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A hemoprotein with a zinc-mirror heme site ties heme availability to carbon metabolism in cyanobacteria
Heme is an abundant cofactor required by nearly all known organisms. Here, authors discover a cyanobacterial protein with a distinct Zn-mirror heme site, which may function to sense heme and regulate energy metabolism.
- Nicolas Grosjean
- , Estella F. Yee
- & Crysten E. Blaby-Haas
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Thylakoid protein FPB1 synergistically cooperates with PAM68 to promote CP47 biogenesis and Photosystem II assembly
The assembly of the Photosystem II proximal antenna CP47 remains a challenging question. Here the authors show that FPB1 and PAM68 act coordinately with Alb3 and the SecY/E translocon to facilitate the co-translational integration of specific regions of CP47 into thylakoids.
- Lin Zhang
- , Junxiang Ruan
- & Lianwei Peng
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The thylakoid proton antiporter KEA3 regulates photosynthesis in response to the chloroplast energy status
Thylakoid K+/H+ exchange by KEA3 optimizes photosynthesis during light fluctuations. Here, the authors show that a combination of stromal pH, ATP, ADP and NADP+, NADPH induces structural re-arrangements required for KEA3 regulation in vivo.
- Michał Uflewski
- , Tobias Rindfleisch
- & Ute Armbruster
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Architecture of symbiotic dinoflagellate photosystem I–light-harvesting supercomplex in Symbiodinium
Here the authors determine the cryoEM structure of Symbiodinium photosystem I, revealing a distinct architecture and pigment network of this light-harvesting supercomplex.
- Long-Sheng Zhao
- , Ning Wang
- & Yu-Zhong Zhang
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The nature of carotenoid S* state and its role in the nonphotochemical quenching of plants
Plant Light Harvesting complexes adjust to light conditions via a quenching mechanism involving carotenoids. The authors use computational simulations to reveal how carotenoids’ quenching capacity is tuned by conformational changes of the complex.
- Davide Accomasso
- , Giacomo Londi
- & Benedetta Mennucci
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Proximity to Photosystem II is necessary for activation of Plastid Terminal Oxidase (PTOX) for photoprotection
Plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) is efficient in photoprotection in stress-tolerant plants. Transferring this activity to different species requires modifications to the thylakoid structure to allow PTOX access to the Photosystem II acceptor pool.
- Pablo Ignacio Calzadilla
- , Junliang Song
- & Giles Nicholas Johnson
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Structural insights into photosystem II supercomplex and trimeric FCP antennae of a centric diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana
The cryo-EM structures of an FCP trimer and a PSII-FCPII supercomplex from a diatom are revealed, providing detailed insights into the variety of FCPII and their regulatory roles in green light harvesting, energy transfer and dissipation.
- Songhao Zhao
- , Lili Shen
- & Wenda Wang
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A structure of the relict phycobilisome from a thylakoid-free cyanobacterium
Phycobilisomes are megacomplexes in cyanobacteria that capture light. Here, authors characterize a relict paddle-shaped phycobilisome structure, revealing phycobilisome diversity prior to the development of thylakoids.
- Han-Wei Jiang
- , Hsiang-Yi Wu
- & Ming-Yang Ho
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Adjustment of light-responsive NADP dynamics in chloroplasts by stromal pH
NADP+ is the final electron acceptor for linear electron transfer in photosynthesis. Here, the authors show that the NADP pool size is modulated by its interconversion with NAD via ΔpH regulation in response to varying light conditions.
- Yusuke Fukuda
- , Chinami Ishiyama
- & Shin-nosuke Hashida
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Growth in fluctuating light buffers plants against photorespiratory perturbations
The detoxification pathway photorespiration has been thought to be photoprotective in dynamic light. The authors report that, instead, growth in dynamic light buffers plants against photorespiratory lesions by reducing photosynthesis and inducing metabolite re-routing.
- Thekla von Bismarck
- , Philipp Wendering
- & Ute Armbruster
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Prolonged hydrogen production by engineered green algae photovoltaic power stations
Cost, scalability, and durability are critical factors determining the application of artificial photosynthesis systems. Here, the authors address these problems by inserting a carbon nanofiber into the chloroplast of green algae to transfer of electrons for photosynthesis and demonstrate H2 production up to 50 days.
