title: Specific association of photosystem II and light-harvesting complex II in partially solubilized photosystem II membranes.
abstract: In this study, we report the structural characterization of photosystem II complexes obtained from partially solubilized photosystem II membranes. Direct observation by electron microscopy, within a few minutes after a mild disruption of the membranes with the detergent n-dodecyl-alpha,D-maltoside, revealed the presence of several large supramolecular complexes. Images of these complexes were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis and classification procedures, resolving a new complex consisting of the previously characterized dimeric supercomplex of photosystem II and light-harvesting complex II [Boekema et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92 (1995) 175-179] and two additional, symmetrically organized protein masses each containing a second type of trimeric light-harvesting II complex. We conclude that large and labile integral membrane proteins, such as photosystem II, can be quickly structurally characterized without extensive purification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysical Chemistry, BIOSON Research Centre, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Boekema
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Roon
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D018724:Spinacia oleracea
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex