Structural and quantum chemical basis for OCP-mediated quenching of phycobilisomes.

Cyanobacteria use large antenna complexes called phycobilisomes (PBSs) for light harvesting. However, intense light triggers non-photochemical quenching, where the orange carotenoid protein (OCP) binds to PBS, dissipating excess energy as heat. The mechanism of efficiently transferring energy from phycocyanobilins in PBS to canthaxanthin in OCP remains insufficiently understood. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we unveiled the OCP-PBS complex structure at 1.6- to 2.1-angstrom resolution, showcasing its inherent flexibility. Using multiscale quantum chemistry, we disclosed the quenching mechanism. Identifying key protein residues, we clarified how canthaxanthin's transition dipole moment in its lowest-energy dark state becomes large enough for efficient energy transfer from phycocyanobilins. Our energy transfer model offers a detailed understanding of the atomic determinants of light harvesting regulation and antenna architecture in cyanobacteria.

Excitation energy transfer and vibronic coherence in intact phycobilisomes.

The phycobilisome is an oligomeric chromoprotein complex that serves as the principal mid-visible light-harvesting system in cyanobacteria. Here we report the observation of excitation-energy-transfer pathways involving delocalized optical excitations of the bilin (linear tetrapyrrole) chromophores in intact phycobilisomes isolated from Fremyella diplosiphon. By using broadband multidimensional electronic spectroscopy with 6.7-fs laser pulses, we are able to follow the progress of excitation energy from the phycoerythrin disks at the ends of the phycobilisome's rods to the C-phycocyanin disks along their length in <600 fs. Oscillation maps show that coherent wavepacket motions prominently involving the hydrogen out-of-plane vibrations of the bilins mediate non-adiabatic relaxation of a manifold of vibronic exciton states. However, the charge-transfer character of the bilins in the allophycocyanin-containing segments localizes the excitations in the core of the phycobilisome, yielding a kinetic bottleneck that enables photoregulatory mechanisms to operate efficiently on the >10-ps timescale.

Structures of a phycobilisome in light-harvesting and photoprotected states.

Phycobilisome (PBS) structures are elaborate antennae in cyanobacteria and red algae1,2. These large protein complexes capture incident sunlight and transfer the energy through a network of embedded pigment molecules called bilins to the photosynthetic reaction centres. However, light harvesting must also be balanced against the risks of photodamage. A known mode of photoprotection is mediated by orange carotenoid protein (OCP), which binds to PBS when light intensities are high to mediate photoprotective, non-photochemical quenching3-6. Here we use cryogenic electron microscopy to solve four structures of the 6.2 MDa PBS, with and without OCP bound, from the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The structures contain a previously undescribed linker protein that binds to the membrane-facing side of PBS. For the unquenched PBS, the structures also reveal three different conformational states of the antenna, two previously unknown. The conformational states result from positional switching of two of the rods and may constitute a new mode of regulation of light harvesting. Only one of the three PBS conformations can bind to OCP, which suggests that not every PBS is equally susceptible to non-photochemical quenching. In the OCP-PBS complex, quenching is achieved through the binding of four 34 kDa OCPs organized as two dimers. The complex reveals the structure of the active form of OCP, in which an approximately 60 Å displacement of its regulatory carboxy terminal domain occurs. Finally, by combining our structure with spectroscopic properties7, we elucidate energy transfer pathways within PBS in both the quenched and light-harvesting states. Collectively, our results provide detailed insights into the biophysical underpinnings of the control of cyanobacterial light harvesting. The data also have implications for bioengineering PBS regulation in natural and artificial light-harvesting systems.

An automated liquid jet for fluorescence dosimetry and microsecond radiolytic labeling of proteins.

X-ray radiolytic labeling uses broadband X-rays for in situ hydroxyl radical labeling to map protein interactions and conformation. High flux density beams are essential to overcome radical scavengers. However, conventional sample delivery environments, such as capillary flow, limit the use of a fully unattenuated focused broadband beam. An alternative is to use a liquid jet, and we have previously demonstrated that use of this form of sample delivery can increase labeling by tenfold at an unfocused X-ray source. Here we report the first use of a liquid jet for automated inline quantitative fluorescence dosage characterization and sample exposure at a high flux density microfocused synchrotron beamline. Our approach enables exposure times in single-digit microseconds while retaining a high level of side-chain labeling. This development significantly boosts the method's overall effectiveness and efficiency, generates high-quality data, and opens up the arena for high throughput and ultrafast time-resolved in situ hydroxyl radical labeling.

