Ultrafast structural changes within a photosynthetic reaction centre

Robert Dods, Petra Båth, Dmitry Morozov, Viktor Ahlberg Gagnér, David Arnlund, Hoi Ling Luk, Joachim Kübel, Michał Maj, Adams Vallejos, Cecilia Wickstrand, Robert Bosman, Kenneth R. Beyerlein, Garrett Nelson, Mengning Liang, Despina Milathianaki, Joseph Robinson, Rajiv Harimoorthy, Peter Berntsen, Erik Malmerberg, Linda Johansson, Rebecka Andersson, Sergio Carbajo, Elin Claesson, Chelsie E. Conrad, Peter Dahl, Greger Hammarin, Mark S. Hunter, Chufeng Li, Stella Lisova, Antoine Royant, Cecilia Safari, Amit Sharma, Garth J. Williams, Oleksandr Yefanov, Sebastian Westenhoff, Jan Davidsson, Daniel P. DePonte, Sébastien Boutet, Anton Barty, Gergely Katona, Gerrit Groenhof, Gisela Brändén and Richard Neutze ()
Additional contact information
Robert Dods: University of Gothenburg
Petra Båth: University of Gothenburg
Dmitry Morozov: University of Jyväskylä
Viktor Ahlberg Gagnér: University of Gothenburg
David Arnlund: University of Gothenburg
Hoi Ling Luk: University of Jyväskylä
Joachim Kübel: University of Gothenburg
Michał Maj: University of Gothenburg
Adams Vallejos: University of Gothenburg
Cecilia Wickstrand: University of Gothenburg
Robert Bosman: University of Gothenburg
Kenneth R. Beyerlein: Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Garrett Nelson: Arizona State University
Mengning Liang: National Accelerator Laboratory
Despina Milathianaki: National Accelerator Laboratory
Joseph Robinson: National Accelerator Laboratory
Rajiv Harimoorthy: University of Gothenburg
Peter Berntsen: University of Gothenburg
Erik Malmerberg: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Linda Johansson: University of Gothenburg
Rebecka Andersson: University of Gothenburg
Sergio Carbajo: National Accelerator Laboratory
Elin Claesson: University of Gothenburg
Chelsie E. Conrad: Arizona State University
Peter Dahl: University of Gothenburg
Greger Hammarin: University of Gothenburg
Mark S. Hunter: National Accelerator Laboratory
Chufeng Li: Arizona State University
Stella Lisova: Arizona State University
Antoine Royant: Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS
Cecilia Safari: University of Gothenburg
Amit Sharma: University of Gothenburg
Garth J. Williams: National Accelerator Laboratory
Oleksandr Yefanov: Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Sebastian Westenhoff: University of Gothenburg
Jan Davidsson: Uppsala University
Daniel P. DePonte: National Accelerator Laboratory
Sébastien Boutet: National Accelerator Laboratory
Anton Barty: Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Gergely Katona: University of Gothenburg
Gerrit Groenhof: University of Jyväskylä
Gisela Brändén: University of Gothenburg
Richard Neutze: University of Gothenburg

Nature, 2021, vol. 589, issue 7841, 310-314

Abstract: Abstract Photosynthetic reaction centres harvest the energy content of sunlight by transporting electrons across an energy-transducing biological membrane. Here we use time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography1 using an X-ray free-electron laser2 to observe light-induced structural changes in the photosynthetic reaction centre of Blastochloris viridis on a timescale of picoseconds. Structural perturbations first occur at the special pair of chlorophyll molecules of the photosynthetic reaction centre that are photo-oxidized by light. Electron transfer to the menaquinone acceptor on the opposite side of the membrane induces a movement of this cofactor together with lower amplitude protein rearrangements. These observations reveal how proteins use conformational dynamics to stabilize the charge-separation steps of electron-transfer reactions.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:nature:v:589:y:2021:i:7841:d:10.1038_s41586-020-3000-7

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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-3000-7

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