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

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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

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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