Fluorescence of the various red antenna states in photosystem I complexes from cyanobacteria is affected differently by the redox state of P700

Photosystem I of cyanobacteria contains different spectral pools of chlorophylls called red or long-wavelength chlorophylls that absorb at longer wavelengths than the primary electron donor P700. We measured the fluorescence spectra at the ensemble and the single-molecule level at low temperatures in the presence of oxidized and reduced P700. In accordance with the literature, it was observed that the fluorescence is quenched by P700(+). However, the efficiency of the fluorescence quenching by oxidized P700(+) was found to be extremely different for the various red states in PS I from different cyanobacteria. The emission of the longest-wavelength absorbing antenna state in PS I trimers from Thermosynechococcus elongatus (absorption maximum at 5K: ≈ 719nm; emission maximum at 5K: ≈ 740nm) was found to be strongly quenched by P700(+) similar to the reddest state in PS I trimers from Arthrospira platensis emitting at 760nm at 5K. The fluorescence of these red states is diminished by more than a factor of 10 in the presence of oxidized P700. For the first time, the emission of the reddest states in A. platensis and T. elongatus has been monitored using single-molecule fluorescence techniques.     

Temperature dependence and polarization of fluorescence from Photosystem I in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

To determine the fluorescence properties of cyanobacterial Photosystem I (PS I) in relatively intact systems, fluorescence emission from 20 to 295 K and polarization at 77 K have been measured from phycobilisomes-less thylakoids of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and a mutant strain lacking Photosystem II (PS II). At 295 K, the fluorescence maxima are 686 nm in the wild type from PS I and PS II and at 688 nm from PS I in the mutant. This emission is characteristic of bulk antenna chlorophylls (Chls). The 690-nm fluorescence component of PS I is temperature independent. For wild-type and mutant, 725-nm fluorescence increases by a factor of at least 40 from 295 to 20 K. We model this temperature dependence assuming a small number of Chls within PS I, emitting at 725 nm, with an energy level below that of the reaction center, P700. Their excitation transfer rate to P700 decreases with decreasing temperature increasing the yield of 725-nm fluorescence.Fluorescence excitation spectra of polarized emission from low-energy Chls were measured at 77 and 295 K on the mutant lacking PS II. At excitation wavelengths longer than 715 nm, 760-nm emission is highly polarized indicating either direct excitation of the emitting Chls with no participation in excitation transfer or total alignment of the chromophores. Fluorescence at 760 nm is unpolarized for excitation wavelengths shorter than 690 nm, inferring excitation transfer between Chls before 760-nm fluorescence occurs.Our measurements illustrate that: 1) a single group of low-energy Chls (F725) of the core-like PS I complex in cyanobacteria shows a strongly temperature-dependent fluorescence and, when directly excited, nearly complete fluorescence polarization, 2) these properties are not the result of detergent-induced artifacts as we are examining intact PS I within the thylakoid membrane of S. 6803, and 3) the activation energy for excitation transfer from F725 Chls to P700 is less than that of F735 Chls in green plants; F725 Chls may act as a sink to locate excitations near P700 in PS I.Abbreviations Chl chlorophyll - BChl bacteriochlorophyll - PS Photosystem - S. 6803 Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 - PGP potassium glycerol phosphate     

Isolation from Spirulina membranes of two photosystem I-type complexes, one of which contains chlorophyll responsible for the 77 K fluorescence band at 760 nm.

Two types of chlorophyll-protein complexes of photosystem I (PSIa, PSIc) have been isolated from the membranes of Spirulina platensis using a Triton X-100 treatment and chromatography on DEAE-Toyopearl. The complexes are equally enriched with P700 (Chl: P700 = 100-110) but show different electrophoretic molecular masses--140 (PSIa) and 320 kDa (PSIc)--and differ in the content of long-wavelength absorbing Chl. PSIa has a typical PSI fluorescence band at 730 nm (F730) as the main band at 77 K, whereas PSIc is responsible for F760, the intensity of which depends on the redox state of P700. PSIc only shows 77 K light-induced variable fluorescence at 760 typical of Spirulina membranes and cells.     

