High-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of photosystem II from the mesophilic cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

Photosystem II (PSII) enables global-scale, light-driven water oxidation. Genetic manipulation of PSII from the mesophilic cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 has provided insights into the mechanism of water oxidation; however, the lack of a high-resolution structure of oxygen-evolving PSII from this organism has limited the interpretation of biophysical data to models based on structures of thermophilic cyanobacterial PSII. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of PSII from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 at 1.93-Å resolution. A number of differences are observed relative to thermophilic PSII structures, including the following: the extrinsic subunit PsbQ is maintained, the C terminus of the D1 subunit is flexible, some waters near the active site are partially occupied, and differences in the PsbV subunit block the Large (O1) water channel. These features strongly influence the structural picture of PSII, especially as it pertains to the mechanism of water oxidation.

Water Ligands Regulate the Redox Leveling Mechanism of the Oxygen-Evolving Complex of the Photosystem II.

Understanding how water ligands regulate the conformational changes and functionality of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) in photosystem II (PSII) throughout the catalytic cycle of oxygen evolution remains a highly intriguing and unresolved challenge. In this study, we investigate the effect of water insertion (WI) on the redox state of the OEC by using the molecular dynamics (MD) and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) hybrid methods. We find that water binding significantly reduces the free energy change for proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) from Mn to YZ•, underscoring the important regulatory role of water binding, which is essential for enabling the OEC redox-leveling mechanism along the catalytic cycle. We propose a water binding mechanism in which WI is thermodynamically favored by the closed-cubane form of the OEC, with water delivery mediated by Ca2+ ligand exchange. Isomerization from the closed- to open-cubane conformation at three post-WI states highlights the importance of the location of the MnIII center in the OEC and the orientation of its Jahn-Teller axis to conformational changes of the OEC, which might be critical for the formation of the O-O bond. These findings reveal a complex interplay between conformational changes in the OEC and the ligand environment during the activation of the OEC by YZ•. Analogous regulatory effects due to water ligand binding are expected to be important for a wide range of catalysts activated by redox state transitions in aqueous environments.

Structure of a monomeric photosystem II core complex from a cyanobacterium acclimated to far-red light reveals the functions of chlorophylls d and f.

Far-red light (FRL) photoacclimation in cyanobacteria provides a selective growth advantage for some terrestrial cyanobacteria by expanding the range of photosynthetically active radiation to include far-red/near-infrared light (700-800 nm). During this photoacclimation process, photosystem II (PSII), the water:plastoquinone photooxidoreductase involved in oxygenic photosynthesis, is modified. The resulting FRL-PSII is comprised of FRL-specific core subunits and binds chlorophyll (Chl) d and Chl f molecules in place of several of the Chl a molecules found when cells are grown in visible light. These new Chls effectively lower the energy canonically thought to define the "red limit" for light required to drive photochemical catalysis of water oxidation. Changes to the architecture of FRL-PSII were previously unknown, and the positions of Chl d and Chl f molecules had only been proposed from indirect evidence. Here, we describe the 2.25 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of a monomeric FRL-PSII core complex from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7335 cells that were acclimated to FRL. We identify one Chl d molecule in the ChlD1 position of the electron transfer chain and four Chl f molecules in the core antenna. We also make observations that enhance our understanding of PSII biogenesis, especially on the acceptor side of the complex where a bicarbonate molecule is replaced by a glutamate side chain in the absence of the assembly factor Psb28. In conclusion, these results provide a structural basis for the lower energy limit required to drive water oxidation, which is the gateway for most solar energy utilization on earth.

Heterogeneous Composition of Oxygen-Evolving Complexes in Crystal Structures of Dark-Adapted Photosystem II.

