A1 Journal article (refereed)
Ultrafast structural changes within a photosynthetic reaction centre (2021)
Dods, Robert; Båth, Petra; Morozov, Dmitry; Gagnér, Viktor Ahlberg; Arnlund, David; Luk, Hoi Ling; Kübel, Joachim; Maj, Michał; Vallejos, Adams; Wickstrand, Cecilia; Bosman, Robert et al. (2021). Ultrafast structural changes within a photosynthetic reaction centre. Nature, 589 (7841), 310-314. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-3000-7
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Dods, Robert; Båth, Petra; Morozov, Dmitry; Gagnér, Viktor Ahlberg; Arnlund, David; Luk, Hoi Ling; Kübel, Joachim; Maj, Michał; Vallejos, Adams; Wickstrand, Cecilia; et al.
Journal or series: Nature
ISSN: 0028-0836
eISSN: 1476-4687
Publication year: 2021
Volume: 589
Issue number: 7841
Pages range: 310-314
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Publication country: United Kingdom
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-3000-7
Open Access: Publication channel is not openly available
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/73626
Abstract
Photosynthetic reaction centres harvest the energy content of sunlight by transporting electrons across an energy-transducing biological membrane. Here we use time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography1 using an X-ray free-electron laser2 to observe light-induced structural changes in the photosynthetic reaction centre of Blastochloris viridis on a timescale of picoseconds. Structural perturbations first occur at the special pair of chlorophyll molecules of the photosynthetic reaction centre that are photo-oxidized by light. Electron transfer to the menaquinone acceptor on the opposite side of the membrane induces a movement of this cofactor together with lower amplitude protein rearrangements. These observations reveal how proteins use conformational dynamics to stabilize the charge-separation steps of electron-transfer reactions.
Keywords: bioenergetics; photosynthesis; bacteria; chlorophyll; membranes; x-ray crystallography
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