Organization and role of the long-wave chlorophylls in the photosystem I of the Cyanobacterium spirulina.

The data on the organization and function of the photosystem I pigment-protein complexes of the cyanobacterium Spirulina and the characteristics of pigment antenna of the photosystem I monomeric and trimeric core complexes are presented and discussed. We proved that the photosystem I complexes in the cyanobacterial membrane pre-exist mainly as trimers, though both types of complexes contribute to the photosynthetic electron transport. In contrast to monomers, the antenna of the photosystem I trimeric complexes of Spirulina contains the extreme long-wave chlorophyll form absorbing at 735 nm and emitting at 760 nm (77 K). The intensity of fluorescence at 760 nm depends strongly on the P700 redox state: it is maximum with the reduced P700 and strongly decreased with the oxidized P700 which is the most efficient quencher of fluorescence at 760 nm. The energy absorbed by the extreme long-wave chlorophyll form is active in the photooxidation of P700 in the trimeric complex. The data obtained indicate that the long-wave form of chlorophyll originates from interaction of the chlorophyll molecules localized on monomeric subunits forming the photosystem I trimer. Kinetic analysis of the P700 photooxidation and light-induced quenching of fluorescence at 760 nm (77 K) allows the suggestion that the excess energy absorbed by the antenna monomeric subunits within the trimer migrates via the extreme long-wave chlorophyll to the P700 cation radical and is quenched, which prevents the photodestruction of the pigment-protein complex.     

Red antenna states of Photosystem I trimers from Arthrospira platensis revealed by single-molecule spectroscopy

Single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy at 1.4K was used to investigate the spectral properties of red (long-wavelength) chlorophylls in trimeric Photosystem I (PSI) complexes from the cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis. Three distinct red antenna states could be identified in the fluorescence spectra of single PSI trimers from A. platensis in the presence of oxidized P700. Two of them are responsible for broad emission bands centered at 726 and 760nm. These bands are similar to those found in bulk fluorescence spectra measured at cryogenic temperatures. The broad fluorescence bands at ?726 and ?760nm belong to individual emitters that are broadened by strong electron-phonon coupling giving rise to a large Stokes-shift of about 20nm and rapid spectral diffusion. An almost perpendicular orientation of the transition dipole moments of F726 and F760 has to be assumed because direct excitation energy transfer does not occur between F726 and F760. For the first time a third red state assigned to the pool absorbing around 708nm could be detected by its zero-phonon lines. The center of the zero-phonon line distribution is found at ?714nm. The spectral properties of the three red antenna states show a high similarity to the red antenna states found in trimeric PSI of Thermosynechoccocus elongatus. Based on these findings a similar organization of the red antenna states in PSI of these two cyanobacteria is discussed.     

Interaction of phycobilisomes with photosystem II dimers and photosystem I monomers and trimers in the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis.

Distribution of phycobilisomes between photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) complexes in the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis has been studied by analysis of the action spectra of H2 and O2 photoevolution and by analysis of the 77 K fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of the photosystems. PSI monomers and trimers were spectrally discriminated in the cell by the unique 760 nm low-temperature fluorescence, emitted by the trimers under reductive conditions. The phycobilisome-specific 625 nm peak was observed in the action spectra of both PSI and PSII, as well as in the 77 K fluorescence excitation spectra for chlorophyll emission at 695 nm (PSII), 730 nm (PSI monomers), and 760 nm (PSI trimers). The contributions of phycobilisomes to the absorption, action, and excitation spectra were derived from the in vivo absorption coefficients of phycobiliproteins and of chlorophyll. Analyzing the sum of PSI and PSII action spectra against the absorption spectrum and estimating the P700:P680 reaction center ratio of 5.7 in Spirulina, we calculated that PSII contained only 5% of the total chlorophyll, while PSI carried the greatest part, about 95%. Quantitative analysis of the obtained data showed that about 20% of phycobilisomes in Spirulina cells are bound to PSII, while 60% of phycobilisomes transfer the energy to PSI trimers, and the remaining 20% are associated with PSI monomers. A relevant model of organization of phycobilisomes and chlorophyll pigment-protein complexes in Spirulina is proposed. It is suggested that phycobilisomes are connected with PSII dimers, PSI trimers, and coupled PSI monomers.     