Photosystem II (PSII) is a homodimeric protein complex that catalyzes water oxidation at the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC), a heterocubanoid calcium-tetramanganese cluster. Here, we analyze the omit electron density peaks of the OEC's metal ions in five X-ray free-electron laser PSII structures at resolutions between 2.15 and 1.95 Å. The omit peaks can be described by the total number of electrons and approximated by the variance of electron density distribution when the distributions are spherically symmetric. We show that the number of electrons of metal centers is different in the two OECs of PSII dimers, implying that the oxidation states and/or occupancies of individual metal ions are different in the two monomers. In either case, we find that the two OECs of dark-adapted PSII dimers in crystals are not fully synchronized in the S1 state. Differences in redox states of the OEC in PSII only partially account for the observation that the electron densities integrate to a smaller number of electrons than expected. Differences between the determined and expected relative electron numbers are much larger than the estimated errors, indicating heterogeneity in the OEC composition.

Three overlooked photosynthesis papers of Otto Warburg (1883-1970), published in the 1940s in German and in Russian, on light-driven water oxidation coupled to benzoquinone reduction.

After a brief background on Otto Heinrich Warburg (1883-1970), and some of his selected research, we provide highlights, in English, of three of his papers in the 1940s-unknown to many as they were not originally published in English. They are: two brief reports on Photosynthesis, with Wilhelm Lüttgens, originally published in German, in 1944: 'Experiment on assimilation of carbonic acid'; and 'Further experiments on carbon dioxide assimilation'. This is followed by a regular paper, originally published in Russian, in 1946: 'The photochemical reduction of quinone in green granules'. Since the 1944 reports discussed here are very short, their translations are included in the Appendix, but that of the 1946 paper is provided in the Supplementary Material. In all three reports, Warburg provides the first evidence for and elaborates on light-driven water oxidation coupled to reduction of added benzoquinone. These largely overlooked studies of Warburg are in stark contrast to Warburg's well-known error in assigning the origin of the photosynthetically formed dioxygen to carbonate.

Synthesis, crystal structure, EPR, and DFT studies of an unusually distorted vanadium(II) complex.

We report the synthesis and structure of the most highly distorted four-coordinate d3 ion known to date that also serves as the second known example of a bis(biphenolato) transition metal complex. We demonstrate the application of density functional theory to calculate the magnetic parameters derived from the experimental and simulated EPR spectra.

13C ENDOR reveals that the D1 polypeptide C-terminus is directly bound to Mn in the photosystem II oxygen evolving complex.

Antiferromagnetically coupled Mn(III)Mn(IV) dimers have been commonly used to study biological systems that exhibit complex exchange interactions. Such is the case for the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) in photosystem II (PSII), where we have studied whether the C-terminal carboxylate of D1-Ala344 is directly bound to the Mn cluster. To probe these protein-derived carboxylate hyperfine interactions, which give direct bonding information, Q-band (34 GHz) Mims ENDOR was performed on a Mn(III)Mn(IV) dimer ([Mn(III)Mn(IV)(mu-O)(2)mu-OAc(TACN)(2)](BPh(4))(2)) (1) that was labeled with (13)C (I = (1)/(2)) at the carboxylate position of the acetate bridge. A(dip) is computed based on atomic coordinates from available X-ray crystal structures to be [-2.4, -0.8, 3.2] MHz. The value for A(iso) was determined based on simulation of the experimental ENDOR data, for complex 1 A(iso) = -1 MHz. Similar studies were then performed on PSII from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, in which all alanine-derived C=O groups are labeled with (13)C including the C-terminal alpha-COO(-) group of D1 (Ala344), as well as PSII proteins uniformly labeled with (13)C. Using recent X-ray crystallography data from T. elongatus the values for A(dip) were calculated and simulations of the experimental data led to A(iso) values of 1.2, 1, and 2 MHz, respectively. We infer from complex 1 that an A(iso) significantly larger than 1.2 MHz for a Mn-coordinating carboxylate moiety is unlikely. Therefore, we support the closer arrangement of Ala344 suggested by the Loll and Guskov structures and conclude that the C-terminal carboxylate of D1 polypeptide is directly bound to the Mn cluster.

