nowoursynowska Str. 159, 02776, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Emma Cocco
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory of Photobiology and Plant Physiology, University of Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giulia Guadalupi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory of Photobiology and Plant Physiology, University of Cagliari, V.le S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Hazem M Kalaji
- Department of Plant Physiology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Nowoursynowska Str. 159, 02776, Warsaw, Poland; White Hill Company, Ciołkowskiego 161, 15-545, Białystok, Poland
| | - Joanna Kirkpatrick
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstraβe 11, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Domenica Farci
- White Hill Company, Ciołkowskiego 161, 15-545, Białystok, Poland.
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