- Hyo Jin Gwon
- , Geonwoo Park
- & Hyun S. Ahn
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Kinetics of the xanthophyll cycle and its role in photoprotective memory and response
This study explores how the photosynthetic alga Nannochloropsis oceanica, rapidly adapts to changing light conditions, using a short-term “memory" system involving the xanthophyll cycle, which is widespread in photosynthetic organisms.
- Audrey Short
- , Thomas P. Fay
- & Graham R. Fleming
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Globally distributed Myxococcota with photosynthesis gene clusters illuminate the origin and evolution of a potentially chimeric lifestyle
Photosynthesis is thought to be restricted to a few bacterial and eukaryotic phyla. Here, Li et al. provide evidence of photosynthetic abilities in uncultivated bacteria within the phylum Myxococcota, suggesting that some of these organisms may combine predatory and photosynthetic abilities.
- Liuyang Li
- , Danyue Huang
- & Yinzhao Wang
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Enhancing photosynthetic CO2 fixation by assembling metal-organic frameworks on Chlorella pyrenoidosa
Concentrating CO2 around Rubisco is critical to improve photosynthetic efficiency for biomass yield. Here, the authors report the self-assembly of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) on the surface of green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa to enhance the photosynthetic carbon fixation.
- Dingyi Li
- , Hong Dong
- & Can Li
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The Ycf48 accessory factor occupies the site of the oxygen-evolving manganese cluster during photosystem II biogenesis
The Ycf48 accessory factor is important for the assembly and repair of the photosystem II (PSII) complex of oxygenic photosynthesis. Here, the authors show that Ycf48 occupies the binding site of the oxygen evolving Mn cluster early in PSII biogenesis.
- Ziyu Zhao
- , Irene Vercellino
- & Josef Komenda
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Boreal conifers maintain carbon uptake with warming despite failure to track optimal temperatures
Acclimation of tree photosynthesis to warming may be affected by elevated CO2. Here, the authors show that mature boreal conifers may be able to maintain leaf-level C uptake under warming and elevated CO2 even if optimum temperature of photosynthesis does not track increased temperature.
- Mirindi Eric Dusenge
- , Jeffrey M. Warren
- & Danielle A. Way
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Energetic robustness to large scale structural fluctuations in a photosynthetic supercomplex
Robust photosynthetic light harvesting occurs in large membrane supercomplexes. Here, the authors show that supercomplexes occupy an unexpectedly large range of conformations yet maintain their efficiency due to specific, critical chlorophylls.
- Dvir Harris
- , Hila Toporik
- & Yuval Mazor
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Weak acids produced during anaerobic respiration suppress both photosynthesis and aerobic respiration
The processes of photosynthesis, aerobic and anaerobic respiration (fermentation) power life on Earth. Here, using mainly green alga Chlamydomonas, the authors find that the weak acids produced during fermentation could chemically suppress both photosynthesis and aerobic respiration.
- Xiaojie Pang
- , Wojciech J. Nawrocki
- & Lijin Tian
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Flavodiiron-mediated O2 photoreduction at photosystem I acceptor-side provides photoprotection to conifer thylakoids in early spring
Generally, net O2 consumption becomes dominant when photosynthesis is suppressed at night in green organisms. Here, Bag et al. show that Scots pine and Norway spruce needles display strong O2 consumption when extremely low temperatures coincide with high solar irradiation during early spring.
- Pushan Bag
- , Tatyana Shutova
- & Stefan Jansson
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An ancient metabolite damage-repair system sustains photosynthesis in plants
Rubisco is responsible for sequestering virtually all of the carbon dioxide in the global carbon cycle. Here, the authors demonstrate that two conserved phosphatases degrade Rubisco misfire products that inhibit photosynthesis in plants.
- Dario Leister
- , Anurag Sharma
- & Thilo Rühle
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Rubisco deactivation and chloroplast electron transport rates co-limit photosynthesis above optimal leaf temperature in terrestrial plants
Photosynthesis declines at mild temperatures in terrestrial plants. Here, the authors use published data to show that decline in photosynthetic CO2 assimilation rate with rising temperatures can be accounted for by Rubisco deactivation and declines in chloroplast electron transport rate.