Illumination with ultraviolet or visible light induces chemical changes in the water-soluble manganese complex, [Mn(4)O(6)(bpea)(4)]Br(4).

We measured the photosensitivity of an artificial tetranuclear oxo-Mn(IV) complex, [Mn(4)O(6)(bpea)(4)]Br(4), which has an adamantane-shaped {Mn(4)O(6)}(4+) core. Illumination caused changes in the absorption spectrum of the compound consistent with a one-electron reduction in the compound. Bromide appears to be the most probable electron donor in the reaction system. Chemical modification of the cluster appears to destabilize it, predisposing it to reductive degradation. UV light was more efficient than visible light in causing the changes. The data support the suggestion that the natural oxygen-evolving Mn complex is photosensitive and can oxidize components of the oxygen-evolving complex in its excited state causing photoinhibition, and that photostability is an important issue in designing Mn complexes for artificial photosynthesis. Furthermore, light-induced oxidation of bromide by [Mn(4)O(6)(bpea)(4)](4+) may suggest that oxidation of chloride is involved in natural water splitting or has been involved during the evolution of the water-splitting enzyme.

Toward synthetic models for high oxidation state forms of the photosystem II active site metal cluster: the first tetranuclear manganese cluster containing a [Mn4(mu-O)5]6+ core.

The first tetrameric high valent manganese complex consisting of a MnIV4(mu-O)5 bridged core, [Mn4(mu-O)5(dmb)4(dmbO)2](ClO4)4, [symbol: see text] was isolated via dimanganese (III,IV) and (IV,IV) intermediates in presence of the oxidant tert-butyl hydroperoxide and was characterized by X-ray crystallography, electrochemistry, infrared, UV-visible, 1H NMR, and mass spectroscopy; the structure found differs greatly from a proposal for the putative Mn4O5 aggregate found in Photosystem II.

Proton NMR Study of Oxo-Bridged Dimanganese(III) Complexes: Solution State Structures and an Isotropic Shift/Magnetic Exchange Correlation.

The (1)H NMR spectra of a series of manganese-oxo aggregates have been examined, and a characteristic signature was found for each complex. For the dimanganese(III,III) complexes [Mn(2)O(OAc)(2)(HB(pz)(3))(2)], [Mn(2)O(OAc)(2)(tacn)(2)](2+), [Mn(2)O(OAc)(2)(H(2)O)(2)(bpy)(2)](2+), and [Mn(2)O(OAc)(2)(bpta)(2)](2+) (HB(pz)(3) = hydrotris(pyrazol-1-yl)borate; tacn = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane; bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, and bpta = N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-tert-butylamine), the (1)H NMR spectra reveal a resonance associated with acetate, found downfield between 58 and 80 ppm, and a generally well resolved set of terminal ligand resonances which can be divided into two classes: those resonances associated with pyridyl or pyrazolyl ring protons and those of methylene groups. A number of the pyridine ring resonances have been unambiguously assigned by the examination of methyl-substituted derivatives. Data for these derivatives also support a coordination geometry-dependent pathway for spin delocalization. Moreover, interpretation of the (1)H NMR spectra leads to the conclusion that the solution-state structures of all members of the series are the same as the reported solid-state structures. A strong linear correlation between the magnetic coupling constant (J) and the isotropic shift of the acetate resonance was observed within this series of {Mn(2)O(OAc)(2)}(2+) core complexes. Furthermore, comparisons of the acetate proton isotropic shift ratio (DeltaH(Mn)/DeltaH(Fe)) to the ratio of the squared effective magnetic moments &mgr;(eff)(2)(Mn)/ &mgr;(eff)(2)(Fe) for complexes with the {M(2)O(OAc)(2)}(2+) core (where M = Mn(3+) or Fe(3+)) revealed excellent agreement (within 10%) between these two quantities.

