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Bhattacharjee S, Gordiy I, Sirohiwal A, Pantazis DA. Microscopic basis of reaction center modulation in PsbA variants of photosystem II. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2025; 122:e2417963122. [PMID: 40354529 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2417963122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2025] [Indexed: 05/14/2025] Open
Abstract
Photosystem II (PSII) is a protein-pigment complex that utilizes sunlight to catalyze water oxidation and plastoquinone reduction, initiating the electron transfer (ET) cascade in oxygenic photosynthesis. The D1 and D2 proteins are the most important transmembrane subunits of PSII that bind all redox-active components involved in primary charge separation (CS) and ET. D1 is susceptible to oxidative photodamage, particularly under high light, and protection partly involves genetic regulation. Cyanobacterial D1 is encoded by the psbA gene family that expresses distinct isoforms (PsbA1-3) depending on environmental conditions. Most differences in D1 isoforms are close to the active-branch reaction center (RC) pigments PD1, PD2, ChlD1, and PheoD1. Here, we combine molecular dynamics simulations with multiscale quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics calculations on the membrane-bound PSII monomer of each variant to compare the redox and excited state properties of RC pigments using long-range-corrected density functional theory. We identify specific amino acid substitutions responsible for electrochromic shifts on distinct pigments and pigment groups. Our results indicate that the PheoD1 acceptor is the primary regulatory target. The redox properties of the ChlD1-PheoD1 pair and the energetics of ChlD1δ+PheoD1δ- charge-transfer states are distinctly modulated in the three isoforms: Compared to the standard psbA1, charge separation is inhibited in psbA2 and facilitated in psbA3 PSII. The results provide a microscopic description of how genetic variations modulate protein electrostatics and influence primary processes in photosynthetic reaction centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinjini Bhattacharjee
- Department of Molecular Theory and Spectroscopy, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr 45470, Germany
| | - Igor Gordiy
- Department of Molecular Theory and Spectroscopy, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr 45470, Germany
| | - Abhishek Sirohiwal
- Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Division of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Dimitrios A Pantazis
- Department of Molecular Theory and Spectroscopy, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr 45470, Germany
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2
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Pencik O, Kolackova M, Molnarova K, Huska D. What would a hypothetical supercyanobacterium look like? Trends Biotechnol 2025:S0167-7799(25)00133-7. [PMID: 40393856 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2025] [Accepted: 04/07/2025] [Indexed: 05/22/2025]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, advances in molecular and microbiological methods have broadened the range of microorganisms used in biotechnology. Among them, phototrophic bacteria - especially cyanobacteria - are gaining attention for their potential in tackling climate change and producing biopharmaceuticals. While traditional strains such as Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis dominate the field, cyanobacteria offer unique features that present both challenges and opportunities, such as complex gene regulation linked to photosynthesis and carbon fixation, protein sorting, and secretion, as well as the ability to establish novel symbiotic partnerships. This review highlights key developments in engineering cyanobacteria and outlines a vision for a future 'supercyanobacterium' that combines the best traits of current strains, unlocking new possibilities in heterotrophy-dominated biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondrej Pencik
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1665/1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Molecular Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Masaryk University, Palackého třída 1946/1, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Kolackova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1665/1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Katarina Molnarova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1665/1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dalibor Huska
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1665/1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
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3
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White IS, Canniffe DP, Hitchcock A. The diversity of physiology and metabolism in chlorophototrophic bacteria. Adv Microb Physiol 2025; 86:1-98. [PMID: 40404267 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2025.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2025]
Abstract
Photosynthesis by (bacterio)chlorophyll-producing organisms ("chlorophototrophy") sustains virtually all life on Earth, providing the biosphere with food and energy. The oxygenic process carried out by plants, algae and cyanobacteria also generates the oxygen we breathe, and ancient cyanobacteria were responsible for oxygenating the atmosphere, creating the conditions that allowed the evolution of complex life. Cyanobacteria were also the endosymbiotic progenitors of chloroplasts, play major roles in biogeochemical cycles and as primary producers in aquatic ecosystems, and act as genetically tractable model organisms for studying oxygenic photosynthesis. In addition to the Cyanobacteriota, eight other bacterial phyla, namely Proteobacteria/Pseudomonadota, Chlorobiota, Chloroflexota, Bacillota, Acidobacteriota, Gemmatimonadota, Vulcanimicrobiota and Myxococcota contain at least one putative chlorophototrophic species, all of which perform a variant of anoxygenic photosynthesis, which does not yield oxygen as a by-product. These chlorophototrophic organisms display incredible diversity in the habitats that they colonise, and in their biochemistry, physiology and metabolism, with variation in the light-harvesting complexes and pigments they produce to utilise solar energy. Whilst some are very well understood, such as the proteobacterial 'purple bacteria', others have only been identified in the last few years and therefore relatively little is known about them - especially those that have not yet been isolated and cultured. In this chapter, we aim to summarise and compare the photosynthetic physiology and central metabolic processes of chlorophototrophic members from the nine phyla in which they are found, giving both a short historical perspective and highlighting gaps in our understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac S White
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel P Canniffe
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Hitchcock
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom; Molecular Microbiology - Biochemistry and Disease, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
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Antonaru LA, Rad-Menéndez C, Mbedi S, Sparmann S, Pope M, Oliver T, Wu S, Green DH, Gugger M, Nürnberg DJ. Evolution of far-red light photoacclimation in cyanobacteria. Curr Biol 2025:S0960-9822(25)00502-0. [PMID: 40367945 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 01/20/2025] [Accepted: 04/15/2025] [Indexed: 05/16/2025]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria oxygenated the atmosphere of early Earth and continue to be key players in global carbon and nitrogen cycles. A phylogenetically diverse subset of extant cyanobacteria can perform photosynthesis with far-red light through a process called far-red light photoacclimation, or FaRLiP. This phenotype is enabled by a cluster of ∼20 genes and involves the synthesis of red-shifted chlorophylls d and f, together with paralogs of the ubiquitous photosynthetic machinery used in visible light. The FaRLiP gene cluster is present in diverse, environmentally important cyanobacterial groups, but its origin, evolutionary history, and connection to early biotic environments have remained unclear. This study takes advantage of the recent increase in (meta)genomic data to help clarify this issue: sequence data mining, metagenomic assembly, and phylogenetic tree networks were used to recover more than 600 new FaRLiP gene sequences, corresponding to 51 new gene clusters. These data enable high-resolution phylogenetics and-by relying on multiple gene trees, together with gene arrangement conservation-support FaRLiP appearing early in cyanobacterial evolution. Sampling information shows that considerable FaRLiP diversity can be observed in microbialites to the present day, and we hypothesize that the process was associated with the formation of microbial mats and stromatolites in the early Paleoproterozoic. The ancestral FaRLiP cluster was reconstructed, revealing features that have been maintained for billions of years. Overall, far-red-light-driven oxygenic photosynthesis may have played a significant role in Earth's early history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Antonaru
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Cecilia Rad-Menéndez
- Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban PA37 1QA, UK
| | - Susan Mbedi
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah Sparmann
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Freshwater Research and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthew Pope
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Esox Biologics, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Thomas Oliver
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Shujie Wu
- Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - David H Green
- Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban PA37 1QA, UK
| | - Muriel Gugger
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Collection of Cyanobacteria, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Dennis J Nürnberg
- Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Oliver TJ, Elias E, Croce R. Acclimation to white light in a far-red light specialist: insights from Acaryochloris marina MBIC11017. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025. [PMID: 40325848 DOI: 10.1111/nph.70188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2025] [Accepted: 04/02/2025] [Indexed: 05/07/2025]
Abstract
The Chl d-containing cyanobacterium, Acaryochloris marina MBIC11017, is constitutively adapted to far-red light (FRL). However, it occasionally encounters white light (WL) in its natural habitat. Using biochemical and spectroscopic techniques, we investigated how this organism acclimates to WL and analysed the excitation energy trapping dynamics of its photosystems and complex antenna system, comprised of both membrane-embedded and soluble antenna. When grown in WL, A. marina MBIC11017 doubles its Photosystem I/Photosystem II (PSI/PSII) ratio and increases its phycobilisome content compared with FRL, without altering their composition, while the number of membrane-embedded antennae decreases. Under both light conditions, phycobilisomes primarily transfer excitation energy to PSII, but a smaller fraction transfers to PSI. The PSI trapping time is fast (35 ps), confirming the absence of red-shifted forms. By contrast, PSII trapping is slower, with two components of c. 115 and c. 480 ps. Simulations based on the PSII structure suggest that this slow trapping arises mainly from the PSII antenna arrangement rather than from the use of Chld as a primary donor. These results reveal how A. marina MBIC11017 dynamically adjusts photosystem ratios and antenna composition to changes in light quality, offering insights into the ecological and functional implications of Chld-driven photosynthesis and chromatic acclimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Oliver
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1100, Amsterdam, HZ, 1081, the Netherlands
| | - Eduard Elias
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1100, Amsterdam, HZ, 1081, the Netherlands
| | - Roberta Croce
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Institute for Lasers, Life and Biophotonics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1100, Amsterdam, HZ, 1081, the Netherlands
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Gisriel CJ, Brudvig GW. Investigations into cyanobacterial photoacclimation processes address longstanding proposals for improving crop yields. Nat Commun 2025; 16:3942. [PMID: 40287420 PMCID: PMC12033221 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59419-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2025] [Accepted: 04/15/2025] [Indexed: 04/29/2025] Open
Abstract
Recent discoveries reveal how cyanobacteria naturally overcome photosynthetic limits, supporting proposals to improve use of the solar spectrum. These insights could guide efforts to engineer more efficient crops and biofuel-producing organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gary W Brudvig
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Li F, Zheng B, Chen J, Yan Q, Lu Z, Fang C, Fu Y, Li X. Regulating the Tumor Microbiome through Near-Infrared-III Light-Excited Photosynthesis. ACS NANO 2025; 19:14107-14120. [PMID: 40165013 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c18954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2025]
Abstract