In vitro oligomerization of a membrane protein complex. liposome-based reconstitution of trimeric photosystem I from isolated monomers.

Many membrane proteins can be isolated in different oligomeric forms. Photosystem I (PSI), for example, exists in cyanobacteria either as a monomeric or as a trimeric complex. Neither the factors responsible for the specific trimerization process nor its biological role are known at present. In the filamentous cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis, trimers in contrast to monomers show chlorophyll fluorescence emission at 760 nm. To investigate the oligomerization process as well as the nature of the long wavelength chlorophylls, we describe here an in vitro reconstitution procedure to assemble trimeric PS I from isolated purified PS I monomers. Monomers (and trimers) were extracted from S. platensis with n-dodecyl beta-D-maltoside and further purified by perfusion chromatography steps. The isolated complexes had the same polypeptide composition as other cyanobacteria (PsaA-PsaF and PsaI-PsaM), as determined from high resolution gels and immunoblotting. They were incorporated into proteoliposomes, which had been prepared by the detergent absorption method, starting from a phosphatidylcholine:phosphatidic acid mixture solubilized by octylglucoside. After the addition of monomeric PS I (lipid:chlorophyll, 25:1), octylglucoside was gradually removed by the stepwise addition of Biobeads. The 77 K fluorescence emission spectrum of these proteoliposomes displays a long wavelength emission at 760 nm that is characteristic of PS I trimers, which indicates for the first time the successful in vitro reconstitution of PS I trimers. In addition, a high performance liquid chromatography analysis of complexes extracted from these proteoliposomes confirms the formation of structural trimers. We also could show with this system 1) that at least one of the stromal subunits PsaC, -D, and -E is necessary for trimer formation and 2) that the extreme long wavelength emitting chlorophyll is formed as a result of trimer formation.     

Decay kinetics and quantum yields of fluorescence in photosystem I from Synechococcus elongatus with P700 in the reduced and oxidized state: are the kinetics of excited state decay trap-limited or transfer-limited?

Transfer and trapping of excitation energy in photosystem I (PS I) trimers isolated from Synechococcus elongatus have been studied by an approach combining fluorescence induction experiments with picosecond time-resolved fluorescence measurements, both at room temperature (RT) and at low temperature (5 K). Special attention was paid to the influence of the oxidation state of the primary electron donor P700. A fluorescence induction effect has been observed, showing a approximately 12% increase in fluorescence quantum yield upon P700 oxidation at RT, whereas at temperatures below 160 K oxidation of P700 leads to a decrease in fluorescence quantum yield ( approximately 50% at 5 K). The fluorescence quantum yield for open PS I (with P700 reduced) at 5 K is increased by approximately 20-fold and that for closed PS I (with P700 oxidized) is increased by approximately 10-fold, as compared to RT. Picosecond fluorescence decay kinetics at RT reveal a difference in lifetime of the main decay component: 34 +/- 1 ps for open PS I and 37 +/- 1 ps for closed PS I. At 5 K the fluorescence yield is mainly associated with long-lived components (lifetimes of 401 ps and 1.5 ns in closed PS I and of 377 ps, 1.3 ns, and 4.1 ns in samples containing approximately 50% open and 50% closed PS I). The spectra associated with energy transfer and the steady-state emission spectra suggest that the excitation energy is not completely thermally equilibrated over the core-antenna-RC complex before being trapped. Structure-based modeling indicates that the so-called red antenna pigments (A708 and A720, i.e., those with absorption maxima at 708 nm and 720 nm, respectively) play a decisive role in the observed fluorescence kinetics. The A720 are preferentially located at the periphery of the PS I core-antenna-RC complex; the A708 must essentially connect the A720 to the reaction center. The excited-state decay kinetics turn out to be neither purely trap limited nor purely transfer (to the trap) limited, but seem to be rather balanced.     