- Andrew P. Scafaro
- , Bradley C. Posch
- & Owen K. Atkin
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Widening the landscape of transcriptional regulation of green algal photoprotection
A consensus genome-scale gene regulatory network reconstruction allows dissection of the transcriptional regulation of microalgal responses to light and carbon availability and discovery of novel regulators of photoprotection and CO2 acquisition.
- Marius Arend
- , Yizhong Yuan
- & Dimitris Petroutsos
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Engineering α-carboxysomes into plant chloroplasts to support autotrophic photosynthesis
Engineering carboxysomes into crop chloroplasts is a potential route to improve photosynthesis and crop yield. Here, the authors engineer functional CO2-fixing modules into tobacco chloroplasts to improve their photosynthesis and productivity.
- Taiyu Chen
- , Marta Hojka
- & Lu-Ning Liu
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Light-independent regulation of algal photoprotection by CO2 availability
Photosynthetic algae have evolved to survive in suboptimal light and CO2 conditions. Here, the authors show that depletion of CO2 can drive photoprotection and carbon acquisition even in the absence of light, that was previously believed to be indispensable for the activation of these processes.
- M. Águila Ruiz-Sola
- , Serena Flori
- & Dimitris Petroutsos
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Engineered hypermutation adapts cyanobacterial photosynthesis to combined high light and high temperature stress
Cyanobacteria mutants with improved tolerance to combined high light and high temperature (HLHT) are rarely reported. Here, the authors use a hypermutation system for adaptive laboratory evolution and identify a mutant with improved HLHT tolerance by enhancing expression of shikimate kinase.
- Huili Sun
- , Guodong Luan
- & Xuefeng Lu
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Structure of a monomeric photosystem I core associated with iron-stress-induced-A proteins from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
IsiAs are unique light-harvesting complexes in cyanobacteria. Here, authors solved the structure of a PSI monomer associated with six IsiAs from Anabaena by cryo-EM, which provide insights into molecular diversity and functions of different IsiAs.
- Ryo Nagao
- , Koji Kato
- & Jian-Ren Shen
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Uphill energy transfer mechanism for photosynthesis in an Antarctic alga
A light-harvesting chlorophyll-binding protein complex from an Antarctic green alga called Prasiola crispa can excite photosystem II with low energy far-red light. Here, through Cryo-EM analysis, the authors reveal its ring-shaped structure with 11-fold symmetry at 3.13 Å resolution.
- Makiko Kosugi
- , Masato Kawasaki
- & Toshiya Senda
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Structure of the Acidobacteria homodimeric reaction center bound with cytochrome c
During photosynthesis, light energy is harvested by an antenna systems and delivered to the reaction centers (RCs) for charge separation and electron transfer (ET). The authors report cryo-EM structures of two forms of RC from the microaerophilic Chloracidobacterium thermophilum (CabRC), providing a structural basis for ET within the CabRC.
- Shishang Dong
- , Guoqiang Huang
- & Xiaochun Qin
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N6-methyladenosine RNA modification regulates photosynthesis during photodamage in plants
Efficient photoprotection is vital for the maintenance of photosynthetic efficiency during photodamage. Here, the authors reveal that m6A writer VIRILIZER acts as a molecular switch of photoprotection by post-transcriptional regulation in plants.
- Man Zhang
- , Yunping Zeng
- & Hong-Lei Jin
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Light activation of Orange Carotenoid Protein reveals bicycle-pedal single-bond isomerization
Orange Carotenoid protein (OCP) is the only photoreceptor with a carotenoid for sensing. Here, the authors report crystal structures of the early OCP photoproduct, suggesting that photo-sensing involves single bond isomerization.
- Volha U. Chukhutsina
- , James M. Baxter
- & Jasper J. van Thor
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Molecular asymmetry of a photosynthetic supercomplex from green sulfur bacteria
Cryo-EM reveals an asymmetric bacterial photosynthetic supercomplex built upon a homodimeric reaction center core. The structure provides mechanistic insights into light excitation transfer and a possible evolutionary transition intermediate of photosynthetic machinery.