Tumor microbiomes are increasingly associated with the growth and metastasis of tumors. Exploring the regulation of the tumor microbiome through therapeutics is an area of interest in cancer therapy. In this study, the authors have investigated a biohybrid with 1550 nm light-excited photosynthetic ability to regulate the tumor microbiome. This system utilizes Er-based core-shell upconversion nanoparticles to arm microalga Chlorella, enabling the rapid evolution of Chlorella to perform oxygenic photosynthesis under 1550 nm light excitation. This biohybrid may alleviate hypoxia within the tumor microenvironment and induce significant changes in the tumor microbiome, ultimately resulting in marked inhibition of tumor growth. Benefiting from the strong tissue penetration ability of 1550 nm light, this biohybrid also exhibits clear inhibition of deep-seated tumors. The therapeutic efficacy of microbiome regulation is directly mediated by immune activation, converting "cold" tumors into "hot" tumors, which also leads to a long-lasting immune memory effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Bingzhu Zheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Jiafei Chen
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - Qilong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zijie Lu
- Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Chao Fang
- iBioMat PharmTeck (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., Building C 3F, 2959 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 311100, China
| | - Yike Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Li Y, Cao T, Guo Y, Grimm B, Li X, Duanmu D, Lin R. Regulatory and retrograde signaling networks in the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2025; 67:887-911. [PMID: 39853950 PMCID: PMC12016751 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2024] [Accepted: 12/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2025]
Abstract
Plants, algae and photosynthetic bacteria convert light into chemical energy by means of photosynthesis, thus providing food and energy for most organisms on Earth. Photosynthetic pigments, including chlorophylls (Chls) and carotenoids, are essential components that absorb the light energy necessary to drive electron transport in photosynthesis. The biosynthesis of Chl shares several steps in common with the biosynthesis of other tetrapyrroles, including siroheme, heme and phycobilins. Given that many tetrapyrrole precursors possess photo-oxidative properties that are deleterious to macromolecules and can lead to cell death, tetrapyrrole biosynthesis (TBS) requires stringent regulation under various developmental and environmental conditions. Thanks to decades of research on model plants and algae, we now have a deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanisms that underlie Chl synthesis, including (i) the many factors that control the activity and stability of TBS enzymes, (ii) the transcriptional and post-translational regulation of the TBS pathway, and (iii) the complex roles of tetrapyrrole-mediated retrograde signaling from chloroplasts to the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Based on these new findings, Chls and their derivatives will find broad applications in synthetic biology and agriculture in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhong Li
- Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botanythe Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100093China
| | - Tianjun Cao
- School of Life SciencesWestlake UniversityHangzhou310030China
- Institute of BiologyWestlake Institute for Advanced StudyHangzhou310024China
| | - Yunling Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan430070China
| | - Bernhard Grimm
- Institute of Biology/Plant PhysiologyHumboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlin10115Germany
- The Zhongzhou Laboratory for Integrative Biology, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life SciencesHenan UniversityKaifeng475004China
| | - Xiaobo Li
- School of Life SciencesWestlake UniversityHangzhou310030China
- Institute of BiologyWestlake Institute for Advanced StudyHangzhou310024China
| | - Deqiang Duanmu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan430070China
| | - Rongcheng Lin
- Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botanythe Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100093China
- Institute of Biotechnology, Xianghu LaboratoryHangzhou311231China
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Huang D, Wei T, Chen M, Chen SJ, Wu JY, Zhang LD, Xu HF, Dai GZ, Zhang ZC, Qiu BS. Far-red light-driven photoautotrophy of chlorophyll f-producing cyanobacterium without red-shifted phycobilisome core complex. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2025; 163:22. [PMID: 40064749 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-025-01143-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2025] [Indexed: 04/24/2025]
Abstract
Chlorophyll (Chl) f production expands oxygenic photosynthesis of some cyanobacteria into the far-red light (FRL) region through reconstructed FRL-allophycocyanin (APC) cores and Chl f-containing photosystems. Presently, a unicellular cyanobacterium was isolated for studying FRL photoacclimation (FaRLiP) and classified as a new species Altericista leshanensis. It uses additional Chl f and FRL-APC cores, with retained white light (WL)-phycobiliproteins to thrive FRL conditions. Marker-less deletion of FaRLiP-apcE2 gene was constructed using CRISPR-Cpf1 system. This genetic manipulation has no significant effects on the expression of genes in the FaRLiP gene cluster, including adjacent apc genes under FRL conditions. The function-loss mutant cells cannot assemble FRL-APC cores, and show the decreased growth rate and Chl f production under FRL conditions. Interestingly, the expression levels of phycocyanin (PC) subunits (cpc) and photosystem II D1 proteins (psbA2) are significantly increased in mutant cells under FRL conditions. These results suggest that FRL acclimation in the mutant cells has a different photosynthetic apparatus due to the lack of FRL-APC cores. The alternative strategy of FaRLiP provides additional evidence of flexible pathways towards the potential application of Chl f and associated biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Tong Wei
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Min Chen
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Shu-Jun Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Jia-Yue Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Lu-Dan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Hai-Feng Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Guo-Zheng Dai
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Zhong-Chun Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China.
| | - Bao-Sheng Qiu
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China.
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10
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Tosens T, Alboresi A, van Amerongen H, Bassi R, Busch FA, Consoli G, Ebenhöh O, Flexas J, Harbinson J, Jahns P, Kamennaya N, Kramer DM, Kromdijk J, Lawson T, Murchie EH, Niinemets Ü, Natale S, Nürnberg DJ, Persello A, Pesaresi P, Raines C, Schlüter U, Theeuwen TPJM, Timm S, Tolleter D, Weber APM. New avenues in photosynthesis: from light harvesting to global modeling. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2025; 177:e70198. [PMID: 40231858 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.70198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2025] [Revised: 03/07/2025] [Accepted: 03/14/2025] [Indexed: 04/16/2025]
Abstract
Photosynthesis underpins life on Earth, serving as the primary energy source while regulating global carbon and water cycles, thereby shaping climate and vegetation. Advancing photosynthesis research is essential for improving crop productivity and refining photosynthesis models across scales, ultimately addressing critical global challenges such as food security and environmental sustainability. This minireview synthesizes a selection of recent advancements presented at the 2nd European Congress of Photosynthesis Research, focusing on improving photosynthesis efficiency and modelling across the scales. We explore strategies to optimize light harvesting and carbon fixation, leading to canopy level improvements. Alongside synthetic biology, we examine recent advances in harnessing natural variability in key photosynthetic traits, considering both methodological innovations and the vast reservoir of opportunities they present. Additionally, we highlight unique insights gained from plants adapted to extreme environments, offering pathways to improve photosynthetic efficiency and resilience simultaneously. We emphasize the importance of a holistic approach, integrating dynamic modeling of metabolic processes to bridge these advancements. Beyond photosynthesis improvements, we discuss the progress of improving photosynthesis simulations, particularly through improved parametrization of mesophyll conductance, crucial for enhancing leaf-to-global scale simulations. Recognizing the need for greater interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle the grand challenges put on photosynthesis research, we highlight two initiatives launched at the congress-an open science platform and a dedicated journal for plant ecophysiology. We conclude this minireview with a forward-looking outline, highlighting key next steps toward achieving meaningful improvements in photosynthesis, yield, resilience and modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiina Tosens
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Herbert van Amerongen
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, WE, The Netherlands
| | - Roberto Bassi
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie, Università di Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Florian A Busch
- School of Biosciences and Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Giovanni Consoli
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Ebenhöh
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jaume Flexas
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) - Institut d'Investigacions Agroambientals i d'Economia de l'Aigua (INAGEA), Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Jeremy Harbinson
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, WE, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Jahns
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nina Kamennaya
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research & Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
| | | | - Johannes Kromdijk
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tracy Lawson
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex, UK
| | - Erik H Murchie
- Division of Plant and Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, UK
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Sara Natale
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Dennis J Nürnberg
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Persello
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Pesaresi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Christine Raines
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex, UK
| | - Urte Schlüter
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tom P J M Theeuwen
- Jan IngenHouz Institute, Wageningen, PB, Netherlands
- Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, PB, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Timm
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute for Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Dimitri Tolleter
- Division of Biosphere Sciences and Engineering, Carnegie Science, Stanford, USA
| | - Andreas P M Weber
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
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11
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Nakamura Y, Okochi M, Itoh S, Kimura A. Key Chlorophyll a Molecules in the Uphill Energy Transfer from Chlorophyll f to P700 in Far-Red Light-Adapted Photosystem I. J Phys Chem B 2025; 129:599-610. [PMID: 39750059 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c05007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2025]
Abstract
Multiple far-red light-adapted photosystem I (FR-PSI) reaction centers are recently found to work in oxygenic photosynthesis. They contain a small amount of a new type pigment chlorophyll f (Chl f) in addition to the major pigment chlorophyll a (Chl a). FR-PSI differs from the conventional PSIs in plants and cyanobacteria, which use only visible light absorbed by Chl a, although the mechanism of FR-PSI is not fully clear yet. We theoretically studied the light-harvesting mechanism of FR-PSI of Fischerella thermalis PCC 7521, in which a small amount of Chl f transfers the excitation energy of FR-light uphill to Chl a. We constructed two types of exciton models for FR-PSI using pigment arrangements based on the structural information. A model that assumes the same site energy value for all of the antenna Chl a molecules reproduced most of the experimentally obtained properties. The transient absorption spectra, excitation energy relaxation, and mean first passage time (MFPT) of the excitation energy transfer from Chls f and a to the special pair P700 (a pair of Chl a/Chl a') were numerically calculated. The model, however, could not reproduce the low but distinct absorption intensity between the Chl a- and Chl f-bands and predicted a rather slow energy transfer from Chl f to P700. Advanced "modified models" further tested the effect of modification of the site energy values at individual antenna Chl a molecules. The optical properties and MFPTs of FR-PSI were calculated for each model with modified site energy values to evaluate the uphill light-harvesting process. The analysis showed that Chl a-1131 and -1222 play key roles in the light-harvesting process from Chl f molecules to P700, regardless of the excitation wavelength. The locations and site energy values of these Chl a molecules were found to be essential to reproduce the unique uphill energy transfer function of FR-PSI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Nakamura
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Mikihito Okochi
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Shigeru Itoh
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Akihiro Kimura
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
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12
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Li C, Du X, Liu C. Enhancing crop yields to ensure food security by optimizing photosynthesis. J Genet Genomics 2025:S1673-8527(25)00017-7. [PMID: 39800260 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2025.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2024] [Revised: 12/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/01/2025] [Indexed: 01/15/2025]
Abstract
The crop yields achieved through traditional plant breeding techniques appear to be nearing a plateau. Therefore, it is essential to accelerate advancements in photosynthesis, the fundamental process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy, to further enhance crop yields. Research focused on improving photosynthesis holds significant promise for increasing sustainable agricultural productivity and addressing challenges related to global food security. This review examines the latest advancements and strategies aimed at boosting crop yields by enhancing photosynthetic efficiency. There has been a linear increase in yield over the years in historically released germplasm selected through traditional breeding methods, and this increase is accompanied by improved photosynthesis. We explore various aspects of the light reactions designed to enhance crop yield, including light harvest efficiency through smart canopy systems, expanding the absorbed light spectrum to include far-red light, optimizing non-photochemical quenching, and accelerating electron transport flux. At the same time, we investigate carbon reactions that can enhance crop yield, such as manipulating Rubisco activity, improving the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle, introducing CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) in C3 plants, and optimizing carbon allocation. These strategies could significantly impact crop yield enhancement and help bridge the yield gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunrong Li
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xuejia Du
- University of Houston, 5000 Gulf Fwy, Houston, TX 77023, USA
| | - Cuimin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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13
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Noji T, Saito K, Ishikita H. How the Electron-Transfer Cascade is Maintained in Chlorophyll- d Containing Photosystem I. Biochemistry 2025; 64:203-212. [PMID: 39656068 PMCID: PMC11716663 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.4c00521] [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: 08/30/2024] [Revised: 11/22/2024] [Accepted: 12/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2025]
Abstract
Photosystem I (PSI) from Acaryochloris marina utilizes chlorophyll d (Chld) with a formyl group as its primary pigment, which is more red-shifted than chlorophyll a (Chla) in PSI from Thermosynechococcus elongatus. Using the cryo-electron microscopy structure and solving the linear Poisson-Boltzmann equation, here we report the redox potential (Em) values in A. marina PSI. The Em(Chld) values at the paired chlorophyll site, [PAPB], are nearly identical to the corresponding Em(Chla) values in T. elongatus PSI, despite Chld having a 200 mV lower reduction power. The accessory chlorophyll site, A-1, in the B branch exhibits an extensive H-bond network with its ligand water molecule, contributing to Em(A-1B) being lower than Em(A-1A). The substitution of pheophytin a (Pheoa) with Chla at the electron acceptor site, A0, decreases Em(A0), resulting in an uphill electron transfer from A-1. The impact of the A-1 formyl group on Em(A0) is offset by the reorientation of the A0 ester group. It seems likely that Pheoa is necessary for A. marina PSI to maintain the overall electron-transfer cascade characteristic of PSI in its unique light environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyasu Noji
- 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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14
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Govindjee G, Björn L, Blankenship R. On "P750s" in cyanobacteria: A historical perspective. PHOTOSYNTHETICA 2024; 62:406-408. [PMID: 39811713 PMCID: PMC11726166 DOI: 10.32615/ps.2024.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2024] [Accepted: 12/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2025]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Govindjee
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - L.O. Björn
- Department of Biology, Molecular Cell Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22362 Lund, Sweden
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15
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Boussac A, Sugiura M, Nakamura M, Nagao R, Noguchi T, Viola S, Rutherford AW, Sellés J. Absorption changes in Photosystem II in the Soret band region upon the formation of the chlorophyll cation radical [P D1P D2] . PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2024; 162:211-223. [PMID: 37751034 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-023-01049-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Flash-induced absorption changes in the Soret region arising from the [PD1PD2]+ state, the chlorophyll cation radical formed upon light excitation of Photosystem II (PSII), were measured in Mn-depleted PSII cores at pH 8.6. Under these conditions, TyrD is i) reduced before the first flash, and ii) oxidized before subsequent flashes. In wild-type PSII, when TyrD● is present, an additional signal in the [PD1PD2]+-minus-[PD1PD2] difference spectrum was observed when compared to the first flash when TyrD is not oxidized. The additional feature was "W-shaped" with troughs at 434 nm and 446 nm. This feature was absent when TyrD was reduced, but was present (i) when TyrD was physically absent (and replaced by phenylalanine) or (ii) when its H-bonding histidine (D2-His189) was physically absent (replaced by a Leucine). Thus, the simple difference spectrum without the double trough feature at 434 nm and 446 nm, seemed to require the native structural environment around the reduced TyrD and its H bonding partners to be present. We found no evidence of involvement of PD1, ChlD1, PheD1, PheD2, TyrZ, and the Cytb559 heme in the W-shaped difference spectrum. However, the use of a mutant of the PD2 axial His ligand, the D2-His197Ala, shows that the PD2 environment seems involved in the formation of "W-shaped" signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Boussac
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule, UMR9198, CEA Saclay, 91191, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Miwa Sugiura
- Proteo-Science Research Center, and Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Ehime University, Bunkyo-Cho, Matsuyama, Ehime, 790-8577, Japan
| | - Makoto Nakamura
- Proteo-Science Research Center, and Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Ehime University, Bunkyo-Cho, Matsuyama, Ehime, 790-8577, Japan
| | - Ryo Nagao
- Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
| | - Takumi Noguchi
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan
| | - Stefania Viola
- Institut de Biosciences Et Biotechnologies, UMR 7265, Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, Cité des Énergies, 13115, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | | | - Julien Sellés
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR CNRS 7141 and Sorbonne Université, 13 Rue Pierre Et Marie Curie, 75005, Paris, France
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16
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Sellés J, Alric J, Rutherford AW, Davis GA, Viola S. In vivo ElectroChromic Shift measurements of photosynthetic activity in far-red absorbing cyanobacteria. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2024; 1865:149502. [PMID: 39127329 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2024.149502] [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: 06/01/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Some cyanobacteria can do photosynthesis using not only visible but also far-red light that is unused by most other oxygenic photoautotrophs because of its lower energy content. These species have a modified photosynthetic apparatus containing red-shifted pigments. The incorporation of red-shifted pigments decreases the photochemical efficiency of photosystem I and, especially, photosystem II, and it might affect the distribution of excitation energy between the two photosystems with possible consequences on the activity of the entire electron transport chain. To investigate the in vivo effects on photosynthetic activity of these pigment changes, we present here the adaptation of a spectroscopic method, based on a physical phenomenon called ElectroChromic Shift (ECS), to the far-red absorbing cyanobacteria Acaryochloris marina and Chroococcidiopsis thermalis PCC7203. ECS measures the electric field component of the trans-thylakoid proton motive force generated by photosynthetic electron transfer. We show that ECS can be used in these cyanobacteria to investigate in vivo the stoichiometry of photosystem I and photosystem II and their absorption cross-section, as well as the overall efficiency of light energy conversion into electron transport. Our results indicate that both species use visible and far-red light with similar efficiency, despite significant differences in their light absorption characteristics. ECS thus represents a new non-invasive tool to study the performance of naturally occurring far-red photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Sellés
- Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology - UMR7141, Paris, France
| | - Jean Alric
- Institute of Biosciences and Biotechnologies of Aix-Marseille - UMR7265, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | | | - Geoffry A Davis
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK; Biology Department, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefania Viola
- Institute of Biosciences and Biotechnologies of Aix-Marseille - UMR7265, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France.
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17
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Gisriel CJ, Ranepura G, Brudvig GW, Gunner MR. Assignment of chlorophyll d in the Chl D1 site of the electron transfer chain of far-red light acclimated photosystem II supported by MCCE binding calculations. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2024; 1865:149496. [PMID: 39038640 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2024.149496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gehan Ranepura
- Ph.D. Program in Physics, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Physics, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Gary W Brudvig
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - M R Gunner
- Ph.D. Program in Physics, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Physics, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
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18
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Matsubara S, Shoji S, Tamiaki H. Biomimetic light-harvesting antennas via the self-assembly of chemically programmed chlorophylls. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:12513-12524. [PMID: 39376203 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc04363d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/09/2024]
Abstract
The photosynthetic pigment "chlorophyll" possesses attractive photophysical properties, including efficient sunlight absorption, photoexcited energy transfer, and charge separation, which are advantageous for applications for photo- and electro-functional materials such as artificial photosynthesis and solar cells. However, these functions cannot be realized by individual chlorophyll molecules alone; rather, they are achieved by the formation of sophisticated supramolecules through the self-assembly of the pigments. Here, we present strategies for constructing and developing artificial light-harvesting systems by mimicking photosynthetic antenna complexes through the highly ordered supramolecular self-assembly of synthetic dyes, particularly chlorophyll derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shogo Matsubara
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8555, Japan
| | - Sunao Shoji
- Faculty of Engineering, Nara Women's University, Nara 630-8506, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Tamiaki
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan
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19
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Zhu M, Xu W, Chen L, Wu D, Wang Z, Hu X, Luo X, Xiong R, Huang C. Ultrathin Self-Healing Nanofibrous Membrane with a Hierarchical Confined Structure for Biomimetic Epidermal Electrodes. ACS NANO 2024; 18:28834-28848. [PMID: 39388302 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c08617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
Integrating self-healing capabilities into epidermal electrodes is crucial to improving their reliability and longevity. Self-healing nanofibrous materials are considered an ideal candidate for constructing ultrathin, long-lasting wearable epidermal electrodes due to their lightweight and high breathability. However, due to the strong interaction between fibers, self-healing nanofiber membranes cannot exist stably. Therefore, the development of self-healing and breathable nanofibrous epidermal electrodes still remains a major challenge. Here, a hierarchical confinement strategy that combines molecular and spatial confinement to overcome supramolecular hydrogen bonding between self-healing nanofibers is reported, and an ultrathin self-healing nanofibrous epidermal electrode with a neural net-like structure is developed. It can achieve real-time monitoring of electrophysiological signals through long-term conformal attachment to skin or plants and has no adverse effects on skin health or plant growth. Given the almost imperceptible nature of epidermal electrodes to users and plants, it lays the foundation for the development of biocompatible, self-healing, wearable, flexible electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Zhu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Wenxuan Xu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Long Chen
