Spin Selectivity in Electron Transfer in Photosystem I

Photosystem I (PSI) is one of the most studied electron transfer (ET) systems in nature; it is found in plants, algae, and bacteria. The effect of the system structure and its electronic properties on the electron transfer rate and yield was investigated for years in details. In this work we show that not only those system properties affect the ET efficiency, but also the electrons’ spin. Using a newly developed spintronic device and a technique which enables control over the orientation of the PSI monolayer relative to the device (silver) surface, it was possible to evaluate the degree and direction of the spin polarization in ET in PSI. We find high‐spin selectivity throughout the entire ET path and establish that the spins of the electrons being transferred are aligned parallel to their momenta. The spin selectivity peaks at 300 K and vanishes at temperatures below about 150 K. A mechanism is suggested in which the chiral structure of the protein complex plays an important role in determining the high‐spin selectivity and its temperature dependence. Our observation of high light induced spin dependent ET in PSI introduces the possibility that spin may play an important role in ET in biology.     

Synthesis and Structure Characterization of a Tetranuclear Manganese(Ⅲ) Complex:[Mn4O2(O2CMe)6(MeOH)2(dbm)2]·2MeCOOH·2CH2Cl2

The title compound, [Mn4O2(O2CMe)6(MeOH)2(dbm)2]·2MeCOOH·2CH2Cl2 (Hdbm = dibenzoylmethane), has been synthesized and structurally determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal belongs to triclinic, space group P(-l), with a = 10.729(3), b = 12.269(3), c =13.085(4) (A), a = 106.367(3), β = 107.643(2), γ = 94.771(2)°, V = 1547.9(7) (A)3, Z = 1,C50H64Cl4Mn4O24, Mr= 1410.57, Dc= 1.513 g/em3, F(000) = 724, Rint = 0.0147, T = 293(2) K and μ = 1.046 mm-1. The fimal R = 0.0359 and wR = 0.0938 for 5791 observed reflections with I ＞ 2( )I).The structure of the complex consists of one [Mn4(μ3-O)2]8+ core with four coplanar Mn atoms disposed in an extended "butterfly-like" arrangement and two O atoms triply bridging each "wing",and the peripheral ligation is provided by six μ2-MeCO2-, two terminalμ2-dbm- groups at the two hydrogen bonding interactions are found within the structure of the compound.     

Natural and artificial light-harvesting systems utilizing the functions of carotenoids

Carotenoids are essential pigments in natural photosynthesis. They absorb in the blue–green region of the solar spectrum and transfer the absorbed energy to (bacterio-)chlorophylls, and so expand the wavelength range of light that is able to drive photosynthesis. This process is an example of singlet–singlet energy transfer and so carotenoids serve to enhance the overall efficiency of photosynthetic light reactions. Carotenoids also act to protect photosynthetic organisms from the harmful effects of excess exposure to light. In this case, triplet–triplet energy transfer from (bacterio-)chlorophyll to carotenoid plays a key role in this photoprotective reaction. In the light-harvesting pigment–protein complexes from purple photosynthetic bacteria and chlorophytes, carotenoids have an additional role, namely the structural stabilization of those complexes. In this article we review what is currently known about how carotenoids discharge these functions. The molecular architecture of photosynthetic systems will be outlined to provide a basis from which to describe the photochemistry of carotenoids, which underlies most of their important functions in photosynthesis. Then, the possibility to utilize the functions of carotenoids in artificial photosynthetic light-harvesting systems will be discussed. Some examples of the model systems are introduced.     

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Herbicidal Activities of 2-Cyanoacrylates Containing 1,3,4-Thiadiazole Moieties

Three series of novel 2‐cyanoacrylates 7a – 7f , 9a – 9f , 10a – 10f containing 1,3,4‐thiadiazole ring moieties were synthesized as herbicidal inhibitors of photosystem II (PS II) electron transportation. Their structures were clearly verified by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, elemental analysis (or HRMS analysis) and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Bioassay showed that a suitable group at the 3‐position of acrylates was essential for high herbicidal activity. In particular, compound 7e showed the best herbicidal activities and gave 100% inhibitory activity against rape and amaranth pigweed at a dose of 1.5 kg/ha. Introduction of substituent with higher polarity such as sulfinyl or sulfonyl to the 5‐position of 1,3,4‐thiadiazole decreased herbicidal activities.     

Oxygen—evloving Activity in PhotosystemⅡ Core Complex of Photosynthetic Membrane in the Presence of Native Lipid

The techniques of oxygen electrode polarography and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy were employed to explore the involvement of digalactosyl diacylglycerol (DGDG) in functional and structural roles in the photosystem II core complex (PSIICC). It was shown that DGDG exhibited the ability to stimulate the oxygen evolution in PSIICC, which was accompanied by the changes in the structures of PSIICC proteins. The results revealed that there existed hydrogen‐bonding interactions between DGDG molecules and PSIICC proteins. It is most likely that the sites of PSIICC interaction with DGDG are in the extrinsic protein of 33 kDa.     

Revised CHARMM force field parameters for iron‐containing cofactors of photosystem II

Photosystem II is a complex protein–cofactor machinery that splits water molecules into molecular oxygen, protons, and electrons. All‐atom molecular dynamics simulations have the potential to contribute to our general understanding of how photosystem II works. To perform reliable all‐atom simulations, we need accurate force field parameters for the cofactor molecules. We present here CHARMM bonded and non‐bonded parameters for the iron‐containing cofactors of photosystem II that include a six‐coordinated heme moiety coordinated by two histidine groups, and a non‐heme iron complex coordinated by bicarbonate and four histidines. The force field parameters presented here give water interaction energies and geometries in good agreement with the quantum mechanical target data. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The possible role of proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) in water oxidation by photosystem II

All higher life forms use oxygen and respiration as their primary energy source. The oxygen comes from water by solar-energy conversion in photosynthetic membranes. In green plants, light absorption in photosystem II (PSII) drives electron-transfer activation of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC). The mechanism of water oxidation by the OEC has long been a subject of great interest to biologists and chemists. With the availability of new molecular-level protein structures from X-ray crystallography and EXAFS, as well as the accumulated results from numerous experiments and theoretical studies, it is possible to suggest how water may be oxidized at the OEC. An integrated sequence of light-driven reactions that exploit coupled electron-proton transfer (EPT) could be the key to water oxidation. When these reactions are combined with long-range proton transfer (by sequential local proton transfers), it may be possible to view the OEC as an intricate structure that is "wired for protons".     

Bio-rational design of photosystem II inhibitors (VIII)

Molecular modeling of acrylates (acrylamides) with Dl protein ofPisum sativum is presented. Studies show that the binding force mainly includes H-bond interaction, Van der Waals and π-ring stacking interaction. It was found that SER 268 in Dl protein might be an important binding site. It is important for high inhibitory activity of compounds whether an electronegative atom in alkyl of ester linkage could make H-bond interaction with SER 268 in Dl protein. Thus some new acrylates (acrylamides) were designed and synthesized. Bioassay indicated that these new compounds showed expected Hill reaction inhibitory activity. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 29702006) and the special fund of Nature Science of Tianjin.