Characterization of a photosystem I core containing P700 and intermediate electron acceptor A1

A new photosystem I core has been isolated that is devoid of the bound iron-sulfur clusters but preserves electron flow from P700 to the intermediate electron acceptor A1. The particle is prepared by incubation of a Synechococcus sp. PCC 6301 photosystem I core protein (which contains electron acceptors A0, A1, and FX) with 3 M urea and 5 mM K3Fe(CN)6 to oxidatively denature the FX iron-sulfur cluster to the level of zero-valence sulfur. In this apo-FX preparation, over 90% of the flash-induced absorption change at 820 nm decays with a 10-microseconds half-time characteristic of the decay of the P700 triplet state formed from the backreaction of P700+ with an acceptor earlier than FX. Chemical reduction at high pH values with aminoiminomethanesulfinic acid results in kinetics identical with those seen in the P700 chlorophyll a protein prepared with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-CP1, which contains only electron acceptor A0); the flash-induced absorption change decays primarily with a 25-ns half-time characteristic of the backreaction between P700+ and A0-, and the magnitude of the total absorption change is larger than can be accounted for by the P700 content alone. Addition of oxygen results in a reversion to the 10-microseconds kinetic decay component attributed to the decay of the P700 triplet state. At 77 K, the optical transient in the apo-FX preparation decays with a 200-microseconds half-time characteristic of the backreaction between P700+ and A1-.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Electric field effects on red chlorophylls,beta-carotenes and P700 in cyanobacterial Photosystem I complexes

We have probed the absorption changes due to an externally applied electric field (Stark effect) of Photosystem I (PSI) core complexes from the cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, Synechococcus elongatus and Spirulina platensis. The results reveal that the so-called C719 chlorophylls in S. elongatus and S. platensis are characterized by very large polarizability differences between the ground and electronically excited states (with Tr(Deltaalpha) values up to about 1000 A(3) f(-2)) and by moderately high change in permanent dipole moments (with average Deltamu values between 2 and 3 D f(-1)). The C740 chlorophylls in S. platensis and, in particular, the C708 chlorophylls in all three species give rise to smaller Stark shifts, which are, however, still significantly larger than those found before for monomeric chlorophyll. The results confirm the hypothesis that these states originate from strongly coupled chlorophyll a molecules. The absorption and Stark spectra of the beta-carotene molecules are almost identical in all complexes and suggest similar or slightly higher values for Tr(Deltaalpha) and Deltamu than for those of beta-carotene in solution. Oxidation of P700 did not significantly change the Stark response of the carotenes and the red antenna states C719 and C740, but revealed in all PSI complexes changes around 700-705 and 690-693 nm, which we attribute to the change in permanent dipole moments of reduced P700 and the chlorophylls responsible for the strong absorption band at 690 nm with oxidized P700, respectively.     