Studies of iron(II) and iron(III) complexes with fac-N2O, cis-N2O2 and N2O3 donor ligands: models for the 2-His 1-carboxylate motif of non-heme iron monooxygenases.

Enzymes in the oxygen-activating class of mononuclear non-heme iron oxygenases (MNOs) contain a highly conserved iron center facially ligated by two histidine nitrogen atoms and one carboxylate oxygen atom that leave one face of the metal center (three binding sites) open for coordination to cofactor, substrate, and/or dioxygen. A comparative family of [Fe(II/III)(N(2)O(n))(L)(4-n))](±x), n = 1-3, L = solvent or Cl(-), model complexes, based on a ligand series that supports a facially ligated N,N,O core that is then modified to contain either one or two additional carboxylate chelate arms, has been structurally and spectroscopically characterized. EPR studies demonstrate that the high-spin d(5) Fe(III)g = 4.3 signal becomes more symmetrical as the number of carboxylate ligands decreases across the series Fe(N(2)O(3)), Fe(N(2)O(2)), and Fe(N(2)O(1)), reflecting an increase in the E/D strain of these complexes as the number of exchangeable/solvent coordination sites increases, paralleling the enhanced distribution of electronic structures that contribute to the spectral line shape. The observed systematic variations in the Fe(II)-Fe(III) oxidation-reduction potentials illustrate the fundamental influence of differential carboxylate ligation. The trend towards lower reduction potential for the iron center across the [Fe(III)(N(2)O(1))Cl(3)](-), [Fe(III)(N(2)O(2))Cl(2)](-) and [Fe(III)(N(2)O(3))Cl](-) series is consistent with replacement of the chloride anions with the more strongly donating anionic O-donor carboxylate ligands that are expected to stabilize the oxidized ferric state. This electrochemical trend parallels the observed dioxygen sensitivity of the three ferrous complexes (Fe(II)(N(2)O(1)) < Fe(II)(N(2)O(2)) < Fe(II)(N(2)O(3))), which form µ-oxo bridged ferric species upon exposure to air or oxygen atom donor (OAD) molecules. The observed oxygen sensitivity is particularly interesting and discussed in the context of α-ketoglutarate-dependent MNO enzyme mechanisms.

Tuning tetranuclear manganese-oxo core electronic properties: adamantane-shaped complexes synthesized by ligand exchange.

A series of adamantane-shaped [Mn4O6]4+ aggregates has been prepared. Ligand substitution reactions of [Mn4O6(bpea)4](ClO4)4 (1) with tridentate amine and iminodicarboxylate ligands in acetonitrile affords derivative clusters [Mn4O6(tacn)4](ClO4)4 (4), [Mn4O6(bpea)2(dien)2](ClO4)4)(5), [Mn4O6(Medien)4](ClO4)4 (6), [Mn4O6(tach)4](ClO4)4 (7), [Mn4O6(bpea)2(me-ida)2] (8), [Mn4O6(bpea)2(bz-ida)2] (9), [Mn4O6(bpea)2((t)bu-ida)2] (10), and [Mn4O6(bpea)2((c)pent-ida)2] (11) generally on the order of 10 min with retention of core nuclearity and oxidation state. Of these complexes, only 4 had been synthesized previously. Characterization of two members of this series by X-ray crystallography reveals that compound 7 crystallizes as [Mn4O6(tach)4](ClO4)4 x 3CH3CN x 4.5H2O in the cubic space group Fmm and compound 11 crystallizes as [Mn4O6(bpea)2((c)pent-ida)2].7MeOH in the monoclinic space group C2/c. The unique substitution chemistry of 1 with iminodicarboxylate ligands afforded asymmetrically ligated complexes 8-11, the mixed ligand nature of which is most likely unachievable using self-assembly synthetic methods. A special feature of the iminodicarboxylate ligand complexes 8-11 is the substantial site differentiation of the oxo bridges of the [Mn4O6]4+ cores. While there are four site-differentiated oxo bridges in 8, the solution structural symmetry of 8H+ reveals essentially a single protonation isomer, in contrast to the observation of two protonation isomers for 1H+, one for each of the site-differentiated oxo bridges in 1. Magnetic susceptibility measurements on 4, 7, 8, and 9 indicate that each complex is overall ferromagnetically coupled, and variable-field magnetization data for 7 and 9 are consistent with an S = 6 ground state. Electrochemical analysis demonstrates that ligand substitution of bpea affords accessibility to the Mn(V)(Mn(IV))3 oxidation state.

