Thermodynamic limitations of photosynthetic water oxidation at high proton concentrations.

ABSTRACT: In oxygenic photosynthesis, solar energy drives the oxidation of water catalyzed by a Mn(4)Ca complex bound to the proteins of Photosystem II. Four protons are released during one turnover of the water oxidation cycle (S-state cycle), implying thermodynamic limitations at low pH. For proton concentrations ranging from 1 nm (pH 9) to 1 mm (pH 3), we have characterized the low-pH limitations using a new experimental approach: a specific pH-jump protocol combined with time-resolved measurement of the delayed chlorophyll fluorescence after nanosecond flash excitation. Effective pK values were determined for low-pH inhibition of the light-induced S-state transitions: pK(1)=3.3 ± 0.3, pK(2)=3.5 ± 0.2, and pK(3)≈pK(4)=4.6 ± 0.2. Alkaline inhibition was not observed. An extension of the classical

SUBMITTER: Zaharieva I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3093894 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature