Synthesis and Photophysical and Electrochemical Study of Tyrosine Covalently Linked to High‐Valent Copper(III) and Manganese(IV) Complexes

As bio‐inspired chemical model of the oxygen‐evolving complex (OEC) in photosystem II, a new tyrosine‐modified corrole ligand 3 and its high‐valent copper and manganese complexes 3a and 3b were synthesized and characterized. The copper complexes 1a and 2a of corrole 1 and 2 were also prepared for comparison. The emission property indicates that the emission of ligands 2 and 3 is located at 670 nm, but no emission is observed for their metal complexes due to its suppression by the metal center. The electrochemical study shows that 3a might dimerize at the first two reversible oxidations, a behavior which was not observed in the case of 1a and 2a . The corrolato manganese(IV) complex 3b shows one reversible reduction and one quasireversible oxidation at ?0.17 and 0.77 V vs. Ag/Ag⁺, respectively.     

Electric parameters of photosystem II particles — electric light scattering study

Electric light scattering and microelectrophoresis were applied to investigate the electric moments (permanent dipole moment and electric polarizability and electrophoretic mobility of envelope-free chloroplasts and photosystem II (PS II particles. The effect of the removal of the extrinsic polypeptides (18, 24 and 33 kDa) on the electric moments was also studied. A significant difference was observed between the orientation behaviour of chloroplasts and PS II preparations. The data indicate that the permanent and induced dipole moments contribute to the orientation of the PS II particles, whereas chloroplasts possess induced dipole moment only.

NaCl and Tris treatments of PS II preparations influence both the transverse permanent dipole moment and the electric polarizability of PS II particles. The increase in the electrophoretic mobility of PS II particles on removal of the extrinsic proteins corresponds to an increase in the electric polarizability value, demonstrating its interfacial nature.     

Syntheses and structures of magnesium pyridine thiolates--model compounds for magnesium binding in photosystem I

Novel magnesium pyridine-2-thiolates were prepared by using alkane elimination chemistry. The resulting complexes display a metal coordination environment composed of sulfur/nitrogen bonding from the intramolecularly stabilized mercaptopyridine ligand, in addition to coordination by the oxygen centers from two THF donors. The compounds are well-suited model compounds for the magnesium centers in Photosystem I, in which magnesium, situated in the central chlorophyll ligand, is bound to sulfur from a nearby methionine residue. All compounds were characterized by (1)H, (13)C NMR, and IR spectroscopy, in addition to Xray crystallography.     

From manganese complexes to nano-sized manganese oxides as water-oxidizing catalysts for artificial photosynthetic systems: Insights from the Zanjan team

On the occasion of the international year of light and light-based technologies, I provide a short overview of our recent findings and personal view on the Mn-based water-oxidizing catalysts and the related sophisticated strategies toward water oxidation, which are promising in the artificial photosynthetic systems.     

Modulation of cyanobacterial photosystem I deposition properties on alkanethiolate Au substrate by various experimental conditions

We present results from atomic force microscopy (AFM) images indicating various experimental conditions, which alter the morphological characteristics of self-assembled cyanobacterial PS I on hydroxyl-terminated self-assembled alkanethiolate monolayers (SAM/Au) substrates. AFM topographical images of SAM/Au substrates incubated in solutions containing different PS I concentrations solubilized with Triton X-100 as the detergent reveal large columnar aggregates (～100 nm and hence, much taller than a single PS I trimer) at high PS I concentrations. Depositions from dilute PS I suspensions reveal fewer aggregates and relatively uniform surface topography (～10 nm). Confocal fluorescence microscopy analysis of fluorescently tagged PS I deposited on to SAM/Au substrates using electric field and gravity driven techniques reveal preliminary indications of directionally aligned PS I attachments, besides corroborating a uniform monolayer formation, for the former deposition method. The complex attachment dynamics of PS I onto SAM substrates are further investigated from the AFM images of PS I/SAM/Au substrates prepared under different experimental conditions using: 1) PS I isolated as monomers and trimers 2) adsorption at elevated temperatures, and 3) different detergents with varying pH values. In each of the cases, the surface topology indicated distinct yet complex morphological and phase characteristics. These observations provide useful insight into the use of experimental parameters to alter the morphological assembly of PS I on to SAM substrates en route to successful fabrication of PS I based biohybrid photoelectrochemical devices.     

Photo‐Induced Electron Transfer Between Photosystem 2 via Cross‐linked Redox Hydrogels

Photosystem 2 (PS2) that catalyses light driven water splitting in photosynthesis was ‘wired’ to electrode surfaces via osmium‐containing redox polymers based on poly(vinyl)imidazol. The redox polymer hydrogel worked as both immobilization matrix and electron acceptor for the enzyme. Upon illumination, the enzymatic reaction could be switched on and a catalytic current was observed at the electrode. The catalytic current is directly dependent on the intensity of light used for the excitation of PS2. A typical current density of 45 μA cm^?2 at a light intensity of 2.65 mW cm^?2 could be demonstrated with a significantly improved operational stability.     

Effect of Nano-anatase TiO2 on Spectral Characterization of Photosystem Ⅱ Particles from Spinach

The photosystem I (PS Ⅱ) particles were purified by means of nano-anatase TiO2 treatment of spinach and studied by spectroscopy. The results show that the electron transport and the oxygen-evolving rate of PS I are accelerated after it has been treated with nano-anatase TiO2; the UV-Vis absorption spectrum of PS I particles is increased; the red shift of fluorescence emission peak of PS I is 2 nm; the peak intensity is decreased; the PS Ⅱ signal I s of low temperature electron paramagnetic resonanace(EPR) spectrum is intensified under light, and the PS I circular dichroism(CD) spectrum is similar to that of control. It is suggested that nano-anatase TiO2 might bind to the PS I reaction center complex and intensify the function of the PS I electron donor, however, nano-anatase TiO2 treatment does not change the configuration of the PS Ⅱ reaction center complex.     

采用选择激发研究光系统Ⅱ反应中心β-Car的物理特性

光系统Ⅱ反应中心包含有2个去镁叶绿素分子(Pheo),2个β胡萝卜素分子(β-Car)和6个叶绿素a分子(Chla).对反应中心的时间分辨荧光光谱表明,两个β-Car具有不同的吸收光谱,吸收峰分别为489 nm(Car489)和507 nm(Car507),Car489靠近吸收峰为667 nm和675 nm的叶绿素a(Chl a),它的主要功能是保护反应中心免受单态氧的破坏,而不能将激发能传递给光化学反应活性的色素分子P680;Car507靠近吸收峰为669 nm的Chl a分子;能够将激发能传递给P680,进行电荷分离.采用全局优化拟合的方法对荧光光谱进行处理,Car489在61 ps时间内将能量传递给Chl a672, 随后传给Chl a677,处于激发态的Chl a677在3 ns衰减到基态;Car507在274 ps时间内将能量传递给P680,P680＋Pheo-的电荷重组发生在3.8 ns和16 ns.     

Methylamine interaction with proteins of photosystem II: A comparison with biogenic polyamines

Biogenic polyamines are essential for cell growth and differentiation. The interaction of polyamines with protein of photosystem II (PSII) are well investigated, while there has been no report on the effect of monoamines complexation on photosynthetic oxygen evolution. This study was designed to investigate the interaction of methylamine with proteins of PSII, using PSII-enriched submembrane fractions with various concentrations of methylamine. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) and fluorescence spectroscopic methods were used in order to determine the methylamine binding mode, the protein conformational changes, and the effect of amine interaction on photosynthetic oxygen evolution. Spectroscopic evidence showed that methylamine interacts with protein (H-bonding) through polypeptide CO, C–N and NH groups with major perturbations of protein secondary structure. Major reduction of α-helix from 50% (free PSII) to 35% with an increase of β-sheet from 10% (free PSII) to 16% was observed in methylamine-PSII complexes. At very low methylamine concentration, no inhibition of oxygen-evolution occurred, while at higher amine content (12 mM), 100% inhibition was observed. Chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence measurements indicated the inhibition mainly affects the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of PSII. Comparisons of the effects of methylamine with biogenic polyamine spermine, spermidine and putrescine showed a similar mode of binding with protein (H-bonding) through polypeptide CO, C–N and NH groups. However, major alterations of the protein secondary structure are induced by monoamine and not by polyamines.     

The acclimative response of the main light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-protein complex of photosystem II (LHCII) to elevated irradiances at the level of trimeric subunits

The changes in structural organization of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b–protein complex of photosystem II (LHC II) at the level of trimeric subcomplexes were studied in spinach plants grown under low light conditions (50 μmol quanta m⁻² s⁻¹) and then acclimated to elevated irradiances. By monitoring photochemical quenching of fluorescence yield (q_P), photosystem II (PS II) functional status was assessed in leaves of plants acclimated to a range of elevated irradiances. Three separate acclimative irradiances were selected for the experiments, reflecting: limiting light conditions (150 μmol quanta m⁻² s⁻¹), near to the inflexion point on the irradiance curve conditions (300 μmol quanta m⁻² s⁻¹) and an excessive light, causing a moderate stress in the form of down regulation of PS II (450 μmol quanta m⁻² s⁻¹). An immunoblot analysis showed that there was a clear decline in an abundance on chlorophyll basis of Lhcb1-3 apoproteins as an acclimative irradiance increased from 50 to 450 μmol quanta m⁻² s⁻¹, with Lhcb1 decreasing to a lesser extent than Lhcb2 and Lhcb3 (only at excessive irradiance). When analyzed by non-denaturing isoelectric focusing BBY membrane fragments (PSII-enriched, stacked thylakoid membranes) isolated from low light-grown plants were resolved into nine fractions, seven of which (labelled 3–9) were established by us previously [Jackowski and Pielucha, J. Photochem. Photobiol. B: Biol. 64 (2001) 45] to be LHC II subcomplexes representing mixed populations of closely similar trimers, comprising permutations of Lhcb1 and Lhcb2 (subcomplexes 3–7) or Lhcb1-3 (subcomplexes 8 and 9). A heterogeneity with regard to accumulation behaviour of LHC II subcomplexes in response to elevated irradiances was revealed. The subcomplexes 5 and 6 were accumulating at similar level, regardless of the light irradiance experienced. Another group consisting of the subcomplexes 3 and 4 (the most basic ones) showed a progressive increase in relative abundance with increasing an irradiance intensity whereas the subcomplexes 7–9 (the most acidic ones) exhibited a progressive decline in their relative abundance during an acclimation of spinach plants to elevated irradiances thus they may collectively represent an elevated irradiance-responsive subunit of LHCII.