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Duo Wu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Zhi Wang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Xiaoxue Hu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Xingrong Luo
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Ranhua Xiong
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Chaobo Huang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
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20
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Croce R, Carmo-Silva E, Cho YB, Ermakova M, Harbinson J, Lawson T, McCormick AJ, Niyogi KK, Ort DR, Patel-Tupper D, Pesaresi P, Raines C, Weber APM, Zhu XG. Perspectives on improving photosynthesis to increase crop yield. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:3944-3973. [PMID: 38701340 PMCID: PMC11449117 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koae132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Improving photosynthesis, the fundamental process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy, is a key area of research with great potential for enhancing sustainable agricultural productivity and addressing global food security challenges. This perspective delves into the latest advancements and approaches aimed at optimizing photosynthetic efficiency. Our discussion encompasses the entire process, beginning with light harvesting and its regulation and progressing through the bottleneck of electron transfer. We then delve into the carbon reactions of photosynthesis, focusing on strategies targeting the enzymes of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle. Additionally, we explore methods to increase carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration near the Rubisco, the enzyme responsible for the first step of CBB cycle, drawing inspiration from various photosynthetic organisms, and conclude this section by examining ways to enhance CO2 delivery into leaves. Moving beyond individual processes, we discuss two approaches to identifying key targets for photosynthesis improvement: systems modeling and the study of natural variation. Finally, we revisit some of the strategies mentioned above to provide a holistic view of the improvements, analyzing their impact on nitrogen use efficiency and on canopy photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Croce
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081 HV, theNetherlands
| | | | - Young B Cho
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Maria Ermakova
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Jeremy Harbinson
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University, 6708 WE Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Tracy Lawson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Alistair J McCormick
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
- Centre for Engineering Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Krishna K Niyogi
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Donald R Ort
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Dhruv Patel-Tupper
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Paolo Pesaresi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Christine Raines
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Andreas P M Weber
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Xin-Guang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Capture, Center of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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21
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Tian LR, Chen JH. Photosystem I: A Paradigm for Understanding Biological Environmental Adaptation Mechanisms in Cyanobacteria and Algae. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8767. [PMID: 39201454 PMCID: PMC11354412 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The process of oxygenic photosynthesis is primarily driven by two multiprotein complexes known as photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI). PSII facilitates the light-induced reactions of water-splitting and plastoquinone reduction, while PSI functions as the light-driven plastocyanin-ferredoxin oxidoreductase. In contrast to the highly conserved structure of PSII among all oxygen-evolving photosynthetic organisms, the structures of PSI exhibit remarkable variations, especially for photosynthetic organisms that grow in special environments. In this review, we make a concise overview of the recent investigations of PSI from photosynthetic microorganisms including prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae from the perspective of structural biology. All known PSI complexes contain a highly conserved heterodimeric core; however, their pigment compositions and peripheral light-harvesting proteins are substantially flexible. This structural plasticity of PSI reveals the dynamic adaptation to environmental changes for photosynthetic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Rong Tian
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China;
| | - Jing-Hua Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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22
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Nazari M, Kordrostami M, Ghasemi-Soloklui AA, Eaton-Rye JJ, Pashkovskiy P, Kuznetsov V, Allakhverdiev SI. Enhancing Photosynthesis and Plant Productivity through Genetic Modification. Cells 2024; 13:1319. [PMID: 39195209 PMCID: PMC11352682 DOI: 10.3390/cells13161319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Enhancing crop photosynthesis through genetic engineering technologies offers numerous opportunities to increase plant productivity. Key approaches include optimizing light utilization, increasing cytochrome b6f complex levels, and improving carbon fixation. Modifications to Rubisco and the photosynthetic electron transport chain are central to these strategies. Introducing alternative photorespiratory pathways and enhancing carbonic anhydrase activity can further increase the internal CO2 concentration, thereby improving photosynthetic efficiency. The efficient translocation of photosynthetically produced sugars, which are managed by sucrose transporters, is also critical for plant growth. Additionally, incorporating genes from C4 plants, such as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and NADP-malic enzymes, enhances the CO2 concentration around Rubisco, reducing photorespiration. Targeting microRNAs and transcription factors is vital for increasing photosynthesis and plant productivity, especially under stress conditions. This review highlights potential biological targets, the genetic modifications of which are aimed at improving photosynthesis and increasing plant productivity, thereby determining key areas for future research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoureh Nazari
- Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 91779-48974, Iran;
| | - Mojtaba Kordrostami
- Nuclear Agriculture Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Karaj 31485-498, Iran;
| | - Ali Akbar Ghasemi-Soloklui
- Nuclear Agriculture Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Karaj 31485-498, Iran;
| | - Julian J. Eaton-Rye
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand;
| | - Pavel Pashkovskiy
- K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, RAS, Botanicheskaya St. 35, Moscow 127276, Russia; (P.P.); (V.K.)
| | - Vladimir Kuznetsov
- K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, RAS, Botanicheskaya St. 35, Moscow 127276, Russia; (P.P.); (V.K.)
| | - Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev
- K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, RAS, Botanicheskaya St. 35, Moscow 127276, Russia; (P.P.); (V.K.)
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Bahcesehir University, 34349 Istanbul, Turkey
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23
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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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24
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Gisriel CJ. Recent structural discoveries of photosystems I and II acclimated to absorb far-red light. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2024; 1865:149032. [PMID: 38401604 PMCID: PMC11162955 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2024.149032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Photosystems I and II are the photooxidoreductases central to oxygenic photosynthesis and canonically absorb visible light (400-700 nm). Recent investigations have revealed that certain cyanobacteria can acclimate to environments enriched in far-red light (700-800 nm), yet can still perform oxygenic photosynthesis in a process called far-red light photoacclimation, or FaRLiP. During this process, the photosystem subunits and pigment compositions are altered. Here, the current structural understanding of the photosystems expressed during FaRLiP is described. The design principles may be useful for guiding efforts to engineer shade tolerance in organisms that typically cannot utilize far-red light.
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Liu X, Guo Y, Li Y, Li Q, Yao L, Yu J, Chen H, Wu K, Qiu D, Wu Z, Zhou Q. Mitigating sediment cadmium contamination through combining PGPR Enterobacter ludwigii with the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria natans. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 473:134662. [PMID: 38788574 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134662] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Sediment cadmium contamination poses risks to aquatic ecosystems. Phytoremediation is an environmentally sustainable method to mitigate cadmium contamination. Submerged macrophytes are affected by cadmium stress, but plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can restore the health status of submerged macrophytes. Herein, we aimed to reduce sediment cadmium concentration and reveal the mechanism by which the combined application of the PGPR Enterobacter ludwigii and the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria natans mitigates cadmium contamination. Sediment cadmium concentration decreased by 21.59% after submerged macrophytes were planted with PGPR, probably because the PGPR colonized the rhizosphere and roots of the macrophytes. The PGPR induced a 5.09-fold increase in submerged macrophyte biomass and enhanced plant antioxidant response to cadmium stress, as demonstrated by decreases in oxidative product levels (reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde), which corresponded to shift in rhizosphere metabolism, notably in antioxidant defence systems (i.e., the peroxidation of linoleic acid into 9-hydroperoxy-10E,12Z-octadecadienoic acid) and in some amino acid metabolism pathways (i.e., arginine and proline). Additionally, PGPR mineralized carbon in the sediment to promote submerged macrophyte growth. Overall, PGPR mitigated sediment cadmium accumulation via a synergistic plantmicrobe mechanism. This work revealed the mechanism by which PGPR and submerged macrophytes control cadmium concentration in contaminated sediment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangfen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yao Guo
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yahua Li
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Qianzheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Lu Yao
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Junqi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Han Chen
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kaixuan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dongru Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhenbin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Qiaohong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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Schmitt FJ, Friedrich T. Adaptation processes in Halomicronema hongdechloris, an example of the light-induced optimization of the photosynthetic apparatus on hierarchical time scales. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1359195. [PMID: 39049856 PMCID: PMC11266139 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1359195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Oxygenic photosynthesis in Halomicronema hongdechloris, one of a series of cyanobacteria producing red-shifted Chl f, is adapted to varying light conditions by a range of diverse processes acting over largely different time scales. Acclimation to far-red light (FRL) above 700 nm over several days is mirrored by reversible changes in the Chl f content. In several cyanobacteria that undergo FRL photoacclimation, Chl d and Chl f are directly involved in excitation energy transfer in the antenna system, form the primary donor in photosystem I (PSI), and are also involved in electron transfer within photosystem II (PSII), most probably at the ChlD1 position, with efficient charge transfer happening with comparable kinetics to reaction centers containing Chl a. In H. hongdechloris, the formation of Chl f under FRL comes along with slow adaptive proteomic shifts like the rebuilding of the D1 complex on the time scale of days. On shorter time scales, much faster adaptation mechanisms exist involving the phycobilisomes (PBSs), which mainly contain allophycocyanin upon adaptation to FRL. Short illumination with white, blue, or red light leads to reactive oxygen species-driven mobilization of the PBSs on the time scale of seconds, in effect recoupling the PBSs with Chl f-containing PSII to re-establish efficient excitation energy transfer within minutes. In summary, H. hongdechloris reorganizes PSII to act as a molecular heat pump lifting excited states from Chl f to Chl a on the picosecond time scale in combination with a light-driven PBS reorganization acting on the time scale of seconds to minutes depending on the actual light conditions. Thus, structure-function relationships in photosynthetic energy and electron transport in H. hongdechloris including long-term adaptation processes cover 10-12 to 106 seconds, i.e., 18 orders of magnitude in time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz-Josef Schmitt