- Ryan Puskar
- , Chloe Du Truong
- & Po-Lin Chiu
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Allophycocyanin A is a carbon dioxide receptor in the cyanobacterial phycobilisome
The transfer of electronic energy through a photosystem can harm the photosynthetic apparatus when not balanced with CO2 fixation. Here, the authors show that CO2 modulates electronic energy transfer in cyanobacteria by binding to and enhancing the activity of the light-harvesting complex.
- Alejandra Guillén-García
- , Savannah E. R. Gibson
- & Martin J. Cann
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Structure and assembly of cargo Rubisco in two native α-carboxysomes
Carboxysomes are bacterial microcompartments encapsulating Rubisco and carbonic anhydrase for carbon fixation. Here, authors determine the organization of Rubisco and its interaction with the linker protein CsoS2 within two distant α-carboxysomes.
- Tao Ni
- , Yaqi Sun
- & Peijun Zhang
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Post-translational amino acid conversion in photosystem II as a possible origin of photosynthetic oxygen evolution
How photosynthetic oxygen evolution is originated on ancient Earth is unknown. Here, the authors find that some amino acid residues at the ligand sites of the Mn cluster can be posttranslationally converted to the original carboxylate residues, which could have contributed to the evolutionary process of photosynthetic oxygen evolution.
- Yuichiro Shimada
- , Takehiro Suzuki
- & Takumi Noguchi
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De-etiolation-induced protein 1 (DEIP1) mediates assembly of the cytochrome b6f complex in Arabidopsis
The Cytb6f complex is a multi-subunit enzyme that couples the two photosystems during the light reactions of photosynthesis. Here the authors show that the thylakoid-localized DEIP1 protein interacts with the PetA and PetB subunits, and is essential for Cytb6f complex assembly in Arabidopsis.
- Omar Sandoval-Ibáñez
- , David Rolo
- & Ralph Bock
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The antenna of far-red absorbing cyanobacteria increases both absorption and quantum efficiency of Photosystem II
Some cyanobacteria acclimate to far-red light by integrating chlorophyll f into their photosystems. Additional chlorophylls typically slow down charge separation but here the authors show that charge separation in chlorophyll-f-containing Photosystem II is faster in the presence of red-shifted allophycocyanin antennas.
- Vincenzo Mascoli
- , Ahmad Farhan Bhatti
- & Roberta Croce
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Core and rod structures of a thermophilic cyanobacterial light-harvesting phycobilisome
Phycobilisome (PBS) absorbs solar energy and transfer the energy to photosynthetic membrane proteins. In this study, the structures of the pentacylindrical core and rod in PBS from a thermophilic cyanobacterium by cryo-electron microscopy.
- Keisuke Kawakami
- , Tasuku Hamaguchi
- & Koji Yonekura
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Exact simulation of pigment-protein complexes unveils vibronic renormalization of electronic parameters in ultrafast spectroscopy
Multimode vibronic mixing in model photosynthetic systems revealed by numerically exact simulations is shown to strongly modify linear and non-linear optical responses and facilitate the persistence of coherent dynamics.
- F. Caycedo-Soler
- , A. Mattioni
- & M. B. Plenio
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The initial charge separation step in oxygenic photosynthesis
The photosystem II reaction center (PSII-RC) is a model system to understand the initial steps of photosynthesis, but its excited state dynamics is difficult to disentangle with most spectroscopic methods. Here the authors perform a two-dimensional electronic-vibrational spectroscopic study of PSII-RC, providing detailed insight into such dynamics and into the mechanism of charge separation.
- Yusuke Yoneda
- , Eric A. Arsenault
- & Graham R. Fleming
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Structural basis for the assembly and quinone transport mechanisms of the dimeric photosynthetic RC–LH1 supercomplex
Bacterial photosynthesis reflects the early stages of the evolution of photosynthesis. Here, the authors present a systematic study of the cryo-EM structures of the dimeric light harvesting–reaction center complexes and assembly variants from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, which delineated a hierarchical assembly pathway and quinone transport routes of the dimeric photosynthetic RC–LH1 core complex.
