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Native FMO-reaction center supercomplex in green sulfur bacteria: an electron microscopy study

Photosynthesis Research volume 128, pages 93–102 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

Chlorobaculum tepidum is a representative of green sulfur bacteria, a group of anoxygenic photoautotrophs that employ chlorosomes as the main light-harvesting structures. Chlorosomes are coupled to a ferredoxin-reducing reaction center by means of the Fenna–Matthews–Olson (FMO) protein. While the biochemical properties and physical functioning of all the individual components of this photosynthetic machinery are quite well understood, the native architecture of the photosynthetic supercomplexes is not. Here we report observations of membrane-bound FMO and the analysis of the respective FMO-reaction center complex. We propose the existence of a supercomplex formed by two reaction centers and four FMO trimers based on the single-particle analysis of the complexes attached to native membrane. Moreover, the structure of the photosynthetic unit comprising the chlorosome with the associated pool of RC-FMO supercomplexes is proposed.

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Abbreviations

BChl:

Bacteriochlorophyll

C.:

Chlorobaculum

Cfx.:

Chloroflexus

CSM:

Chlorosome

FMO:

Fenna–Matthews–Olson protein

GSB:

Green sulfur bacteria

gRC:

Reaction center of green sulfur bacteria

PSI RC:

Reaction center of photosystem 1 of oxygenic photosynthesis

RC:

Reaction center

TEM:

Transmission electron microscopy

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to Dr. Jakub Pšenčík (Charles University in Prague) for fruitful discussions and to Dr. Gregory Orf and Dr. Robert Blankenship (Washington University in St. Louis) for critical reading of the manuscript. The research was supported by Czech Science Foundation project P501/12/G055 and institutional support RVO:60077344. Skilled technical assistance of František Matoušek is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    David Bína, Zdenko Gardian, František Vácha & Radek Litvín

  2. Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    David Bína, Zdenko Gardian, František Vácha & Radek Litvín

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  1. David Bína
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  2. Zdenko Gardian
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Correspondence to David Bína.

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Bína, D., Gardian, Z., Vácha, F. et al. Native FMO-reaction center supercomplex in green sulfur bacteria: an electron microscopy study. Photosynth Res 128, 93–102 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-015-0205-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-015-0205-y

Keywords

  • FMO (Fenna–Matthews–Olson protein)
  • Chlorosome
  • Light-harvesting complex
  • Reaction center
  • Electron microscopy
  • Green sulfur bacteria