- Department of Physics, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Thomas Friedrich
- Department of Bioenergetics, Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry PC 14, Berlin, Germany
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Douchi D, Si Larbi G, Fel B, Bonnanfant M, Louwagie M, Jouhet J, Agnely M, Pouget S, Maréchal E. Dryland Endolithic Chroococcidiopsis and Temperate Fresh Water Synechocystis Have Distinct Membrane Lipid and Photosynthesis Acclimation Strategies upon Desiccation and Temperature Increase. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 65:939-957. [PMID: 37944070 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcad139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
An effect of climate change is the expansion of drylands in temperate regions, predicted to affect microbial biodiversity. Since photosynthetic organisms are at the base of ecosystem's trophic networks, we compared an endolithic desiccation-tolerant Chroococcidiopsis cyanobacteria isolated from gypsum rocks in the Atacama Desert with a freshwater desiccation-sensitive Synechocystis. We sought whether some acclimation traits in response to desiccation and temperature variations were shared, to evaluate the potential of temperate species to possibly become resilient to future arid conditions. When temperature varies, Synechocystis tunes the acyl composition of its lipids, via a homeoviscous acclimation mechanism known to adjust membrane fluidity, whereas no such change occurs in Chroococcidiopsis. Vice versa, a combined study of photosynthesis and pigment content shows that Chroococcidiopsis remodels its photosynthesis components and keeps an optimal photosynthetic capacity at all temperatures, whereas Synechocystis is unable to such adjustment. Upon desiccation on a gypsum surface, Synechocystis is rapidly unable to revive, whereas Chroococcidiopsis is capable to recover after three weeks. Using X-ray diffraction, we found no evidence that Chroococcidiopsis could use water extracted from gypsum crystals in such conditions as a surrogate for missing water. The sulfolipid sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol becomes the prominent membrane lipid in both dehydrated cyanobacteria, highlighting an overlooked function for this lipid. Chroococcidiopsis keeps a minimal level of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, which may be essential for the recovery process. Results support that two independent adaptation strategies have evolved in these species to cope with temperature and desiccation increase and suggest some possible scenarios for microbial biodiversity change triggered by climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Douchi
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Gregory Si Larbi
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Benjamin Fel
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Marlène Bonnanfant
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Mathilde Louwagie
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Juliette Jouhet
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Mathias Agnely
- Saint Gobain Research Paris, SAINT-GOBAIN, 39 quai Lucien Lefranc, Aubervilliers Cedex 93303, France
| | - Stéphanie Pouget
- Laboratoire Modélisation et Exploration des Matériaux, Université Grenoble Alpes, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, IRIG; CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Eric Maréchal
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
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Elias E, Oliver TJ, Croce R. Oxygenic Photosynthesis in Far-Red Light: Strategies and Mechanisms. Annu Rev Phys Chem 2024; 75:231-256. [PMID: 38382567 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physchem-090722-125847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Oxygenic photosynthesis, the process that converts light energy into chemical energy, is traditionally associated with the absorption of visible light by chlorophyll molecules. However, recent studies have revealed a growing number of organisms capable of using far-red light (700-800 nm) to drive oxygenic photosynthesis. This phenomenon challenges the conventional understanding of the limits of this process. In this review, we briefly introduce the organisms that exhibit far-red photosynthesis and explore the different strategies they employ to harvest far-red light. We discuss the modifications of photosynthetic complexes and their impact on the delivery of excitation energy to photochemical centers and on overall photochemical efficiency. Finally, we examine the solutions employed to drive electron transport and water oxidation using relatively low-energy photons. The findings discussed here not only expand our knowledge of the remarkable adaptation capacities of photosynthetic organisms but also offer insights into the potential for enhancing light capture in crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduard Elias
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Thomas J Oliver
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Roberta Croce
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
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29
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Sheridan KJ, Eaton-Rye JJ, Summerfield TC. Mutagenesis of Ile184 in the cd-loop of the photosystem II D1 protein modifies acceptor-side function via spontaneous mutation of D1-His252 in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 702:149595. [PMID: 38340653 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The Photosystem II water-plastoquinone oxidoreductase is a multi-subunit complex which catalyses the light-driven oxidation of water to molecular oxygen in oxygenic photosynthesis. The D1 reaction centre protein exists in multiple forms in cyanobacteria, including D1FR which is expressed under far-red light. We investigated the role of Phe184 that is found in the lumenal cd-loop of D1FR but is typically an isoleucine in other D1 isoforms. The I184F mutant in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was similar to the control strain but accumulated a spontaneous mutation that introduced a Gln residue in place of His252 located on the opposite side of the thylakoid membrane. His252 participates in the protonation of the secondary plastoquinone electron acceptor QB. The I184F:H252Q double mutant exhibited reduced high-light-induced photodamage and an altered QB-binding site that impaired herbicide binding. Additionally, the H252Q mutant had a large increase in the variable fluorescence yield although the number of photochemically active PS II centres was unchanged. In the I184F:H252Q mutant the extent of the increased fluorescence yield decreased. Our data indicates substitution of Ile184 to Phe modulates PS II-specific variable fluorescence in cells with the His252 to Gln substitution by modifying the QB-binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Sheridan
- Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand; Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Julian J Eaton-Rye
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
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Rodríguez-Bolaños M, Vargas-Romero G, Jaguer-García G, Aguilar-Gonzalez ZI, Lagos-Romero V, Miranda-Astudillo HV. Antares I: a Modular Photobioreactor Suitable for Photosynthesis and Bioenergetics Research. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2024; 196:2176-2195. [PMID: 37486539 PMCID: PMC11035454 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-023-04629-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Oxygenic photosynthesis is responsible for most of the fixation of atmospheric CO2. The microalgal community can transport atmospheric carbon into biological cycles in which no additional CO2 is created. This represents a resource to confront the actual climate change crisis. These organisms have evolved to adapt to several environments and different spectral distribution of light that may strongly influence their metabolism. Therefore, there is a need for development of photobioreactors specialized in addressing spectral optimization. Here, a multi-scale modular photobioreactor made from standard glass materials, ad hoc light circuits, and easily accessible, small commercial devices is described. The system is suitable to manage the principal culture variables of research in bioenergetics and photosynthesis. Its performance was tested by growing four evolutionary-distant microalgal species with different endosymbiotic scenarios: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Archaeplastida, green primary plastid), Polytomella parva (Archaeplastida, colorless plastid), Euglena gracilis (Discoba, green secondary plastid), and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Stramenophiles, red secondary plastid). Our results show an improvement of biomass production, as compared to the traditional flask system. The modulation of the incident light spectra allowed us to observe a far-red adaptation in Euglena gracilis with a difference on paramylon production, and it also significantly increased the maximal cell density of the diatom species under green light. Together, these confirm that for photobioreactors with artificial light, manipulation of the light spectrum is a critical parameter for controlling the optimal performance, depending on the downstream goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Rodríguez-Bolaños
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gloria Vargas-Romero
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Girian Jaguer-García
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Zhaida I Aguilar-Gonzalez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Verónica Lagos-Romero
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Héctor V Miranda-Astudillo
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Santabarbara S, Agostini A, Petrova AA, Bortolus M, Casazza AP, Carbonera D. Chlorophyll triplet states in thylakoid membranes of Acaryochloris marina. Evidence for a triplet state sitting on the photosystem I primary donor populated by intersystem crossing. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2024; 159:133-152. [PMID: 37191762 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-023-01023-z] [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: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Photo-induced triplet states in the thylakoid membranes isolated from the cyanobacterium Acaryocholoris marina, that harbours Chlorophyll (Chl) d as its main chromophore, have been investigated by Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR) and time-resolved Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (TR-EPR). Thylakoids were subjected to treatments aimed at poising the redox state of the terminal electron transfer acceptors and donors of Photosystem II (PSII) and Photosystem I (PSI), respectively. Under ambient redox conditions, four Chl d triplet populations were detectable, identifiable by their characteristic zero field splitting parameters, after deconvolution of the Fluorescence Detected Magnetic Resonance (FDMR) spectra. Illumination in the presence of the redox mediator N,N,N',N'-Tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD) and sodium ascorbate at room temperature led to a redistribution of the triplet populations, with T3 (|D|= 0.0245 cm-1, |E|= 0.0042 cm-1) becoming dominant and increasing in intensity with respect to untreated samples. A second triplet population (T4, |D|= 0.0248 cm-1, |E|= 0.0040 cm-1) having an intensity ratio of about 1:4 with respect to T3 was also detectable after illumination in the presence of TMPD and ascorbate. The microwave-induced Triplet-minus-Singlet spectrum acquired at the maximum of the |D|-|E| transition (610 MHz) displays a broad minimum at 740 nm, accompanied by a set of complex spectral features that overall resemble, despite showing further fine spectral structure, the previously reported Triplet-minus-Singlet spectrum attributed to the recombination triplet of PSI reaction centre,3 P 740 [Schenderlein M, Çetin M, Barber J, et al. Spectroscopic studies of the chlorophyll d containing photosystem I from the cyanobacterium Acaryochloris marina. Biochim Biophys Acta 1777:1400-1408]. However, TR-EPR experiments indicate that this triplet displays an eaeaea electron spin polarisation pattern which is characteristic of triplet sublevels populated by intersystem crossing rather than recombination, for which an aeeaae polarisation pattern is expected instead. It is proposed that the observed triplet, which leads to the bleaching of the P740 singlet state, sits on the PSI reaction centre.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Santabarbara
- Photosynthesis Research Unit, Centro Studi Sulla Biologia Cellulare e Molecolare delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Bassini 15a, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Agostini
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Università di Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Anastasia A Petrova
- Photosynthesis Research Unit, Centro Studi Sulla Biologia Cellulare e Molecolare delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
- A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physical-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskye Gory 1 Building 40, Moscow, Russia, 119992
| | - Marco Bortolus
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Università di Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Anna Paola Casazza
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Bassini 15a, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Donatella Carbonera
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Università di Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padua, Italy.
