title: Photosystem II of peas: effects of added divalent cations of Mn, Fe, Mg, and Ca on two kinetic components of P(+)(680) reduction in Mn-depleted core particles.
abstract: The catalytic Mn cluster of the photosynthetic oxygen-evolving system is oxidized via a tyrosine, Y(Z), by a photooxidized chlorophyll a moiety, P(+)(680). The rapid reduction of P(+)(680) by Y(Z) in nanoseconds requires the intactness of an acid/base cluster around Y(Z) with an apparent functional pK of <5. The removal of Mn (together with bound Ca) shifts the pK of the acid/base cluster from the acid into the neutral pH range. At alkaline pH the electron transfer (ET) from Y(Z) to P(+)(680) is still rapid (<1 micros), whereas at acid pH the ET is much slower (10-100 micros) and steered by proton release. In the intermediate pH domain one observes a mix of these kinetic components (see R. Ahlbrink, M. Haumann, D. Cherepanov, O. Bögershausen, A. Mulkidjanian, W. Junge, Biochemistry 37 (1998)). The overall kinetics of P(680)(+) reduction by Y(Z) in Mn-depleted photosystem II (PS II) has been previously shown to be slowed down by divalent cations (added at >10 microM), namely: Mn(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), Zn(2+) (C.W. Hoganson, P.A. Casey, O. Hansson, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1057 (1991)). Using Mn-depleted PS II core particles from pea as starting material, we re-investigated this phenomenon at nanosecond resolution, aiming at the effect of divalent cations on the particular kinetic components of P(+)(680) reduction. To our surprise we found only the slower, proton steered component retarded by some added cations (namely Co(2+)/Zn(2+)>Fe(2+)>Mn(2+)). Neither the fast component nor the apparent pK of the acid/base cluster around Y(Z) was affected. Apparently, the divalent cations acted (electrostatically) on the proton release channel that connects the oxygen-evolving complex with the bulk water, but not on the ET between Y(Z) and P(+)(680), proper. Contrastingly, Ca(2+) and Mg(2+), when added at >5 mM, accelerated the slow component of P(+)(680) reduction by Y(Z) and shifted the apparent pK of Y(Z) from 7.4 to 6.6 and 6.7, respectively. It was evident that the binding site(s) for added Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) were close to Y(Z) proper. The data obtained are discussed in relation to the nature of the metal-binding sites in photosystem II.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biophysics, Department of Biology, University of Osnabrück, 49069 Osnabrück, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahlbrink
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Semin
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Mulkidjanian
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Junge
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D004579:Electron Transport; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry; D008345:Manganese / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018532:Pisum sativum; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex
chemical_list: D002413:Cations, Divalent; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D008345:Manganese; D007501:Iron; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium