Uphill energy transfer mechanism for photosynthesis in an Antarctic alga

Makiko Kosugi (), Masato Kawasaki, Yutaka Shibata (), Kojiro Hara, Shinichi Takaichi, Toshio Moriya, Naruhiko Adachi, Yasuhiro Kamei, Yasuhiro Kashino, Sakae Kudoh, Hiroyuki Koike and Toshiya Senda ()
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Makiko Kosugi: Astrobiology Center
Masato Kawasaki: High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)
Yutaka Shibata: Tohoku University
Kojiro Hara: Akita Prefectural University
Shinichi Takaichi: Tokyo University of Agriculture
Toshio Moriya: High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)
Naruhiko Adachi: High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)
Yasuhiro Kamei: National Institutes of Natural Sciences
Yasuhiro Kashino: University of Hyogo
Sakae Kudoh: National Institute of Polar Research, Research Organization of Information and Systems
Hiroyuki Koike: Chuo University
Toshiya Senda: High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Prasiola crispa, an aerial green alga, forms layered colonies under the severe terrestrial conditions of Antarctica. Since only far-red light is available at a deep layer of the colony, P. crispa has evolved a molecular system for photosystem II (PSII) excitation using far-red light with uphill energy transfer. However, the molecular basis underlying this system remains elusive. Here, we purified a light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl)-binding protein complex from P. crispa (Pc-frLHC) that excites PSII with far-red light and revealed its ring-shaped structure with undecameric 11-fold symmetry at 3.13 Å resolution. The primary structure suggests that Pc-frLHC evolved from LHCI rather than LHCII. The circular arrangement of the Pc-frLHC subunits is unique among eukaryote LHCs and forms unprecedented Chl pentamers at every subunit‒subunit interface near the excitation energy exit sites. The Chl pentamers probably contribute to far-red light absorption. Pc-frLHC’s unique Chl arrangement likely promotes PSII excitation with entropy-driven uphill excitation energy transfer.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36245-1

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