Marine Synechococcus sp. Strain WH7803 Shows Specific Adaptative Responses to Assimilate Nanomolar Concentrations of Nitrate.

Marine Synechococcus, together with Prochlorococcus, contribute to a significant proportion of the primary production on Earth. The spatial distribution of these two groups of marine picocyanobacteria depends on different factors such as nutrient availability and temperature. Some Synechococcus ecotypes thrive in mesotrophic and moderately oligotrophic waters, where they exploit both oxidized and reduced forms of nitrogen. Here, we present a comprehensive study, which includes transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of the response of Synechococcus sp. strain WH7803 to nanomolar concentrations of nitrate, compared to micromolar ammonium or nitrogen starvation. We found that Synechococcus has a specific response to a nanomolar nitrate concentration that differs from the response shown under nitrogen starvation or the presence of standard concentrations of either ammonium or nitrate. This fact suggests that the particular response to the uptake of nanomolar concentrations of nitrate could be an evolutionary advantage for marine Synechococcus against Prochlorococcus in the natural environment. IMPORTANCE Marine Synechococcus are a very abundant group of photosynthetic organisms on our planet. Previous studies have shown blooms of these organisms when nanomolar concentrations of nitrate become available. We have assessed the effect of nanomolar nitrate concentrations by studying the transcriptome and proteome of Synechococcus sp. WH7803, together with some physiological parameters. We found evidence that Synechococcus sp. strain WH7803 does sense and react to nanomolar concentrations of nitrate, suggesting the occurrence of specific adaptive mechanisms to allow their utilization. Thus, very low concentrations of nitrate in the ocean seem to be a significant nitrogen source for marine picocyanobacteria.

Structural analysis of a new carotenoid-binding protein: the C-terminal domain homolog of the OCP.

The Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP) is a water-soluble protein that governs photoprotection in many cyanobacteria. The 35 kDa OCP is structurally and functionally modular, consisting of an N-terminal effector domain (NTD) and a C-terminal regulatory domain (CTD); a carotenoid spans the two domains. The CTD is a member of the ubiquitous Nuclear Transport Factor-2 (NTF2) superfamily (pfam02136). With the increasing availability of cyanobacterial genomes, bioinformatic analysis has revealed the existence of a new family of proteins, homologs to the CTD, the C-terminal domain-like carotenoid proteins (CCPs). Here we purify holo-CCP2 directly from cyanobacteria and establish that it natively binds canthaxanthin (CAN). We use small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to characterize the structure of this carotenoprotein in two distinct oligomeric states. A single carotenoid molecule spans the two CCPs in the dimer. Our analysis with X-ray footprinting-mass spectrometry (XFMS) identifies critical residues for carotenoid binding that likely contribute to the extreme red shift (ca. 80 nm) of the absorption maximum of the carotenoid bound by the CCP2 dimer and a further 10 nm shift in the tetramer form. These data provide the first structural description of carotenoid binding by a protein consisting of only an NTF2 domain.

Excited-State Properties of Canthaxanthin in Cyanobacterial Carotenoid-Binding Proteins HCP2 and HCP3.

Recently a new family of carotenoproteins, homologues of the N-terminal domain of the orange carotenoid protein (NTD-OCP), have been identified in cyanobacteria. These homologues are called helical carotenoid proteins (HCPs) as they are all predicted to maintain the all-helical structure of the NTD-OCP and to bind carotenoids. Here, HCP2 and HCP3 isolated from the cyanobacterium Tolypothrix PCC 7601 were studied by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy to explore the excited-state dynamics of the bound carotenoid, canthaxanthin. The lowest excited state, S1, of canthaxanthin in both HCPs yields a lifetime of 3.5 ps; it is thus shorter than for canthaxanthin in solution (4.5 ps). This is because of the longer effective conjugation of canthaxanthin in HCPs, as one of the terminal rings is in an s-trans configuration. Use of two different excitation wavelengths, 470 and 570 nm, revealed excitation wavelength dependent spectroscopic response. Additional excited-state absorption bands are observed after excitation at 470 nm for both HCPs, proving the presence of more than one ground state conformer.

Comparative ultrafast spectroscopy and structural analysis of OCP1 and OCP2 from Tolypothrix.