Steady State of Photosynthetic Electron Transport in Cells of the Cyanophyti Synechocystis PCC 6714 Having Different Stoichiometry between PS I and PS II: Analysis of Flash-Induced Oxidation-Reduction of Cytochrome f and P700 under Steady State of Photosynthesis

The steady state of photosynthetic electron transport drivenby two photosystems was studied with cells of the cyanophyteSynechocystis PCC 6714 by analyzing the flash-induced oxidation-reductionof Cyt f and P700 under continuous background illumination.We first analyzed the spectra and the kinetics of flash-inducedabsorption changes in the 400 to 440 nm wavelength region anddefined the absorption changes due to oxidation-reduction ofCyt f and P700. Results indicated that the flash-induced absorptionchanges at 420 and 435 nm are due to the oxidation-reductionof Cyt f and P700, respectively. Determination of the steadystate of Cyt f (420 nm) and P700 (435 nm) was made for the cellsgrown under a weak orange light exciting mainly PS II (PS IIlight) and having a high ratio of PS I to PS II (PS I/PS II),and those grown under a weak red light exciting preferentiallyPS I (PS I light) and having a low PS I/PS II. The steady stateof electron transport in cells of the two types were comparedunder PS I and PS II lights. The results indicated that: (1)under the light conditions used for growth (both red and orangelight), the intermediate electron pool between the two photosystemsremained in a redox state so as to keep both photosystems inthe open state. (2) When shifted to PS I light, the intermediatepool and PS I in cells of high PS I/PS II became extremely electron-poor,and so most of the PS I reaction centers were closed. (3) Theintermediate pool in cells of low PS I/PS II became extremelyelectron-rich when shifted to PS II light, and most of the PSII reaction centers were closed. The electron transport stateis released from such biased states by regulation of PS I/PSII. Results supported our previously proposed hypothesis thatthe stoichiometry between PS I and PS II is regulated so asto keep the two photosystems in the open state. The relationshipbetween the steady state of electron transport and the regulationof PS I/PS II is discussed. (Received August 2, 1990; Accepted December 10, 1990)     

A new chlorophyll-protein complex related to Photosystem I in Chlamydomonas reinhardii

A new chlorophyll-protein complex, CP O, was isolated from Chlamydomonas reinhardii using lithium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis run at 4°C. A similar complex is recovered using Triton/digitonin solubilization of thylakoid membranes of the F54-14 mutant lacking in CP I and ATPase. CP O is enriched in long-wavelength chlorophyll a and contains five polypeptides (27.5, 27, 25, 23 and 19 kDa). Its 77 K fluorescence emission spectrum peaks at 705 nm while CP II have an emission maximum at 682 and 720 nm, respectively. Comparison of the polypeptide pattern of the wild type and AC40 mutant of C. reinhardii shows that the five CP O polypeptides are specifically lacking in the mutant. Although the 77 K emission originating from the Photosystem (PS) I pigments is lower in the mutant than in the wild type, the two spectra show the same peaks at 686, 694 and 717 nm. However, comparison of the 77 K emission spectrum of the F14 mutant lacking in CP I with that of the double mutant AC40-14 lacking in CP I and CP O shows the absence in the latter of the large emission band peaking at 707 nm. The 707 nm emission is thought to arise from some PS I antennae and is quenched in the wild type by the presence of PS I traps located in CP I. We conclude that CP O is a part of the PS I antenna in C. reinhardii which controls the 707 nm fluorescence emission.     

Light- and temperature-induced changes in the distribution of excitation energy between Photosystem I and Photosystem II in spinach leaves