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Schmitt FJ, Hüls A, Moldenhauer M, Friedrich T. How electron tunneling and uphill excitation energy transfer support photochemistry in Halomicronema hongdechloris. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2024; 159:273-289. [PMID: 38198121 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-023-01064-4] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Halomicronema hongdechloris, the first cyanobacterium reported to produce the red-shifted chlorophyll f (Chl f) upon acclimation to far-red light, demonstrates remarkable adaptability to diverse light conditions. The photosystem II (PS II) of this organism undergoes reversible changes in its Chl f content, ranging from practically zero under white-light culture conditions to a Chl f: Chl a ratio of up to 1:8 when exposed to far-red light (FRL) of 720-730 nm for several days. Our ps time- and wavelength-resolved fluorescence data obtained after excitation of living H. hongdechloris cells indicate that the Soret band of a far-red (FR) chlorophyll involved in charge separation absorbs around 470 nm. At 10 K, the fluorescence decay at 715-720 nm is still fast with a time constant of 165 ps indicating an efficient electron tunneling process. There is efficient excitation energy transfer (EET) from 715-720 nm to 745 nm with the latter resulting from FR Chl f, which mainly functions as light-harvesting pigment upon adaptation to FRL. From there, excitation energy reaches the primary donor in the reaction center of PS II with an energetic uphill EET mechanism inducing charge transfer. The fluorescence data are well explained with a secondary donor PD1 represented by a red-shifted Chl a molecule with characteristic fluorescence around 715 nm and a more red-shifted FR Chl f with fluorescence around 725 nm as primary donor at the ChlD1 or PD2 position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz-Josef Schmitt
- Department of Physics, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 3, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
| | - Anne Hüls
- Department of Bioenergetics, Institute of Chemistry PC 14, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus Moldenhauer
- Department of Bioenergetics, Institute of Chemistry PC 14, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Friedrich
- Department of Bioenergetics, Institute of Chemistry PC 14, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
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Gisriel CJ, Shen G, Brudvig GW, Bryant DA. Structure of the antenna complex expressed during far-red light photoacclimation in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7335. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105590. [PMID: 38141759 PMCID: PMC10810746 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Far-red light photoacclimation, or FaRLiP, is a facultative response exhibited by some cyanobacteria that allows them to absorb and utilize lower energy light (700-800 nm) than the wavelengths typically used for oxygenic photosynthesis (400-700 nm). During this process, three essential components of the photosynthetic apparatus are altered: photosystem I, photosystem II, and the phycobilisome. In all three cases, at least some of the chromophores found in these pigment-protein complexes are replaced by chromophores that have red-shifted absorbance relative to the analogous complexes produced in visible light. Recent structural and spectroscopic studies have elucidated important features of the two photosystems when altered to absorb and utilize far-red light, but much less is understood about the modified phycobiliproteins made during FaRLiP. We used single-particle, cryo-EM to determine the molecular structure of a phycobiliprotein core complex comprising allophycocyanin variants that absorb far-red light during FaRLiP in the marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7335. The structure reveals the arrangement of the numerous red-shifted allophycocyanin variants and the probable locations of the chromophores that serve as the terminal emitters in this complex. It also suggests how energy is transferred to the photosystem II complexes produced during FaRLiP. The structure additionally allows comparisons with other previously studied allophycocyanins to gain insights into how phycocyanobilin chromophores can be tuned to absorb far-red light. These studies provide new insights into how far-red light is harvested and utilized during FaRLiP, a widespread cyanobacterial photoacclimation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gaozhong Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gary W Brudvig
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Donald A Bryant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
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Sugiura M, Kimura M, Shimamoto N, Takegawa Y, Nakamura M, Koyama K, Sellés J, Boussac A, Rutherford AW. Tuning of the Chl D1 and Chl D2 properties in photosystem II by site-directed mutagenesis of neighbouring amino acids. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2024; 1865:149013. [PMID: 37717932 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2023.149013] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Photosystem II is the water/plastoquinone photo-oxidoreductase of photosynthesis. The photochemistry and catalysis occur in a quasi-symmetrical heterodimer, D1D2, that evolved from a homodimeric ancestor. Here, we studied site-directed mutants in PSII from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechoccocus elongatus, focusing on the primary electron donor chlorophyll a in D1, ChlD1, and on its symmetrical counterpart in D2, ChlD2, which does not play a direct photochemical role. The main conserved amino acid specific to ChlD1 is D1/T179, which H-bonds the water ligand to its Mg2+, while its counterpart near ChlD2 is the non-H-bonding D2/I178. The symmetrical-swapped mutants, D1/T179I and D2/I178T, and a second ChlD2 mutant, D2/I178H, were studied. The D1 mutations affected the 686 nm absorption attributed to ChlD1, while the D2 mutations affected a 663 nm feature, tentatively attributed to ChlD2. The mutations had little effect on enzyme activity and forward electron transfer, reflecting the robustness of the overall enzyme function. In contrast, the mutations significantly affected photodamage and protective mechanisms, reflecting the importance of redox tuning in these processes. In D1/T179I, the radical pair recombination triplet on ChlD1 was shared onto a pheophytin, presumably PheD1 and the detection of 3PheD1 supports the proposed mechanism for the anomalously short lifetime of 3ChlD1; e.g. electron transfer quenching by QA- of 3PheD1 after triplet transfer from 3ChlD1. In D2/I178T, a charge separation could occur between ChlD2 and PheD2, a reaction that is thought to occur in ancestral precursors of PSII. These mutants help understand the evolution of asymmetry in PSII.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miwa Sugiura
- Proteo-Science Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.
| | - Masaya Kimura
- Proteo-Science Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Naohiro Shimamoto
- Proteo-Science Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Yuki Takegawa
- Proteo-Science Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Makoto Nakamura
- Proteo-Science Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Kazumi Koyama
- Proteo-Science Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Julien Sellés
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR CNRS 7141 and Sorbonne Université, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alain Boussac
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule, UMR9198, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France.
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Chen S, Li X, Ma X, Qing R, Chen Y, Zhou H, Yu Y, Li J, Tan Z. Lighting the way to sustainable development: Physiological response and light control strategy in microalgae-based wastewater treatment under illumination. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166298. [PMID: 37591393 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
The Sustainable Development Goals link pollutant control with carbon dioxide reduction. Toward the goal of pollutant and carbon reduction, microalgae-based wastewater treatment (MBWT), which can simultaneously remove pollutants and convert carbon dioxide into biomass with value-added metabolites, has attracted considerable attention. The photosynthetic organism microalgae and the photobioreactor are the functional body and the operational carrier of the MBWT system, respectively; thus, light conditions profoundly influence its performance. Therefore, this review takes the general rules of how light influences the performance of MBWT systems as a starting point to elaborate the light-influenced mechanisms in microalgae and the light control strategies for photobioreactors from the inside out. Wavelength, light intensity and photoperiod solely or interactively affect biomass accumulation, pollutant removal, and value-added metabolite production in MBWT. Physiological processes, including photosynthesis, photooxidative damage, light-regulated gene expression, and nutrient uptake, essentially explain the performance influence of MBWT and are instructive for specific microalgal strain improvement strategies. In addition, light causes unique reactions in MBWT systems as it interacts with components such as photooxidative damage enhancers present in types of wastewater. In order to provide guidance for photobioreactor design and light control in a large-scale MBWT system, wavelength transformation, light transmission, light source distribution, and light-dark cycle should be considered in addition to adjusting the light source characteristics. Finally, based on current research vacancies and challenges, future research orientation should focus on the improvement of microalgae and photobioreactor, as well as the integration of both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangxian Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
| | - Xin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Xinlei Ma
- School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
| | - Renwei Qing
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
| | - Yangwu Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Houzhen Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Yadan Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Junjie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Zhouliang Tan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
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36
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Braslavsky SE. Outstanding women scientists who have broadened the knowledge on biological photoreceptors. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023; 22:2799-2815. [PMID: 37864671 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-023-00487-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Short biographical sketches are given of women born before 1955 who have contributed to our knowledge on the function, structure, and molecular basis of biological photoreceptors, both energy converters and photosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia E Braslavsky
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, 45410, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
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37
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Kurt E, Qin J, Williams A, Zhao Y, Xie D. Perspectives for Using CO 2 as a Feedstock for Biomanufacturing of Fuels and Chemicals. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1357. [PMID: 38135948 PMCID: PMC10740661 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10121357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial cell factories offer an eco-friendly alternative for transforming raw materials into commercially valuable products because of their reduced carbon impact compared to conventional industrial procedures. These systems often depend on lignocellulosic feedstocks, mainly pentose and hexose sugars. One major hurdle when utilizing these sugars, especially glucose, is balancing carbon allocation to satisfy energy, cofactor, and other essential component needs for cellular proliferation while maintaining a robust yield. Nearly half or more of this carbon is inevitably lost as CO2 during the biosynthesis of regular metabolic necessities. This loss lowers the production yield and compromises the benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions-a fundamental advantage of biomanufacturing. This review paper posits the perspectives of using CO2 from the atmosphere, industrial wastes, or the exhausted gases generated in microbial fermentation as a feedstock for biomanufacturing. Achieving the carbon-neutral or -negative goals is addressed under two main strategies. The one-step strategy uses novel metabolic pathway design and engineering approaches to directly fix the CO2 toward the synthesis of the desired products. Due to the limitation of the yield and efficiency in one-step fixation, the two-step strategy aims to integrate firstly the electrochemical conversion of the exhausted CO2 into C1/C2 products such as formate, methanol, acetate, and ethanol, and a second fermentation process to utilize the CO2-derived C1/C2 chemicals or co-utilize C5/C6 sugars and C1/C2 chemicals for product formation. The potential and challenges of using CO2 as a feedstock for future biomanufacturing of fuels and chemicals are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Kurt
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, USA; (E.K.); (J.Q.); (A.W.)
| | - Jiansong Qin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, USA; (E.K.); (J.Q.); (A.W.)
| | - Alexandria Williams
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, USA; (E.K.); (J.Q.); (A.W.)
| | - Youbo Zhao
- Physical Sciences Inc., 20 New England Business Ctr., Andover, MA 01810, USA;
| | - Dongming Xie
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854, USA; (E.K.); (J.Q.); (A.W.)
