Photosynthesis: Deciphering Complex Processes | Jabot.D

An international team of researchers is making atomic interactions in a protein structure called Photosystem II visible, providing a key to elucidating fundamental biochemical processes.

A team of scientists from Humboldt University of Berlin (HU), the Swedish universities of Umeå and Uppsala and the University of Potsdam have succeeded in creating atomic structures Photosynthesis process Based on cryogenic electron microscopy with unprecedented nanometer-level resolution. The team specially designed the study, which was published in the famous journal Science under the name Photosystem II A well-known protein structure in which the first step of photosynthesis takes place: light is absorbed and used as an energy source to promote the splitting of water molecules into oxygen, protons and electrons.

A crucial step in understanding the process of photosynthesis.

The high resolution screen allows you to New insights into hydrogen reactions Within photosystem II, which are essential for the reaction driven by light energy. The team led by Dr. Rana Hussein and Prof. Dr. Athena Zouni from the Institute of Biology at Heliopolis University, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schröder of Umeå University and Prof. Dr. Johannes Messinger from Uppsala University has taken an important step forward in understanding the complex processes of photosynthesis.

Professor Dr. says: Athens Zuni. “This detailed insight is essential for understanding the process by which oxygen-producing organisms convert light energy into chemical energy – a process essential for life on Earth.”

Professor Dr. Holger Dubeck explains the most important results of the study: “We are using cryogenic electron microscopy to show photosystem II with better resolution. This allowed us to detect hydrogen in several amino acid residues in the reaction centers, providing new information about the transport of electrons and protons in photosystem II. Our research reveals the sequence of events that led to the second protonation of mobile plastoquinone B. This would profoundly renew our understanding of the electron transport chain in photosynthesis.

The research approach goes beyond the field of photosynthesis research.

Dr. Rana Hussain explains: “The innovative approach used in this study to locate protons and hydrogen is essential for understanding photosystem II and has a wide range of applications. It can be used to study different proteins to reveal their mechanisms in relation to hydrogen. This enables breakthroughs in various areas of biological and chemical research. The cryo-EM method used in this study goes beyond the field of research on photosynthesis.

In cryogenic electron microscopy, protein complexes are cooled to temperatures as low as -260°C within milliseconds. This shock freezing prevents the formation of ice crystals, so the particles are preserved in their natural shape. Making hydrogen visible could help understand other fundamental biochemical reactions in the future. These include, for example, enzyme mechanisms, protein-ligand interactions, or dynamics of membrane proteins.