The influence of light quality and temperature on the distribution of the absorbed quanta between Photosystem I (PS I) and Photosystem II (PS II) in spinach leaves has been studied from the characteristics of chlorophyll fluorescence at 77 K. Leaves were preilluminated at different temperatures with either PS I light (to establish State 1) or with PS II light (to establish State 2), then cooled to 77 K and measured for fluorescence. In State 1, energy distribution appeared to be unaffected by temperature. A transition to State 2 resulted in an increase in PS I fluorescence and a decrease in the PS II fluorescence, indicating that a larger fraction of energy becomes redistributed to PS I. However, the extent of this redistribution varied: it was only small at 5°C to 20°C, but it largely increased at temperatures exceeding 20°C. This variation in the extent was related to a change in the mechanism of the state transition: at 15°C only the ‘initial’ distribution of energy was affected, while at 35°C an additional increase in the spill-over constant, k_{T (II → I)}, was included. It is assumed that under physiological conditions k_{T (II → I)} is under the control of temperature rather than of light quality, whereby in leaves adapted to high physiological temperatures, the probability of energy spill-over from closed PS II centres to PS I is enhanced. In darkened leaves, the spill-over constant has been manipulated by preincubation at different temperatures. Then, the light-induced ‘energization’ of thylakoid membranes has been tested by measuring the light-induced electrochromic absorbance change at 515 nm (and light-induced light-scattering changes) in these leaves. The flash-induced 515 nm signal as well as the initial peak during a 1 s illumination were not affected by energy distribution. However, the amplitude of the pseudo-steady-state signal (as established during 1 s illumination) was considerably enhanced in leaves in which a larger fraction of the absorbed energy is distributed to PS I at the expense of PS II excitation. The results have been interpreted in such a way that an increase in energy spill-over from PS II to PS I favours a cyclic electron transport around PS I. It is discussed that changes in energy distribution (via spill-over) may serve to maintain a suitable balance between non-cyclic and cyclic electron transport in vivo.     

Resolution of low-energy chlorophylls in Photosystem I of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 at 77 and 295 K through fluorescence excitation anisotropy

Fluorescence excitation spectra of highly anisotropic emission from Photosystem I (PS I) were measured at 295 and 77 K on a PS II-less mutant of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (S. 6803). When PS I was excited with light at wavelengths greater than 715 nm, fluorescence observed at 745 nm was highly polarized with anisotropies of 0.32 and 0.20 at 77 and 295 K, respectively. Upon excitation at shorter wavelengths, the 745-nm fluorescence had low anisotropy. The highly anisotropic emission observed at both 77 and 295 K is interpreted as evidence for low-energy chlorophylls (Chls) in cyanobacteria at room temperature. This indicates that low-energy Chls, defined as Chls with first excited singlet-state energy levels below or near that of the reaction center, P700, are not artifacts of low-temperature measurements.If the low-energy Chls are a distinct subset of Chls and a simple two-pool model describes the excitation transfer network adequately, one can take advantage of the low-energy Chls' high anisotropy to approximate their fluorescence excitation spectra. Maxima at 703 and 708 nm were calculated from 295 and 77 K data, respectively. Upper limits for the number of low-energy Chls per P700 in PS I from S. 6803 were calculated to be 8 (295 K) and 11 (77 K).Abbreviations Chl - chlorophyll - BChl - bacteriochlorophyll - LHC - light-harvesting chlorophyll - PS - Photosystem - RC - reaction center - S. 6803 - Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803     

Steady-state and transient polarized absorption spectroscopy of photosystem I complexes from the cyanobacteria Arthrospira platensis and Thermosynechococcus elongatus

Core antenna and reaction centre of photosystem I (PS I) complexes from the cyanobacteria Arthrospira platensis and Thermosynechococcus elongatus have been characterized by steady-state polarized absorption spectroscopy, including linear dichroism (LD) and circular dichroism (CD). CD spectra and the second derivatives of measured 77 K CD spectra reveal the spectral components found in the polarized absorption spectra indicating the excitonic origin of the spectral forms of chlorophyll in the PS I complexes. The CD bands at 669-670(+), 673(+), 680(-), 683-685(-), 696-697(-), and 711(-) nm are a common feature of used PSI complexes. The 77 K CD spectra of the trimeric PS I complexes exhibit also low amplitude components around 736 nm for A. platensis and 720 nm for T. elongatus attributed to red-most chlorophylls. The LD measurements indicate that the transition dipole moments of the red-most states are oriented parallel to the membrane plane. The formation of P700(+)A(1)(-) or (3)P700 was monitored by time-resolved difference absorbance and LD spectroscopy to elucidate the spectral properties of the PS I reaction centre. The difference spectra give strong evidence for the delocalization of the excited singlet states in the reaction centre. Therefore, P700 cannot be considered as a dimer but should be regarded as a multimer of the six nearly equally coupled reaction centre chlorophylls in accordance with structure-based calculations. On the basis of the results presented in this work and earlier work in the literature it is concluded that the triplet state is localized most likely on P(A), whereas the cation is localized most likely on P(B).     