Multinuclear oxo-bridged manganese complexes with a bulky substituted benzoate ligand: novel species obtained by using steric control.

A sterically hindered carboxylate ligand is used to synthesize the first transition metal complex containing both bis-mu-oxo and bis-mu-carboxylato groups, [Mn2(mu-O)2(mu-ArtolCO2)2(bpy)2]+. However, methyl substitution on the chelating bipyridine ligand results in the formation of a strikingly different and novel hexanuclear species, [Mn6(mu-O)4(mu3-O)4(mu-ArtolCO2)2(dmb)6]4+. Steric interactions between the bridging carboxylates and chelating pyridine-based ligands determine the nuclearity of the complexes formed.

Shape-shifting tetranuclear oxo-bridged manganese cluster: relevance to photosystem II water oxidase active site.

The redox properties of the "dimer-of-dimers" complex, [{Mn2(mu-O)2(tphpn)}2]4+ (1) (where Htphpn = N,N,N',N'-tetra(2-methylpyridyl)-2-hydroxypropane-diamine) were investigated. The structure changes dramatically to an adamantane-shaped core upon one-electron oxidation. On the other hand, the one-electron reduced product of 1, [Mn4O4(tphpn)2]3+, exhibits a hyperfine-structured multiline EPR signal very similar to the so-called S0 state of the tetramanganese cluster, which resides at the Photosystem II water oxidase active site.

A new class of oxo-bridged high-valent hexamanganese clusters supported by sterically hindered carboxylate ligands.

A new class of oxo-bridged high-valent hexamanganese (Mn6) clusters containing a novel (Mn6O8)6+ core, [MnIV(4)MnIII2(mu-O)4(mu3-O)4(dmb)6(O2CR)2]4+ (where dmb=4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, and RCO2=2,6-di(p-tolyl)benzoate (Ar(Tol)CO2-) (3) or 2,6-di(4-tert-butylphenyl)benzoate (Ar(4-tBuPh)CO2-) (4)), was synthesized using sterically hindered m-terphenyl-derived carboxylate ligands. These complexes can be synthesized by oxidizing the MnII mononuclear complexes, [Mn(dmb)2(OH2)(O2CR)]+ (where RCO2=Ar(Tol)CO2- (1) or Ar(4-tBuPh)CO2- (2)) with (n-Bu4N)MnO4, by direct Mn(II) + Mn(VII) in situ comproportionation reactions, or by ligand substitution on the dinuclear manganese (III,IV) or (IV,IV) complexes, [(Mn2(mu-O)2(dmb)4)](3+/4+). The compound [MnIV4MnIII2(mu-O)4(mu3-O)4(dmb)6(Ar(Tol)CO2)2](OTf)4 [3(OTf)4] crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n, with the cell parameters a=15.447(1) A, b=15.077(2) A, c=27.703(2) A, beta=91.68(2) degrees, V=6449.3(6) A3, and Z=2. The X-ray structure reveals that there are three different bridging modes for the oxo groups: mu, "pyramidal" mu3, and "T-shaped" mu3. Solid-state variable temperature magnetic susceptibility studies suggest that the Mn centers are net antiferromagnetically coupled to yield a diamagnetic ST=0 ground spin state with a large number of low-lying, thermally accessible states with ST>0. 1H NMR spectra were recorded for both Mn6 clusters and selected resonances assigned. The electronic and redox properties of these complexes along with the effect of the presence of the bulky carboxylate ligands are also described here.

