Hiroki Makita

Directionality of electron transfer in cyanobacterial photosystem I at 298 and 77 K

Electron transfer processes in cyanobacterial photosystem I particles from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 with a high potential naphthoquinone (2,3‐dichloro‐1,4‐naphthoquinone) incorporated into the A1 binding site have been studied at 298 and 77 K using time‐resolved visible and infrared difference spectroscopy. The high potential naphthoquinone inhibits electron transfer past A1, and biphasic P700+A1 − radical pair recombination is observed. The two phases are assigned to P700+A1B − and P700+A1A − recombination. Analyses of the transient absorption changes indicate that the ratio of A‐ and B‐branch electron transfer is 95:5 at 77 K and 77:23 at 298 K.

Modeling electron transfer in photosystem I

Nanosecond to millisecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy has been used to study electron transfer processes in photosystem I particles from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 with eight different quinones incorporated into the A1 binding site, at both 298 and 77K. A detailed kinetic model was constructed and solved within the context of Marcus electron transfer theory, and it was found that all of the data could be well described only if the in situ midpoint potentials of the quinones fell in a tightly defined range. For photosystem I with phylloquinone incorporated into the A1 binding site all of the time-resolved optical data is best modeled when the in situ midpoint potential of phylloquinone on the A/B branch is -635/-690 mV, respectively. With the midpoint potential of the F(X) iron sulfur cluster set at -680 mV, this indicates that forward electron transfer from A(1)(-) to F(X) is slightly endergonic/exergonic on the A/B branch, respectively. Additionally, for forward electron transfer from A(1)(-) to F(X), on both the A and B branches the reorganization energy is close to 0.7 eV. Reorganization energies of 0.4 or 1.0 eV are not possible. For the eight different quinones incorporated, the same kinetic model was used, allowing us to establish in situ redox potentials for all of the incorporated quinones on both branches. A linear correlation was found between the in situ and in vitro midpoint potentials of the quinones on both branches.

Time-resolved visible and infrared absorption spectroscopy data obtained using photosystem I particles with non-native quinones incorporated into the A1 binding site.

Time-resolved visible and infrared absorption difference spectroscopy data at both 298 and 77 K were obtained using cyanobacterial menB− mutant photosystem I particles with several non-native quinones incorporated into the A1 binding site. Data was obtained for photosystem I particles with phylloquinone (2-methyl-3-phytyl-1,4-naphthoquinone), 2-bromo-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2,3-dibromo-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone, and 9,10-anthraquinone incorporated. Transient absorption data were obtained at 487 and 703 nm in the visible spectral range, and 1950–1100 cm−1 in the infrared region. Time constants obtained from fitting the time-resolved infrared and visible data are in good agreement. The measured time constants are crucial for the development of appropriate kinetic models that can describe electron transfer processes in photosystem I, “Modeling Electron Transfer in Photosystem I” Makita and Hastings (2016) [1].

Inverted-region electron transfer as a mechanism for enhancing photosynthetic solar energy conversion efficiency

Significance Inverted-region electron transfer is widely suggested to be an important mechanism contributing to photosynthetic efficiency. However, this mechanism has never been demonstrated in any native photosynthetic system under physiological conditions. Here, inverted-region electron transfer is demonstrated in a native photosynthetic protein complex under physiological conditions. Furthermore, inverted-region electron transfer is shown quantitatively to be an important mechanism underlying the very high efficiency associated with solar energy conversion in photosystem I in situ. In all photosynthetic organisms, light energy is used to drive electrons from a donor chlorophyll species via a series of acceptors across a biological membrane. These light-induced electron-transfer processes display a remarkably high quantum efficiency, indicating a near-complete inhibition of unproductive charge recombination reactions. It has been suggested that unproductive charge recombination could be inhibited if the reaction occurs in the so-called inverted region. However, inverted-region electron transfer has never been demonstrated in any native photosynthetic system. Here we demonstrate that the unproductive charge recombination in native photosystem I photosynthetic reaction centers does occur in the inverted region, at both room and cryogenic temperatures. Computational modeling of light-induced electron-transfer processes in photosystem I demonstrate a marked decrease in photosynthetic quantum efficiency, from 98% to below 72%, if the unproductive charge recombination process does not occur in the inverted region. Inverted-region electron transfer is therefore demonstrated to be an important mechanism contributing to efficient solar energy conversion in photosystem I. Inverted-region electron transfer does not appear to be an important mechanism in other photosystems; it is likely because of the highly reducing nature of photosystem I, and the energetic requirements placed on the pigments to operate in such a regime, that the inverted-region electron transfer mechanism becomes important.