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38
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Gisriel CJ, Bryant DA, Brudvig GW, Cardona T. Molecular diversity and evolution of far-red light-acclimated photosystem I. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1289199. [PMID: 38053766 PMCID: PMC10694217 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1289199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
The need to acclimate to different environmental conditions is central to the evolution of cyanobacteria. Far-red light (FRL) photoacclimation, or FaRLiP, is an acclimation mechanism that enables certain cyanobacteria to use FRL to drive photosynthesis. During this process, a well-defined gene cluster is upregulated, resulting in changes to the photosystems that allow them to absorb FRL to perform photochemistry. Because FaRLiP is widespread, and because it exemplifies cyanobacterial adaptation mechanisms in nature, it is of interest to understand its molecular evolution. Here, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of the photosystem I subunits encoded in the FaRLiP gene cluster and analyzed the available structural data to predict ancestral characteristics of FRL-absorbing photosystem I. The analysis suggests that FRL-specific photosystem I subunits arose relatively late during the evolution of cyanobacteria when compared with some of the FRL-specific subunits of photosystem II, and that the order Nodosilineales, which include strains like Halomicronema hongdechloris and Synechococcus sp. PCC 7335, could have obtained FaRLiP via horizontal gene transfer. We show that the ancestral form of FRL-absorbing photosystem I contained three chlorophyll f-binding sites in the PsaB2 subunit, and a rotated chlorophyll a molecule in the A0B site of the electron transfer chain. Along with our previous study of photosystem II expressed during FaRLiP, these studies describe the molecular evolution of the photosystem complexes encoded by the FaRLiP gene cluster.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Donald A. Bryant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Gary W. Brudvig
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Tanai Cardona
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
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39
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Silori Y, Willow R, Nguyen HH, Shen G, Song Y, Gisriel CJ, Brudvig GW, Bryant DA, Ogilvie JP. Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy of the Far-Red-Light Photosystem II Reaction Center. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:10300-10308. [PMID: 37943008 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the role of specific pigments in primary energy conversion in the photosystem II (PSII) reaction center has been impeded by the spectral overlap of its constituent pigments. When grown in far-red light, some cyanobacteria incorporate chlorophyll-f and chlorophyll-d into PSII, relieving the spectral congestion. We employ two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy to study PSII at 77 K from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7335 cells that were grown in far-red light (FRL-PSII). We observe the formation of a radical pair within ∼3 ps that we assign to ChlD1•-PD1•+. While PheoD1 is thought to act as the primary electron acceptor in PSII from cells grown in visible light, we see no evidence of its involvement, which we attribute to its reduction by dithionite treatment in our samples. Our work demonstrates that primary charge separation occurs between ChlD1 and PD1 in FRL-PSII, suggesting that PD1/PD2 may play an underappreciated role in PSII's charge separation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogita Silori
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Rhiannon Willow
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Hoang H Nguyen
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Gaozhong Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Yin Song
- School of Optics and Photonics, Beijing Institute of Technology, 5 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Christopher J Gisriel
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Gary W Brudvig
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Donald A Bryant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Jennifer P Ogilvie
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 450 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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40
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Cao K, Cui Y, Sun F, Zhang H, Fan J, Ge B, Cao Y, Wang X, Zhu X, Wei Z, Yao Q, Ma J, Wang Y, Meng C, Gao Z. Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology strategies for producing high-value natural pigments in Microalgae. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 68:108236. [PMID: 37586543 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae are microorganisms capable of producing bioactive compounds using photosynthesis. Microalgae contain a variety of high value-added natural pigments such as carotenoids, phycobilins, and chlorophylls. These pigments play an important role in many areas such as food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Natural pigments have a health value that is unmatched by synthetic pigments. However, the current commercial production of natural pigments from microalgae is not able to meet the growing market demand. The use of metabolic engineering and synthetic biological strategies to improve the production performance of microalgal cell factories is essential to promote the large-scale production of high-value pigments from microalgae. This paper reviews the health and economic values, the applications, and the synthesis pathways of microalgal pigments. Overall, this review aims to highlight the latest research progress in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology in constructing engineered strains of microalgae with high-value pigments and the application of CRISPR technology and multi-omics in this context. Finally, we conclude with a discussion on the bottlenecks and challenges of microalgal pigment production and their future development prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Cao
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China; School of Life Sciences and medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255049, China
| | - Yulin Cui
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Fengjie Sun
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, USA
| | - Hao Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Jianhua Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Baosheng Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing and Center for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
| | - Yujiao Cao
- School of Foreign Languages, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255090, China
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China; School of Life Sciences and medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255049, China
| | - Zuoxi Wei
- School of Life Sciences and medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255049, China
| | - Qingshou Yao
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Jinju Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Yu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Chunxiao Meng
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China.
| | - Zhengquan Gao
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai 264003, China.
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41
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Götze JP, Lokstein H. Excitation Energy Transfer between Higher Excited States of Photosynthetic Pigments: 1. Carotenoids Intercept and Remove B Band Excitations. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:40005-40014. [PMID: 37929138 PMCID: PMC10620780 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Chlorophylls (Chls) are known for fast, subpicosecond internal conversion (IC) from ultraviolet/blue-absorbing ("B" or "Soret" states) to the energetically lower, red light-absorbing Q states. Consequently, excitation energy transfer (EET) in photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes involving the B states has so far not been considered. We present, for the first time, a theoretical framework for the existence of B-B EET in tightly coupled Chl aggregates such as photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes. We show that according to a Förster resonance energy transport (FRET) scheme, unmodulated B-B EET has an unexpectedly high range. Unsuppressed, it could pose an existential threat: the damage potential of blue light for photochemical reaction centers (RCs) is well-known. This insight reveals so far undescribed roles for carotenoids (Crts, this article) and Chl b (next article in this series) of possibly vital importance. Our model system is the photosynthetic antenna pigment-protein complex (CP29). Here, we show that the B → Q IC is assisted by the optically allowed Crt state (S2): The sequence is B → S2 (Crt, unrelaxed) → S2 (Crt, relaxed) → Q. This sequence has the advantage of preventing ∼39% of Chl-Chl B-B EET since the Crt S2 state is a highly efficient FRET acceptor. The B-B EET range and thus the likelihood of CP29 to forward potentially harmful B excitations toward the RC are thus reduced. In contrast to the B band of Chls, most Crt energy donation is energetically located near the Q band, which allows for 74/80% backdonation (from lutein/violaxanthin) to Chls. Neoxanthin, on the other hand, likely donates in the B band region of Chl b, with 76% efficiency. Crts thus act not only in their currently proposed photoprotective roles but also as a crucial building block for any system that could otherwise deliver harmful "blue" excitations to the RCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan P. Götze
- Institut
für Chemie und Biochemie, Fachbereich Biologie Chemie Pharmazie, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Heiko Lokstein
- Department
of Chemical Physics and Optics, Charles
University, Ke Karlovu
3, 121 16 Prague, Czech Republic
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42
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Antonaru LA, Selinger VM, Jung P, Di Stefano G, Sanderson ND, Barker L, Wilson DJ, Büdel B, Canniffe DP, Billi D, Nürnberg DJ. Common loss of far-red light photoacclimation in cyanobacteria from hot and cold deserts: a case study in the Chroococcidiopsidales. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:113. [PMID: 37857858 PMCID: PMC10587186 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00319-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Deserts represent an extreme challenge for photosynthetic life. Despite their aridity, they are often inhabited by diverse microscopic communities of cyanobacteria. These organisms are commonly found in lithic habitats, where they are partially sheltered from extremes of temperature and UV radiation. However, living under the rock surface imposes additional constraints, such as limited light availability, and enrichment of longer wavelengths than are typically usable for oxygenic photosynthesis. Some cyanobacteria from the genus Chroococcidiopsis can use this light to photosynthesize, in a process known as far-red light photoacclimation, or FaRLiP. This genus has commonly been reported from both hot and cold deserts. However, not all Chroococcidiopsis strains carry FaRLiP genes, thus motivating our study into the interplay between FaRLiP and extreme lithic environments. The abundance of sequence data and strains provided the necessary material for an in-depth phylogenetic study, involving spectroscopy, microscopy, and determination of pigment composition, as well as gene and genome analyses. Pigment analyses revealed the presence of red-shifted chlorophylls d and f in all FaRLiP strains tested. In addition, eight genus-level taxa were defined within the encompassing Chroococcidiopsidales, clarifying the phylogeny of this long-standing polyphyletic order. FaRLiP is near universally present in a generalist genus identified in a wide variety of environments, Chroococcidiopsis sensu stricto, while it is rare or absent in closely related, extremophile taxa, including those preferentially inhabiting deserts. This likely reflects the evolutionary process of gene loss in specialist lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Antonaru
- Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Vera M Selinger
- Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Jung
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Giorgia Di Stefano
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- PhD Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicholas D Sanderson
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Leanne Barker
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniel J Wilson
- Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Daniel P Canniffe
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Daniela Billi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Dennis J Nürnberg
- Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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43
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van Stokkum IH, Müller MG, Weißenborn J, Weigand S, Snellenburg JJ, Holzwarth AR. Energy transfer and trapping in photosystem I with and without chlorophyll- f. iScience 2023; 26:107650. [PMID: 37680463 PMCID: PMC10480676 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
We establish a general kinetic scheme for energy transfer and trapping in the photosystem I (PSI) of cyanobacteria grown under white light (WL) or far-red light (FRL) conditions. With the help of simultaneous target analysis of all emission and transient absorption datasets measured in five cyanobacterial strains, we resolved the spectral and kinetic properties of the different species present in PSI. WL-PSI can be described by Bulk Chl a, two Red Chl a, and a reaction center compartment (WL-RC). The FRL-PSI contains two additional Chl f compartments. The lowest excited state of the FRL-RC is downshifted by ≈ 29 nm. The rate of charge separation drops from ≈900 ns-1 in WL-RC to ≈300 ns-1 in FRL-RC. The delayed trapping in the FRL-PSI (≈130 ps) is explained by uphill energy transfer from the Chl f compartments with Gibbs free energies of ≈kBT below that of the FRL-RC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo H.M. van Stokkum
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Marc G. Müller
- Max-Planck-Institut für chemische Energiekonversion, 45470 Mülheim a.d. Ruhr, Germany
| | - Jörn Weißenborn
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Weigand
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Joris J. Snellenburg
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Alfred R. Holzwarth
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, the Netherlands
- Max-Planck-Institut für chemische Energiekonversion, 45470 Mülheim a.d. Ruhr, Germany
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44
