Photosynthetic generation of oxygen.
The oxygen in the atmosphere is derived from light-driven oxidation of water at a catalytic centre contained within a multi-subunit enzyme known as photosystem II (PSII). PSII is located in the photosynthetic membranes of plants, algae and cyanobacteria and its oxygen-evolving centre (OEC) consists of four manganese ions and a calcium ion surrounded by a highly conserved protein environment. Recently, the structure of PSII was elucidated by X-ray crystallography thus revealing details of the molecular architecture of the OEC. This structural information, coupled with an extensive knowledge base derived from a wide range of biophysical, biochemical and molecular biological studies, has provided a framework for understanding the chemistry of photosynthetic oxygen generation as well as opening up debate about its evolutionary origin.
Barber
James
J
Division of Molecular Biosciences, Imperial College London, London, UK. j.barber@imperial.ac.uk <j.barber@imperial.ac.uk>
D001665:Binding Sites; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation
D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D010100:Oxygen