A1 Journal article (refereed)
Ultrafast structural changes within a photosynthetic reaction centre (2021)

Dods, R., Båth, P., Morozov, D., Gagnér, V. A., Arnlund, D., Luk, H. L., Kübel, J., Maj, M., Vallejos, A., Wickstrand, C., Bosman, R., Beyerlein, K. R., Nelson, G., Liang, M., Milathianaki, D., Robinson, J., Harimoorthy, R., Berntsen, P., Malmerberg, E., . . . Neutze, R. (2021). Ultrafast structural changes within a photosynthetic reaction centre. Nature, 589(7841), 310-314. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-3000-7

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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

Publication date: 02/12/2020

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

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

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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Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2021

JUFO rating: 3