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Chen M, Sawicki A, Wang F. Modeling the Characteristic Residues of Chlorophyll f Synthase (ChlF) from Halomicronema hongdechloris to Determine Its Reaction Mechanism. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2305. [PMID: 37764149 PMCID: PMC10535343 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Photosystem II (PSII) is a quinone-utilizing photosynthetic system that converts light energy into chemical energy and catalyzes water splitting. PsbA (D1) and PsbD (D2) are the core subunits of the reaction center that provide most of the ligands to redox-active cofactors and exhibit photooxidoreductase activities that convert quinone and water into quinol and dioxygen. The performed analysis explored the putative uncoupled electron transfer pathways surrounding P680+ induced by far-red light (FRL) based on photosystem II (PSII) complexes containing substituted D1 subunits in Halomicronema hongdechloris. Chlorophyll f-synthase (ChlF) is a D1 protein paralog. Modeling PSII-ChlF complexes determined several key protein motifs of ChlF. The PSII complexes included a dysfunctional Mn4CaO5 cluster where ChlF replaced the D1 protein. We propose the mechanism of chlorophyll f synthesis from chlorophyll a via free radical chemistry in an oxygenated environment created by over-excited pheophytin a and an inactive water splitting reaction owing to an uncoupled Mn4CaO5 cluster in PSII-ChlF complexes. The role of ChlF in the formation of an inactive PSII reaction center is under debate, and putative mechanisms of chlorophyll f biosynthesis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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45
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Sheridan KJ, Brown TJ, Eaton-Rye JJ, Summerfield TC. Expression of the far-red D1 protein or introduction of conserved far-red D1 residues into Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 impairs Photosystem II. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2023; 175:e13997. [PMID: 37882270 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The wavelengths of light harvested in oxygenic photosynthesis are ~400-700 nm. Some cyanobacteria respond to far-red light exposure via a process called far-red light photoacclimation which enables absorption of light at wavelengths >700 nm and its use to support photosynthesis. Far-red-light-induced changes include up-regulation of alternative copies of multiple proteins of Photosystem II (PS II). This includes an alternative copy of the D1 protein, D1FR . Here, we show that D1FR introduced into Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (hereafter Synechocystis 6803) can be incorporated into PS II centres that evolve oxygen at low rates but cannot support photoautotrophic growth. Using mutagenesis to modify the psbA2 gene of Synechocystis 6803, we modified residues in helices A, B, and C to be characteristic of D1FR residues. Modification of the Synechocystis 6803 helix A to resemble the D1FR helix A, with modifications in the region of the bound ß-carotene (CarD1 ) and the accessory chlorophyll, ChlZD1 , produced a strain with a similar phenotype to the D1FR strain. In contrast, the D1FR changes in helices B and C had minor impacts on photoautotrophy but impacted the function of PS II, possibly through a change in the equilibrium for electron sharing between the primary and secondary plastoquinone electron acceptors QA and QB in favour of QA - . The addition of combinations of residue changes in helix C indicates compensating effects may occur and highlight the need to experimentally determine the impact of multiple residue changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Sheridan
- Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Toby J Brown
- Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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46
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Niedzwiedzki DM, Magdaong NCM, Su X, Adir N, Keren N, Liu H. Mass spectrometry and spectroscopic characterization of a tetrameric photosystem I supercomplex from Leptolyngbya ohadii, a desiccation-tolerant cyanobacterium. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2023; 1864:148955. [PMID: 36708912 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2023.148955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria inhabiting desert biological soil crusts face the harsh conditions of the desert. They evolved a suite of strategies toward desiccation-hydration cycles mixed with high light irradiations, etc. In this study we purified and characterized the structure and function of Photosystem I (PSI) from Leptolyngbya ohadii, a desiccation-tolerant desert cyanobacterium. We discovered that PSI forms tetrameric (PSI-Tet) aggregate. We investigated it by using sucrose density gradient centrifugation, clear native PAGE, high performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry (MS), time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) and time-resolved transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. MS analysis identified the presence of two PsaB and two PsaL proteins in PSI-Tet and uniquely revealed that PsaLs are N-terminally acetylated in contrast to non-modified PsaL in the trimeric PSI from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence decay profiles of the PSI-Tet performed at 77 K revealed two emission bands at ∼690 nm and 725 nm with the former appearing only at early delay time. The main fluorescence emission peak, associated with emission from the low energy Chls a, decays within a few nanoseconds. TA studies demonstrated that the 725 nm emission band is associated with low energy Chls a with absorption band clearly resolved at ∼710 nm at 77 K. In summary, our work suggests that the heterogenous composition of PsaBs and PsaL in PSI-Tet is related with the adaptation mechanisms needed to cope with stressful conditions under which this bacterium naturally grows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dariusz M Niedzwiedzki
- Center for Solar Energy and Energy Storage, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Department of Energy Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
| | | | - Xinyang Su
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Noam Adir
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Hafai, Israel
| | - Nir Keren
- Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Haijun Liu
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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47
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Shen LQ, Zhang ZC, Huang L, Zhang LD, Yu G, Chen M, Li R, Qiu BS. Chlorophyll f production in two new subaerial cyanobacteria of the family Oculatellaceae. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2023; 59:370-382. [PMID: 36680560 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13314] [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: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Chlorophyll (Chl) f was recently identified in a few cyanobacteria as the fifth chlorophyll of oxygenic organisms. In this study, two Leptolyngbya-like strains of CCNU0012 and CCNU0013 were isolated from a dry ditch in Chongqing city and a brick wall in Mount Emei Scenic Area in China, respectively. These two strains were described as new species: Elainella chongqingensis sp. nov. (Oculatellaceae, Synechococcales) and Pegethrix sichuanica sp. nov. (Oculatellaceae, Synechococcales) by the polyphasic approach based on morphological features, phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene and secondary structure comparison of 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer domains. Both strains produced Chl a under white light (WL) but additionally induced Chl f synthesis under far-red light (FRL). Unexpectedly, the content of Chl f in P. sichuanica was nearly half that in most Chl f-producing cyanobacteria. Red-shifted phycobiliproteins were also induced in both strains under FRL conditions. Subsequently, additional absorption peak beyond 700 nm in the FRL spectral region appeared in these two strains. This is the first report of Chl f production induced by FRL in the family Oculatellaceae. This study not only extended the diversity of Chl f-producing cyanobacteria but also provided precious samples to elucidate the essential binding sites of Chl f within cyanobacterial photosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Qin Shen
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhong-Chun Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Li Huang
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lu-Dan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Gongliang Yu
- Key Lab of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Min Chen
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Renhui Li
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Bao-Sheng Qiu
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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48
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Kanda T, Ishikita H. Energetic Diversity in the Electron-Transfer Pathways of Type I Photosynthetic Reaction Centers. Biochemistry 2023; 62:934-941. [PMID: 36749324 PMCID: PMC9949227 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic reaction centers from heliobacteria (HbRC) and green sulfur bacteria (GsbRC) are homodimeric proteins and share a common ancestor with photosystem I (PSI), classified as type I reaction centers. Using the HbRC crystal structure, we calculated the redox potential (Em) values in the electron-transfer branches, solving the linear Poisson-Boltzmann equation and considering the protonation states of all titratable sites in the entire protein-pigment complex. Em(A-1) for bacteriochlorophyll g at the secondary site in HbRC (-1157 mV) is as low as Em(A-1) for chlorophyll a in PSI (-1173 mV). Em(A0/HbRC) is at the same level as Em(A0/GsbRC) and is 200 mV higher than Em(A0/PSI) due to the replacement of PsaA-Trp697/PsaB-Trp677 in PSI with PshA-Arg554 in HbRC. In contrast, Em(FX) for the Fe4S4 cluster in HbRC (-420 mV) is significantly higher than Em(FX) in GsbRC (-719 mV) and PSI (-705 mV) due to the absence of acidic residues that correspond to PscA-Asp634 in GsbRC and PsaB-Asp575 in PSI. It seems likely that type I reaction centers have evolved, adopting (bacterio)chlorophylls suitable for their light environments while maintaining electron-transfer cascades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoki Kanda
- Department
of Applied Chemistry, The University of
Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, 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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49
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Leister D. Enhancing the light reactions of photosynthesis: Strategies, controversies, and perspectives. MOLECULAR PLANT 2023; 16:4-22. [PMID: 35996755 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is central to life on Earth, employing sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce chemical energy and oxygen. It is generally accepted that boosting its efficiency offers one promising way to increase crop yields under agronomically realistic conditions. Since the components, structure, and regulatory mechanisms of the light reactions of photosynthesis are well understood, concepts for enhancing the process have been suggested and partially tested. These approaches vary in complexity, from targeting single components to comprehensive redesign of the whole process on the scales from single cells or tissues to whole canopies. Attempts to enhance light utilization per leaf, by decreasing pigmentation, increasing levels of photosynthetic proteins, prolonging the lifespan of the photosynthetic machinery, or massive reconfiguration of the photosynthetic machinery and the incorporation of nanomaterials, are discussed in this review first. Secondly, strategies intended to optimize the acclimation of photosynthesis to changes in the environment are presented, including redesigning mechanisms to dissipate excess excitation energy (e.g., non-photochemical quenching) or reduction power (e.g., flavodiiron proteins). Moreover, schemes for improving acclimation, inspired by natural or laboratory-induced adaptation, are introduced. However, all these endeavors are still in an early exploratory phase and/or have not resulted in the desired outcome, largely because photosynthesis is embedded within large networks of closely interacting cellular and metabolic processes, which can vary among species and even cultivars. This explains why integrated, systems-wide approaches are required to achieve the breakthroughs required for effectively increasing crop yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Leister
- Plant Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Martinsried-Planegg, D-82152 Munich, Germany.
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50
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Gisriel CJ, Shen G, Flesher DA, Kurashov V, Golbeck JH, Brudvig GW, Amin M, Bryant DA. Structure of a dimeric photosystem II complex from a cyanobacterium acclimated to far-red light. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102815. [PMID: 36549647 PMCID: PMC9843442 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Photosystem II (PSII) is the water-splitting enzyme central to oxygenic photosynthesis. To drive water oxidation, light is harvested by accessory pigments, mostly chlorophyll (Chl) a molecules, which absorb visible light (400-700 nm). Some cyanobacteria facultatively acclimate to shaded environments by altering their photosynthetic machinery to additionally absorb far-red light (FRL, 700-800 nm), a process termed far-red light photoacclimation or FaRLiP. During far-red light photoacclimation, FRL-PSII is assembled with FRL-specific isoforms of the subunits PsbA, PsbB, PsbC, PsbD, and PsbH, and some Chl-binding sites contain Chls d or f instead of the usual Chl a. The structure of an apo-FRL-PSII monomer lacking the FRL-specific PsbH subunit has previously been determined, but visualization of the dimeric complex has remained elusive. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of a dimeric FRL-PSII complex. The site assignments for Chls d and f are consistent with those assigned in the previous apo-FRL-PSII monomeric structure. All sites that bind Chl d or Chl f at high occupancy exhibit a FRL-specific interaction of the formyl moiety of the Chl d or Chl f with the protein environment, which in some cases involves a phenylalanine sidechain. The structure retains the FRL-specific PsbH2 subunit, which appears to alter the energetic landscape of FRL-PSII, redirecting energy transfer from the phycobiliprotein complex to a Chl f molecule bound by PsbB2 that acts as a bridge for energy transfer to the electron transfer chain. Collectively, these observations extend our previous understanding of the structure-function relationship that allows PSII to function using lower energy FRL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gaozhong Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David A Flesher
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Vasily Kurashov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John H Golbeck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gary W Brudvig
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Muhamed Amin
- Department of Sciences, University College Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Donald A Bryant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
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