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Protein film voltammetry and co-factor electron transfer dynamics in spinach photosystem II core complex

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Abstract

Direct protein film voltammetry (PFV) was used to investigate the redox properties of the photosystem II (PSII) core complex from spinach. The complex was isolated using an improved protocol not used previously for PFV. The PSII core complex had high oxygen-evolving capacity and was incorporated into thin lipid and polyion films. Three well-defined reversible pairs of reduction and oxidation voltammetry peaks were observed at 4 °C in the dark. Results were similar in both types of films, indicating that the environment of the PSII-bound cofactors was not influenced by film type. Based on comparison with various control samples including Mn-depleted PSII, peaks were assigned to chlorophyll a (Chl a) (E m = −0.47 V, all vs. NHE, at pH 6), quinones (−0.12 V), and the manganese (Mn) cluster (E m = 0.18 V). PFV of purified iron heme protein cytochrome b-559 (Cyt b-559), a component of PSII, gave a partly reversible peak pair at 0.004 V that did not have a potential similar to any peaks observed from the intact PSII core complex. The closest peak in PSII to 0.004 V is the 0.18 V peak that was found to be associated with a two-electron process, and thus is inconsistent with iron heme protein voltammetry. The −0.47 V peak had a peak potential and peak potential-pH dependence similar to that found for purified Chl a incorporated into DMPC films. The midpoint potentials reported here may differ to various extents from previously reported redox titration data due to the influence of electrode double-layer effects. Heterogeneous electron transfer (hET) rate constants were estimated by theoretical fitting and digital simulations for the −0.47 and 0.18 V peaks. Data for the Chl a peaks were best fit to a one-electron model, while the peak assigned to the Mn cluster was best fit by a two-electron/one-proton model.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Grant MCB-0842500 from the National Science Foundation supported under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and by the University of Connecticut Research Foundation. The authors thank Prof. Gary Brudvig of Yale University for advice on the PSII core complex preparation and oxygen evolution measurements, and Ms. Amy LaFountain for a critical reading of the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-3060, USA

    Yun Zhang, Nikki Magdaong, Harry A. Frank & James F. Rusling

  2. Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, 06032, USA

    James F. Rusling

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  1. Yun Zhang
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Zhang, Y., Magdaong, N., Frank, H.A. et al. Protein film voltammetry and co-factor electron transfer dynamics in spinach photosystem II core complex. Photosynth Res 120, 153–167 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-013-9831-4

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