The role of D1-Ala344 in charge stabilization and recombination in Photosystem II

Abstract

The Ala344 residue of the D1 protein has been identified as a crucial residue of the catalytic cluster of the water-oxidizing complex, however, its function has not been fully clarified. Here we have used thermoluminescence and flash-induced chlorophyll fluorescence measurements to characterize the effect of the D1-Ala344stop mutation on the electron transport of Photosystem II in intact cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803. Although the mutant cannot grow photoautotrophically it shows flash-induced thermoluminescence and chlorophyll fluorescence signals reflecting the stabilization of negative and positive charges on the Q_A and Q_B quinone electron acceptors, and stable Photosystem II donors, respectively. Decay of flash induced chlorophyll fluorescence yield is multiphasic in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), with 6 ms, 350 ms, and 26 s time constants. When cells are illuminated with repetitive flashes, fired at 1 ms intervals, the 6 ms phase is gradually decreased with the concomitant increase of the 350 ms phase. After 45 min dark adaptation of mutant cells the 6 ms and 350 ms phases were significantly decreased and a very slow decaying component was formed. Flash induced oscillation of the thermoluminescence B band, which reflects the redox cycling of the water-oxidizing complex in the wild-type cells, was completely abolished in the D1-Ala344stop mutant. The results demonstrate that low efficiency photooxidation of Mn occurs in about 60% of the PSII centers. The photooxidizable Mn is unstable in the dark, and formation of higher S states is inhibited. In addition, the Q_A to Q_B electron transfer step is slowed down as an indirect consequence of the donor side modification. Our data indicate that the stabilization of a Mn ion by the α-carboxylate chain of the D1-Ala344 residue might represent one of the final steps in the assembly of functional catalytic sites for water oxidation.