The orange carotenoid protein (OCP) is a structurally and functionally modular photoactive protein involved in cyanobacterial photoprotection. Recently, based on bioinformatic analysis and phylogenetic relationships, new families of OCP have been described, OCP2 and OCPx. The first characterization of the OCP2 showed both faster photoconversion and back-conversion, and lower fluorescence quenching of phycobilisomes relative to the well-characterized OCP1. Moreover, OCP2 is not regulated by the fluorescence recovery protein (FRP). In this work, we present a comprehensive study combining ultrafast spectroscopy and structural analysis to compare the photoactivation mechanisms of OCP1 and OCP2 from Tolypothrix PCC 7601. We show that despite significant differences in their functional characteristics, the spectroscopic properties of OCP1 and OCP2 are comparable. This indicates that the OCP functionality is not directly related to the spectroscopic properties of the bound carotenoid. In addition, the structural analysis by X-ray footprinting reveals that, overall, OCP1 and OCP2 have grossly the same photoactivation mechanism. However, the OCP2 is less reactive to radiolytic labeling, suggesting that the protein is less flexible than OCP1. This observation could explain fast photoconversion of OCP2.

X-ray radiolytic labeling reveals the molecular basis of orange carotenoid protein photoprotection and its interactions with fluorescence recovery protein.

In cyanobacterial photoprotection, the orange carotenoid protein (OCP) is photoactivated under excess light conditions and binds to the light-harvesting antenna, triggering the dissipation of captured light energy. In low light, the OCP relaxes to the native state, a process that is accelerated in the presence of fluorescence recovery protein (FRP). Despite the importance of the OCP in photoprotection, the precise mechanism of photoactivation by this protein is not well-understood. Using time-resolved X-ray-mediated in situ hydroxyl radical labeling, we probed real-time solvent accessibility (SA) changes at key OCP residues during photoactivation and relaxation. We observed a biphasic photoactivation process in which carotenoid migration preceded domain dissociation. We also observed a multiphasic relaxation process, with collapsed domain association preceding the final conformational rearrangement of the carotenoid. Using steady-state hydroxyl radical labeling, we identified sites of interaction between the FRP and OCP. In combination, the findings in this study provide molecular-level insights into the factors driving structural changes during OCP-mediated photoprotection in cyanobacteria, and furnish a basis for understanding the physiological relevance of the FRP-mediated relaxation process.

Engineering the orange carotenoid protein for applications in synthetic biology.

The Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP) is a water-soluble protein that enables photoprotective energy quenching in cyanobacteria. Structurally, the OCP is modular, consisting of an all-helical N-terminal domain (NTD), and a mixed α-ß C-terminal domain (CTD). A non-covalently associated carotenoid spans the two domains. Upon photoactivation, the carotenoid translocates into the NTD, causing a visible color change from orange to red, to activate the OCP as a quencher of excess captured energy. The recent identification of new families of the OCP with diverse activation and quenching properties, and the discovery of carotenoid-binding proteins that are homologs to either the discrete NTD or CTD, provide a tremendous repertoire of modules that can be used as building blocks for the design of custom photoswitchable proteins. Here based on recent foundational results, we describe potential ways that the OCP can be engineered to serve a wide range of applications in synthetic biology.

Structural and spectroscopic characterization of HCP2.

The Helical Carotenoid Proteins (HCPs) are a large group of newly identified carotenoid-binding proteins found in ecophysiologically diverse cyanobacteria. They likely evolved before becoming the effector (quenching) domain of the modular Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP). The number of discrete HCP families-at least nine-suggests they are involved in multiple distinct functions. Here we report the 1.7 Šcrystal structure of HCP2, one of the most widespread HCPs found in nature, from the chromatically acclimating cyanobacterium Tolypothrix sp. PCC 7601. By purifying HCP2 from the native source we are able to identify its natively-bound carotenoid, which is exclusively canthaxanthin. In solution, HCP2 is a monomer with an absorbance maximum of 530 nm. However, the HCP2 crystals have a maximum absorbance at 548 nm, which is accounted by the stacking of the ß1 rings of the carotenoid in the two molecules in the asymmetric unit. Our results demonstrate how HCPs provide a valuable system to study carotenoid-protein interactions and their spectroscopic implications, and contribute to efforts to understand the functional roles of this large, newly discovered family of pigment proteins, which to-date remain enigmatic.

Fluorescence and Excited-State Conformational Dynamics of the Orange Carotenoid Protein.