Nitrite regulates distribution of excitation energy between the two photosystems by causing state transition.

The mechanism of distribution of absorbed excitation energy between the two photosystems in the presence of nitrite has been investigated in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) thylakoid membranes. Nitrite inhibited PS II activity (H(2)O --> DCPIP reaction) and enhanced PS I activity (DCPIPH(2) --> MV reaction). Nitrite decreased the F(v)/F(m) ratio measured at room temperature and increased the F(730)/F(685) ratio measured at low temperature (77 K). These results suggested that nitrite caused a decrease in the excitation energy available to PS II and transferred more energy to PS I by the mechanism of state transition. Measurement of fluorescence excitation spectra at 77 K showed that nitrite increased the absorption cross-section of PS I antenna at the expense of chlorophyll b and LHC II. Based on these observations we have suggested a role of nitrite in causing state transition.     

Quantitative analysis of 77K fluorescence emission spectra in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6714 and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with variable PS I/PS II stoichiometries

Low-temperature (77 K) fluorescence emission spectra of intact cells of a cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6714, and a green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, were quantitatively analyzed to examine differences in PS I/PS II stoichiometries. Cells cultured under different spectral conditions had various PS I/PS II molar ratios when estimated by oxidation-reduction difference absorption spectra of P700 (for PS I) and Cyt b-559 (for PS II) with thylakoid membranes. The fluorescence emission spectra under the Chl a excitation at 435 nm were resolved into several component bands using curve-fitting methods and the relative band area between PS II (F685 and F695) and PS I (F710 or F720) emissions was compared with the PS I/PS II stoichiometries of the various cell types. The results indicated that the PS I/PS II fluorescence ratios correlated closely with photosystem stoichiometries both in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6714 and in C. reinhardtii grown under different light regimes. Furthermore, the correlation between the PS I/PS II fluorescence ratios and the photosystem stoichiometries is also applicable to vascular plants.     

Species-specific differences of the spectroscopic properties of P700: analysis of the influence of non-conserved amino acid residues by site-directed mutagenesis of photosystem I from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

We applied optical spectroscopy, magnetic resonance techniques, and redox titrations to investigate the properties of the primary electron donor P700 in photosystem I (PS I) core complexes from cyanobacteria (Thermosynechococcus elongatus, Spirulina platensis, and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803), algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii CC2696), and higher plants (Spinacia oleracea). Remarkable species-specific differences of the optical properties of P700 were revealed monitoring the (3P700-P700) and (P700+.-P700) absorbance and CD difference spectra. The main bleaching band in the Qy region differs in peak position and line width for the various species. In cyanobacteria the absorbance of P700 extends more to the red compared with algae and higher plants which is favorable for energy transfer from red core antenna chlorophylls to P700 in cyanobacteria. The amino acids in the environment of P700 are highly conserved with two distinct deviations. In C. reinhardtii a Tyr is found at position PsaB659 instead of a Trp present in all other organisms, whereas in Synechocystis a Phe is found instead of a Trp at the homologous position PsaA679. We constructed several mutants in C. reinhardtii CC2696. Strikingly, no PS I could be detected in the mutant YW B659 indicating steric constraints unique to this organism. In the mutants WA A679 and YA B659 significant changes of the spectral features in the (3P700-P700), the (P700+.-P700) absorbance difference and in the (P700+.-P700) CD difference spectra are induced. The results indicate structural differences among PS I from higher plants, algae, and cyanobacteria and give further insight into specific protein-cofactor interactions contributing to the optical spectra.