title: Low-potential iron-sulfur centers in photosystem I: an X-ray absorption spectroscopy study.
abstract: We have measured the X-ray absorption spectra of Fe in photosystem I (PS I) preparations from spinach and a thermophilic cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp., to characterize structures of the Fe complexes that function as electron acceptors in PS I. These acceptors include centers A and B, which are probably typical [4Fe-4S] ferredoxins, and X. The structure of X is not known, but its electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum has generated the suggestions that it is either a [2Fe-2S] or [4Fe-4S] ferredoxin or an Fe-quinone species. The iron X-ray absorption K-edge and iron extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra reveal that essentially all of the 11-14 Fe atoms present in the reaction center are present in the form of Fe-S centers and that not more than 1 atom out of 12 could be octahedral or oxygen-coordinated Fe. This suggests that, besides A and B, additional Fe-S clusters are present which are likely to be X. Our EXAFS spectra cannot be simulated adequately by a mixture of [4Fe-4S] ferredoxins with typical bond lengths and disorder parameters because the amplitude of Fe backscattering is small; however, excellent simulations of the data are consistent with a mixture of [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins and [4Fe-4S] ferredoxins, or with unusually distorted [4Fe-4S] clusters. We presume that the [2Fe-2S] or distorted [4Fe-4S] centers are X. The X-ray absorption spectra of PS I preparations from Synechococcus and spinach are essentially indistinguishable.
mesh_terms: D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis*; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000032:analysis; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis*; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D045331:Photosystem I Protein Complex; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010944:Plants / Q000032:analysis; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013455:Sulfur / Q000032:analysis*; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D045331:Photosystem I Protein Complex; D010940:Plant Proteins; D002734:Chlorophyll; D013455:Sulfur; D007501:Iron