title: Two distinct conformations of the primary electron donor in reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides revealed by ENDOR/TRIPLE-spectroscopy.
abstract: The effect of solubilization of photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides with different detergents on the electronic structure of the oxidized primary donor, P.+, is investigated. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and related multiple resonance techniques (ENDOR/Special TRIPLE) show that two distinct conformations of P.+ can be obtained, depending on the detergent properties, the detergent/RC ratio, and the temperature. The two states correspond to different positions of the long-wavelength Qy-band of the neutral state, P (lambda1 = 866 nm and lambda2 = 850 nm at room temperature) and therefore are called P866.+ and P850.+, respectively. P866.+ is found in chromatophores and in RCs solubilized with nonionic detergents and bile salts. P850.+ is induced by zwitterionic and ionic detergents with aliphatic hydrophobic chains. The TRIPLE resonance spectra reveal that both states coexist in the range lambda2 < lambda(max) < lambda1. The main property of the detergent that determines the ability to induce P850.+ is the polarity of the head group. A simple phenomenological model is presented that relates the standard Gibbs free energy difference between the two conformations to the detergent/RC ratio and the temperature. Of special interest is the observation that the widely used detergent LDAO can induce P850.+ upon freezing the RCs without cryoprotectants. The spectroscopic properties of the two states are compared and their possible roles in RC function are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Max-Volmer-Institut fur Biophysikalische Chemie und Biochemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Müh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rautter
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lubitz
mesh_terms: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000494:pharmacology; D003902:Detergents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004123:Dimethylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D004579:Electron Transport; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008027:Light; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D012242:Rhodobacter sphaeroides / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D003902:Detergents; D004123:Dimethylamines; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; C034730:zwittergent 3-12; C014518:dodecyldimethylamine oxide