The orange carotenoid protein (OCP) mediates nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) mechanisms in cyanobacteria. A bound ketocarotenoid serves as a sensor of midvisible light intensity and as a quencher of phycocyanobilin excitons in the phycobilisome. The photochemical mechanism that triggers conversion of the protein from a resting, orange state (OCPO) to an active, red state (OCPR) after optical preparation of the S2 state of the carotenoid remains an open question. We report here that the fluorescence spectrum and quantum yield of the bound carotenoids in OCPO report important details of the motions that follow optical preparation of the S2 state. The fluorescence spectra from OCPO preparations containing 3'-hydroxyechinenone (3hECN) or canthaxanthin (CAN) are markedly mirror asymmetric with respect to the absorption line shape and more than an order of magnitude more intense than for carotenoids in solution. Further, 3hECN exhibits a narrower fluorescence line shape and a larger quantum yield than CAN because its excited-state motions are hindered by a hydrogen bonding interaction between the 3'-hydroxyl group on its ß2 ring and Leu37 in the N-terminal domain. These results show that large-amplitude motions of the carotenoid's ß2-cyclohexene ring and of the conjugated polyene backbone initiate photochemistry in OCPO.

Distinct features of C/N balance regulation in Prochlorococcus sp. strain MIT9313.

The abundance and significant contribution to global primary production of the marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus have made it one of the main models in marine ecology. Several conditions known to cause strong effects on the regulation of N-related enzymes in other cyanobacteria lacked such effect in Prochlorococcus. Prochlorococcus sp. strain MIT9313 is one of the most early-branching strains among the members of this genus. In order to further understand the C/N control system in this cyanobacterium, we studied the effect of the absence of three key elements in the ocean, namely N, P and Fe, as well as the effect of inhibitors of the N assimilation or photosynthesis on the N metabolism of this strain. Furthermore, we focused our work in the effect of ageing, as the age of cultures has clear effects on the regulation of some enzymes in Prochlorococcus. To reach this goal, expression of the main three regulators involved in N assimilation in cyanobacteria, namely ntcA, glnB and pipX, as well as that of icd (encoding for isocitrate dehydrogenase) were analysed. Our results show that the control of the main proteins involved in the C/N balance in strain MIT9313 differs from other model Prochlorococcus strains.

Structure, function and evolution of the cyanobacterial orange carotenoid protein and its homologs.

Contents 937 I. 937 II. 938 III. 939 IV. 943 V. 947 VI. 948 948 References 949 SUMMARY: The orange carotenoid protein (OCP) is a water-soluble, photoactive protein involved in thermal dissipation of excess energy absorbed by the light-harvesting phycobilisomes (PBS) in cyanobacteria. The OCP is structurally and functionally modular, consisting of a sensor domain, an effector domain and a keto-carotenoid. On photoactivation, the OCP converts from a stable orange form, OCPO , to a red form, OCPR . Activation is accompanied by a translocation of the carotenoid deeper into the effector domain. The increasing availability of cyanobacterial genomes has enabled the identification of new OCP families (OCP1, OCP2, OCPX). The fluorescence recovery protein (FRP) detaches OCP1 from the PBS core, accelerating its back-conversion to OCPO ; by contrast, other OCP families are not regulated by FRP. N-terminal domain homologs, the helical carotenoid proteins (HCPs), have been found among diverse cyanobacteria, occurring as multiple paralogous groups, with two representatives exhibiting strong singlet oxygen (1 O2 ) quenching (HCP2, HCP3) and another capable of dissipating PBS excitation (HCP4). Crystal structures are presently available for OCP1 and HCP1, and models of other HCP subtypes can be readily produced as a result of strong sequence conservation, providing new insights into the determinants of carotenoid binding and 1 O2 quenching.

Quantitative Proteomics Shows Extensive Remodeling Induced by Nitrogen Limitation in Prochlorococcusmarinus SS120.

Prochlorococcus requires the capability to accommodate to environmental changes in order to proliferate in oligotrophic oceans, in particular regarding nitrogen availability. A precise knowledge of the composition and changes in the proteome can yield fundamental insights into such a response. Here we report a detailed proteome analysis of the important model cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus marinus SS120 after treatment with azaserine, an inhibitor of ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (GOGAT), to simulate extreme nitrogen starvation. In total, 1,072 proteins, corresponding to 57% of the theoretical proteome, were identified-the maximum proteome coverage obtained for any Prochlorococcus strain thus far. Spectral intensity, calibrated quantification by the Hi3 method, was obtained for 1,007 proteins. Statistically significant changes (P value of <0.05) were observed for 408 proteins, with the majority of proteins (92.4%) downregulated after 8 h of treatment. There was a strong decrease in ribosomal proteins upon azaserine addition, while many transporters were increased. The regulatory proteins PII and PipX were decreased, and the global nitrogen regulator NtcA was upregulated. Furthermore, our data for Prochlorococcus indicate that NtcA also participates in the regulation of photosynthesis. Prochlorococcus responds to the lack of nitrogen by slowing down translation, while inducing photosynthetic cyclic electron flow and biosynthesis of proteins involved in nitrogen uptake and assimilation. IMPORTANCEProchlorococcus is the most abundant photosynthetic organism on Earth, contributing significantly to global primary production and playing a prominent role in biogeochemical cycles. Here we study the effects of extreme nitrogen limitation, a feature of the oligotrophic oceans inhabited by this organism. Quantitative proteomics allowed an accurate quantification of the Prochlorococcus proteome, finding three main responses to nitrogen limitation: upregulation of nitrogen assimilation-related proteins, including transporters; downregulation of ribosome proteins; and induction of the photosystem II cyclic electron flow. This suggests that nitrogen limitation affects a range of metabolic processes far wider than initially believed, with the ultimate goal of saving nitrogen and maximizing the nitrogen uptake and assimilation capabilities of the cell.