Quinones in the A1 binding site in photosystem I studied using time-resolved FTIR difference spectroscopy

Time-resolved step-scan FTIR difference spectroscopy at low temperature (77 K) has been used to study photosystem I particles with phylloquinone (2-methyl-3-phytyl-1,4-naphthaquinone) and menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthaquinone) incorporated into the A1 binding site. By subtracting spectra for PSI with phylloquinone incorporated from spectra for PSI with menadione incorporated a (menadione - phylloquinone) double difference spectrum was constructed. In the double difference spectrum bands associated with protein vibrational modes effectively cancel, and the bands in the spectrum are primarily associated with the neutral and reduced states of the two quinones in the A1 binding site. To aid in the assignment of bands in the experimental double difference spectrum, a double difference spectrum was calculated using three-layer ONIOM methods. The calculated and experimental spectra agree well, allowing unambiguous band assignments to be made. The ONIOM calculations show that both quinones in the A1 binding site are similarly oriented, with only a single hydrogen bond between the C4=O quinone carbonyl group and the backbone NH group of a leucine residue. For the semi-quinone species, but not for the neutral species, this hydrogen bond appears to be very strong. Finally, we have for the first time been able to unmask and identify infrared difference bands associated with neutral naphthoquinone species occupying the A1 binding site in PSI.

Probing structural changes in single enveloped virus particles using nano-infrared spectroscopic imaging

Enveloped viruses, such as HIV, Ebola and Influenza, are among the most deadly known viruses. Cellular membrane penetration of enveloped viruses is a critical step in the cascade of events that lead to entry into the host cell. Conventional ensemble fusion assays rely on collective responses to membrane fusion events, and do not allow direct and quantitative studies of the subtle and intricate fusion details. Such details are accessible via single particle investigation techniques, however. Here, we implement nano-infrared spectroscopic imaging to investigate the chemical and structural modifications that occur prior to membrane fusion in the single archetypal enveloped virus, influenza X31. We traced in real-space structural and spectroscopic alterations that occur during environmental pH variations in single virus particles. In addition, using nanospectroscopic imaging we quantified the effectiveness of an antiviral compound in stopping viral membrane disruption (a novel mechanism for inhibiting viral entry into cells) during environmental pH variations.

Time-resolved step-scan FTIR difference spectroscopy for the study of photosystem I with different benzoquinones incorporated into the A1 binding site

Time-resolved step-scan FTIR difference spectroscopy has been used to study photosystem I (PSI) with plastoquinone-9 (PQ) and two other benzoquinones (2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone and 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone) incorporated into the A1 binding site. By subtracting a (P700+A1- - P700A1) FTIR difference spectrum for PSI with the native phylloquinone (PhQ) incorporated from corresponding spectra for PSI with different benzoquinones (BQs) incorporated, FTIR double difference spectra are produced, that display bands associated with vibrational modes of the quinones, without interference from features associated with protein vibrational modes. Molecular models for BQs involved in asymmetric hydrogen bonding were constructed and used in vibrational mode frequency calculations. The calculated data were used to aid in the interpretation and assignment of bands in the experimental spectra. We show that the calculations capture the general trends found in the experimental spectra. By comparing four different FTIR double difference spectra we are able to verify unambiguously bands associated with phyllosemiquinone in PSI at 1495 and 1415 cm-1. We also resolve a previously unrecognized band of phyllosemiquinone at 1476 cm-1 that calculations suggest is due in part to a C4-⃛O stretching mode. For PSI with PQ incorporated, calculations and experiment taken together indicate that the C1-⃛O and C4-⃛O vibrational modes of the semiquinone give rise to bands at 1487 and 1444 cm-1, respectively. This is very distinct compared to PSI with PhQ incorporated. From the calculated and experimental spectra, we show that it is possible to distinguish between two possible orientations of PQ in the A1 protein binding site.