- Peng Cao
- , Laura Bracun
- & Lu-Ning Liu
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Asymmetric structure of the native Rhodobacter sphaeroides dimeric LH1–RC complex
Rhodobacter sphaeroides is a model organism for studying bacterial photosynthesis. Here, the authors present structures of its native dimeric and a protein-U-lacking monomeric light-harvesting-reaction center complexes, which reveal asymmetric features for the dimer and an altered shape for the monomer.
- Kazutoshi Tani
- , Ryo Kanno
- & Zheng-Yu Wang-Otomo
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Article
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Structural basis for different types of hetero-tetrameric light-harvesting complexes in a diatom PSII-FCPII supercomplex
Fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding proteins (FCPs) harvest light energy in diatoms. The authors analyzed a structure of PSII-FCPII supercomplex at high resolution by cryo-EM, which identified each FCP subunit and pigment network in the supercomplex.
- Ryo Nagao
- , Koji Kato
- & Jian-Ren Shen
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Article
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Structure of a tetrameric photosystem I from a glaucophyte alga Cyanophora paradoxa
Photosystem I (PSI) harvest and transfer light energy into chemical energy in photosynthesis. Here, authors analyzed its tetrameric structure from a glaucophyte alga by cryo-EM, providing insights into an evolutionary turning-point of PSI.
- Koji Kato
- , Ryo Nagao
- & Jian-Ren Shen
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Article
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Cyclophilin anaCyp40 regulates photosystem assembly and phycobilisome association in a cyanobacterium
Cyclophilins are proteins found in many organisms, where they can play roles as chaperones, in signal transduction, or other functions. Here, Yadav et al. show that a cyanobacterial cyclophilin is involved in stress responses and in assembly of photosynthetic complexes, and displays unique structural features.
- Shivam Yadav
- , Martin Centola
- & Enrico Schleiff
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Article
| Open Access
Arabidopsis guard cell chloroplasts import cytosolic ATP for starch turnover and stomatal opening
Stomatal guard cells require ATP in order to fuel stomatal movements. Here the authors show that guard cell photosynthesis is limited, mitochondria are the main source of ATP and that guard cell chloroplasts import ATP via nucleotide transporters.
- Shey-Li Lim
- , Sabrina Flütsch
- & Boon Leong Lim
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Article
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A different perspective for nonphotochemical quenching in plant antenna complexes
Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) protects photosynthetic complexes from damage due to excess light. Here the authors explore different conformations of the plant CP29 light harvesting complex, showing how protein tuning of carotenoid excitation energies and carotenoid-chlorophyll interactions account for NPQ.
- Edoardo Cignoni
- , Margherita Lapillo
- & Benedetta Mennucci
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Plant LHC-like proteins show robust folding and static non-photochemical quenching
Plant light harvesting complex (LHC)‐like proteins protect the photosynthetic machinery from excess light. Here the authors show that plant LHC‐like dimers are stabilized by associated pigments and can quench chlorophyll fluorescence via direct energy transfer from chlorophyll to zeaxanthin.
- Petra Skotnicová
- , Hristina Staleva-Musto
- & Roman Sobotka
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Article
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Underwater CAM photosynthesis elucidated by Isoetes genome
Despite extensive characterization of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) in terrestrial angiosperms, little attention has been given to aquatics and early diverging land plants. Here, the authors assemble the genome of Isoetes taiwanensis and investigate the genetic factors driving CAM in this aquatic lycophyte.
- David Wickell
- , Li-Yaung Kuo
- & Fay-Wei Li
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Structural insight into the mechanism of energy transfer in cyanobacterial phycobilisomes
The major light-harvesting systems for photosynthesis in cyanobacteria and red algae are phycobilisomes (PBS). Here, the authors present the cryo-EM structures of two cyanobacterial PBS from Anabaena 7120 and Synechococcus 7002 and discuss their energy transfer pathways.
- Lvqin Zheng
- , Zhenggao Zheng
- & Ning Gao
Shining light on dinoflagellate photosystem I