Physiological Studies of Glutamine Synthetases I and III from Synechococcus sp. WH7803 Reveal Differential Regulation.

The marine picocyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. WH7803 possesses two glutamine synthetases (GSs; EC 6.3.1.2), GSI encoded by glnA and GSIII encoded by glnN. This is the first work addressing the physiological regulation of both enzymes in a marine cyanobacterial strain. The increase of GS activity upon nitrogen starvation was similar to that found in other model cyanobacteria. However, an unusual response was found when cells were grown under darkness: the GS activity was unaffected, reflecting adaptation to the environment where they thrive. On the other hand, we found that GSIII did not respond to nitrogen availability, in sharp contrast with the results observed for this enzyme in other cyanobacteria thus far studied. These features suggest that GS activities in Synechococcus sp. WH7803 represent an intermediate step in the evolution of cyanobacteria, in a process of regulatory streamlining where GSI lost the regulation by light, while GSIII lost its responsiveness to nitrogen. This is in good agreement with the phylogeny of Synechococcus sp. WH7803 in the context of the marine cyanobacterial radiation.

Glutamine Synthetase Sensitivity to Oxidative Modification during Nutrient Starvation in Prochlorococcus marinus PCC 9511.

Glutamine synthetase plays a key role in nitrogen metabolism, thus the fine regulation of this enzyme in Prochlorococcus, which is especially important in the oligotrophic oceans where this marine cyanobacterium thrives. In this work, we studied the metal-catalyzed oxidation of glutamine synthetase in cultures of Prochlorococcus marinus strain PCC 9511 subjected to nutrient limitation. Nitrogen deprivation caused glutamine synthetase to be more sensitive to metal-catalyzed oxidation (a 36% increase compared to control, non starved samples). Nutrient starvation induced also a clear increase (three-fold in the case of nitrogen) in the concentration of carbonyl derivatives in cell extracts, which was also higher (22%) upon addition of the inhibitor of electron transport, DCMU, to cultures. Our results indicate that nutrient limitations, representative of the natural conditions in the Prochlorococcus habitat, affect the response of glutamine synthetase to oxidative inactivating systems. Implications of these results on the regulation of glutamine synthetase by oxidative alteration prior to degradation of the enzyme in Prochlorococcus are discussed.

Physiological regulation of isocitrate dehydrogenase and the role of 2-oxoglutarate in Prochlorococcus sp. strain PCC 9511.

The enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH; EC 1.1.1.42) catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate, to produce 2-oxoglutarate. The incompleteness of the tricarboxylic acids cycle in marine cyanobacteria confers a special importance to isocitrate dehydrogenase in the C/N balance, since 2-oxoglutarate can only be metabolized through the glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase pathway. The physiological regulation of isocitrate dehydrogenase was studied in cultures of Prochlorococcus sp. strain PCC 9511, by measuring enzyme activity and concentration using the NADPH production assay and Western blotting, respectively. The enzyme activity showed little changes under nitrogen or phosphorus starvation, or upon addition of the inhibitors DCMU, DBMIB and MSX. Azaserine, an inhibitor of glutamate synthase, induced clear increases in the isocitrate dehydrogenase activity and icd gene expression after 24 h, and also in the 2-oxoglutarate concentration. Iron starvation had the most significant effect, inducing a complete loss of isocitrate dehydrogenase activity, possibly mediated by a process of oxidative inactivation, while its concentration was unaffected. Our results suggest that isocitrate dehydrogenase responds to changes in the intracellular concentration of 2-oxoglutarate and to the redox status of the cells in Prochlorococcus.