FTIR spectra and normal-mode analysis of a tetranuclear manganese adamantane-like complex in two electrochemically prepared oxidation states: relevance to the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II.

The IR spectra and normal-mode analysis of the adamantane-like compound [Mn(4)O(6)(bpea)(4)](n+) (bpea = N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylamine) in two oxidation states, Mn(IV)(4) and Mn(III)Mn(IV)(3), that are relevant to the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II are presented. Mn-O vibrational modes are identified with isotopic exchange, (16)O-->(18)O, of the mono-micro-oxo bridging atoms in the complex. IR spectra of the Mn(III)Mn(IV)(3) species are obtained by electrochemical reduction of the Mn(IV)(4) species using a spectroelectrochemical cell, based on attenuated total reflection [Visser, H.; et al. Anal. Chem. 2001, 73, 4374-4378]. A novel method of subtraction is used to reduce background contributions from solvent and ligand modes, and the difference and double-difference spectra are used in identifying Mn-O bridging modes that are sensitive to oxidation state change. Two strong IR bands are observed for the Mn(IV)(4) species at 745 and 707 cm(-1), and a weaker band is observed at 510 cm(-1). Upon reduction, the Mn(III)Mn(IV)(3) species exhibits two strong IR bands at 745 and 680 cm(-1), and several weaker bands are observed in the 510-425 cm(-1) range. A normal-mode analysis is performed to assign all the relevant bridging modes in the oxidized Mn(IV)(4) and reduced Mn(III)Mn(IV)(3) species. The calculated force constants for the Mn(IV)(4) species are f(r)(IV)= 3.15 mdyn/A, f(rOr) = 0.55 mdyn/A, and f(rMnr) = 0.20 mdyn/A. The force constants for the Mn(III)Mn(IV)(3) species are f(r)(IV)= 3.10 mdyn/A, f(r)(III)= 2.45 mdyn/A, f(rOr) = 0.40 mdyn/A, and f(rMnr) = 0.15 mdyn/A. This study provides insights for the identification of Mn-O modes in the IR spectra of the photosynthetic oxygen-evolving complex during its catalytic cycle.

Chloride ligation in inorganic manganese model compounds relevant to photosystem II studied using X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

Chloride ions are essential for proper function of the photosynthetic oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of Photosystem II (PS II). Although proposed to be directly ligated to the Mn cluster of the OEC, the specific structural and mechanistic roles of chloride remain unresolved. This study utilizes X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to characterize the Mn-Cl interaction in inorganic compounds that contain structural motifs similar to those proposed for the OEC. Three sets of model compounds are examined; they possess core structures Mn(IV)(3)O(4)X (X=Cl, F, or OH) that contain a di-micro-oxo and two mono-micro-oxo bridges or Mn(IV)(2)O(2)X (X=Cl, F, OH, OAc) that contain a di-micro-oxo bridge. Each set of compounds is examined for changes in the XAS spectra that are attributable to the replacement of a terminal OH or F ligand, or bridging OAc ligand, by a terminal Cl ligand. The X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) shows changes in the spectra on replacement of OH, OAc, or F by Cl ligands that are indicative of the overall charge of the metal atom and are consistent with the electronegativity of the ligand atom. Fourier transforms (FTs) of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra reveal a feature that is present only in compounds where chloride is directly ligated to Mn. These FT features were simulated using various calculated Mn-X interactions (X=O, N, Cl, F), and the best fits were found when a Mn-Cl interaction at a 2.2-2.3 A bond distance was included. There are very few high-valent Mn halide complexes that have been synthesized, and it is important to make such a comparative study of the XANES and EXAFS spectra because they have the potential for providing information about the possible presence or absence of halide ligation to the Mn cluster in PS II.