title: No evidence from FTIR difference spectroscopy that aspartate-342 of the D1 polypeptide ligates a Mn ion that undergoes oxidation during the S0 to S1, S1 to S2, or S2 to S3 transitions in photosystem II.
abstract: In the recent X-ray crystallographic structural models of photosystem II, Asp342 of the D1 polypeptide is assigned as a ligand of the oxygen-evolving Mn4 cluster. To determine if D1-Asp342 ligates a Mn ion that undergoes oxidation during one or more of the S0 --> S1, S1 --> S2, and S2 --> S3 transitions, the FTIR difference spectra of the individual S state transitions in D1-D342N mutant PSII particles from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 were compared with those in wild-type PSII particles. Remarkably, the data show that the mid-frequency (1800-1200 cm-1) FTIR difference spectra of wild-type and D1-D342N PSII particles are essentially identical. Importantly, the mutation alters none of the carboxylate vibrational modes that are present in the wild-type spectra. The absence of significant mutation-induced spectral alterations in D1-D342N PSII particles shows that the oxidation of the Mn4 cluster does not alter the frequencies of the carboxylate stretching modes of D1-Asp342 during the S0 --> S1, S1 --> S2, or S2 --> S3 transitions. One explanation of these data is that D1-Asp342 ligates a Mn ion that does not increase its charge or oxidation state during any of these S state transitions. However, because the same conclusion was reached previously for D1-Asp170, and because the recent X-ray crystallographic structural models assign D1-Asp170 and D1-Asp342 as ligating different Mn ions, this explanation requires that (1) the extra positive charge that develops on the Mn4 cluster during the S1 --> S2 transition be localized on the Mn ion that is ligated by the alpha-COO- group of D1-Ala344 and (2) any increase in positive charge that develops on the Mn4 cluster during the S0 --> S1 and S2 --> S3 transitions be localized on the one Mn ion that is not ligated by D1-Asp170, D1-Asp342, or D1-Ala344. In separate experiments that were conducted with l-[1-13C]alanine, we found no evidence that D1-Asp342 ligates the same Mn ion that is ligated by the alpha-COO- group of D1-Ala344.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521-0129, USA.
authors.forename: Melodie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Strickler
authors.forename: Lee M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Warwick
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hillier
authors.forename: R David
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Britt
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Debus
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008024:Ligands; D008345:Manganese / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D017354:Point Mutation; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D046939:Synechocystis
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D008345:Manganese