Effective binding of Tb3+ and La3+ cations on the donor side of Mn-depleted photosystem II.

The interaction of Tb3+ and La3+ cations with different photosystem II (PSII) membranes (intact PSII, Ca-depleted PSII (PSII[-Ca]) and Mn-depleted PSII (PSII[-Mn]) membranes) was studied. Although both lanthanide cations (Ln3+) interact only with Ca2+-binding site of oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) in PSII and PSII(-Ca) membranes, we found that in PSII(-Mn) membranes both Ln3+ ions tightly bind to another site localized on the oxidizing side of PSII. Binding of Ln3+ cations to this site is not protected by Ca2+ and is accompanied by very effective inhibition of Mn2+ oxidation at the high-affinity (HA) Mn-binding site ([Mn2+ + H2O2] couple was used as a donor of electrons). The values of the constant for inhibition of electron transport Ki are equal to 2.10 ± 0.03 µM for Tb3+ and 8.3 ± 0.4 µM for La3+, whereas OEC inhibition constant in the native PSII membranes is 323 ± 7 µM for Tb3+. The value of Ki for Tb3+ corresponds to Ki for Mn2+ cations in the reaction of diphenylcarbazide oxidation via HA site (1.5 µM) presented in the literature. Our results suggest that Ln3+ cations bind to the HA Mn-binding site in PSII(-Mn) membranes like Mn2+ or Fe2+ cations. Taking into account the fact that Mn2+ and Fe2+ cations bind to the HA site as trivalent cations after light-induced oxidation and the fact that Mn cation bound to the HA site (Mn4) is also in trivalent state, we can suggest that valency may be important for the interaction of Ln3+ with the HA site.

Effect of different methods of Ca2+ extraction from PSII oxygen-evolving complex on the QA- oxidation kinetics.

Lumenal extrinsic proteins PsbO, PsbP, and PsbQ of photosystem II (PSII) protect the catalytic cluster Mn4CaO5 of oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) from the bulk solution and from soluble compounds in the surrounding medium. Extraction of PsbP and PsbQ proteins by NaCl-washing together with chelator EGTA is followed also by the depletion of Ca2+ cation from OEC. In this study, the effects of PsbP and PsbQ proteins, as well as Ca2+ extraction from OEC on the kinetics of the reduced primary electron acceptor (QA-) oxidation, have been studied by fluorescence decay kinetics measurements in PSII membrane fragments. We found that in addition to the impairment of OEC, removal of PsbP and PsbQ significantly slows the rate of electron transfer from QA- to the secondary quinone acceptor QB. Electron transfer from QA- to QB in photosystem II membranes with an occupied QB site was slowed down by a factor of 8. However, addition of EGTA or CaCl2 to NaCl-washed PSII did not change the kinetics of fluorescence decay. Moreover, the kinetics of QA- oxidation by QB in Ca-depleted PSII membranes obtained by treatment with citrate buffer at pH 3.0 (such treatment keeps all extrinsic proteins in PSII but extracts Ca2+ from OEC) was not changed. The results obtained indicate that the effect of NaCl-washing on the QA- to QB electron transport is due to PsbP and PsbQ extrinsic proteins extraction, but not due to Ca2+ depletion.

Substituting Fe for two of the four Mn ions in photosystem II-effects on water-oxidation.

We have investigated the interaction of Fe(II) cations with Ca-depleted PSII membranes (PSII[-Ca,4Mn]) in the dark and found that Fe(II) incubation removes 2 of 4 Mn ions from the tetranuclear Mn cluster of the photosynthetic O2-evolving complex (OEC). The reduction of Mn ions in PSII(-Ca,4Mn) by Fe(II) and the concomitant release of two Mn(II) cations is accompanied by the binding of newly generated Fe(III) in at least one vacated Mn site. Flash-induced chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence yield measurements of this new 2Mn/nFe cluster (PSII[-Ca,2Mn,nFe]) show that charge recombination in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) occurs between Qa (-) and the remaining Mn/Fe cluster (but not YZ (●)) in the OEC, and extraction of 2 Mn occurs uniformly in all PSII complexes. No O2 evolution is observed, but the heteronuclear metal cluster in PSII(-Ca,2Mn,nFe) samples is still able to supply electrons for reduction of the exogenous electron acceptor, 2,6-dichlorophrenolindophenol, by photooxidizing water and producing H2O2 in the absence of an exogenous donor as seen previously with PSII(-Ca,4Mn). Selective extraction of Mn or Fe cations from the 2Mn/nFe heteronuclear cluster demonstrates that the high-affinity Mn-binding site is occupied by one of the iron cations. It is notable that partial water-oxidation function still occurs when only two Mn cations are present in the PSII OEC.

The extrinsic PsbO protein modulates the oxidation/reduction rate of the exogenous Mn cation at the high-affinity Mn-binding site of Mn-depleted PSII membranes.

The oxidation of exogenous Mn(II) cations at the high-affinity (HA) Mn-binding site in Mn-depleted photosystem II (PSII) membranes with or without the presence of the extrinsic PsbO polypeptide was studied by EPR. The six-lines EPR spectrum of Mn(II) cation disappears in the absence of the PsbO protein in membranes under illumination, but there was no effect when PSII preparations bound the PsbO protein. Our study demonstrates that such effect is determined by significant influence of the PsbO protein on the ratio between the rates of Mn oxidation and reduction at the HA site when the membranes are illuminated.

Correlation between pH dependence of O2 evolution and sensitivity of Mn cations in the oxygen-evolving complex to exogenous reductants.

Effects of pH, Ca(2+), and Cl(-) ions on the extraction of Mn cations from oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) in Ca-depleted photosystem II (PSII(-Ca)) by exogenous reductants hydroquinone (H2Q) and H2O2 were studied. Two of 4 Mn cations are released by H2Q and H2O2 at pHs 5.7, 6.5, and 7.5, and their extraction does not depend on the presence of Ca(2+) and Cl(-) ions. One of Mn cations ("resistant" Mn cation) cannot be extracted by H2Q and H2O2 at any pH. Extraction of 4th Mn ion ("flexible" Mn cation) is sensitive to pH, Ca(2+), and Cl(-). This Mn cation is released by reductants at pH 6.5 but not at pHs 5.7 and 7.5. A pH dependence curve of the oxygen-evolving activity in PSII(-Ca) membranes (in the presence of exogenous Ca(2+)) has a bell-shaped form with the maximum at pH 6.5. Thus, the increase in the resistance of flexible Mn cation in OEC to the action of reductants at acidic and alkaline pHs coincides with the decrease in oxygen evolution activity at these pHs. Exogenous Ca(2+) protects the extraction of flexible Mn cation at pH 6.5. High concentration of Cl(-) anions (100 mM) shifts the pH optimum of oxygen evolution to alkaline region (around pH 7.5), while the pH of flexible Mn extraction is also shifted to alkaline pH. This result suggests that flexible Mn cation plays a key role in the water-splitting reaction. The obtained results also demonstrate that only one Mn cation in Mn4 cluster is under strong control of calcium. The change in the flexible Mn cation resistance to exogenous reductants in the presence of Ca(2+) suggests that Ca(2+) can control the redox potential of this cation.

Production of reactive oxygen species in decoupled, Ca(2+)-depleted PSII and their use in assigning a function to chloride on both sides of PSII.

Extraction of Ca(2+) from the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II (PSII) in the absence of a chelator inhibits O2 evolution without significant inhibition of the light-dependent reduction of the exogenous electron acceptor, 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP) on the reducing side of PSII. The phenomenon is known as "the decoupling effect" (Semin et al. Photosynth Res 98:235-249, 2008). Extraction of Cl(-) from Ca(2+)-depleted membranes (PSII[-Ca]) suppresses the reduction of DCPIP. In the current study we investigated the nature of the oxidized substrate and the nature of the product(s) of the substrate oxidation. After elimination of all other possible donors, water was identified as the substrate. Generation of reactive oxygen species HO, H2O2, and O 2 (·-) , as possible products of water oxidation in PSII(-Ca) membranes was examined. During the investigation of O 2 (·-) production in PSII(-Ca) samples, we found that (i) O 2 (·-) is formed on the acceptor side of PSII due to the reduction of O2; (ii) depletion of Cl(-) does not inhibit water oxidation, but (iii) Cl(-) depletion does decrease the efficiency of the reduction of exogenous electron acceptors. In the absence of Cl(-) under aerobic conditions, electron transport is diverted from reducing exogenous acceptors to reducing O2, thereby increasing the rate of O 2 (·-) generation. From these observations we conclude that the product of water oxidation is H2O2 and that Cl(-) anions are not involved in the oxidation of water to H2O2 in decoupled PSII(-Ca) membranes. These results also indicate that Cl(-) anions are not directly involved in water oxidation by the Mn cluster in the native PSII membranes, but possibly provide access for H2O molecules to the Mn4CaO5 cluster and/or facilitate the release of H(+) ions into the lumenal space.

A simple colorimetric determination of the manganese content in photosynthetic membranes.

The functional Mn content of intact photosystem II membrane fragments was measured as 4.06 +/- 0.13 Mn/reaction center when determined using a simple, sensitive colorimetric assay that will also work with thylakoids and core complexes. This procedure requires minimal sample material, does not need expensive assay equipment, requires four simple steps, and only takes 20-30 min to perform. These include (a) removal of the adventitious Mn ions by CaCl(2) treatment of the membranes, (b) extraction of the Mn from the O(2)-evolving complex with hydrochloric acid, (c) purification of the extract by centrifugation followed by filtration of the supernatant through an Acrodisc syringe filter (0.2 mum nylon membrane), and (d) colorimetric determination of Mn in the extract using the reaction of the chromogenic agent, 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine, with previously oxidized Mn(II) cations carried out at high pH. The colorimetric assay itself has been used previously by Serrat (Mikrochim Acta 129:77-80, 1998) for assaying Mn concentrations in sea water and drinking water.

Decoupling of the processes of molecular oxygen synthesis and electron transport in Ca2+-depleted PSII membranes.

Extraction of Ca(2+) from the O(2)-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII) membranes with 2 M NaCl in the light (PSII(-Ca/NaCl)) results in 90% inhibition of the O(2)-evolution reaction. However, electron transfer from the donor to acceptor side of PSII, measured as the reduction of the exogenous acceptor 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) under continuous light, is inhibited by only 30%. Thus, calcium extraction from the OEC inhibits the synthesis of molecular O(2) but not the oxidation of a substrate we term X, the source of electrons for DCIP reduction. The presence of electron transfer across PSII(-Ca/NaCl) membranes was demonstrated using fluorescence induction kinetics, a method that does not require an artificial acceptor. The calcium chelator, EGTA (5 mM), when added to PSII(-Ca/NaCl) membranes, does not affect the inhibition of O(2) evolution by NaCl but does inhibit DCIP reduction up to 92% (the reason why electron transport in Ca(2+)-depleted materials has not been noticed before). Another chelator, sodium citrate (citrate/low pH method of calcium extraction), also inhibits both O(2) evolution and DCIP reduction. The role of all buffer components (including bicarbonate and sucrose) as possible sources of electrons for PSII(-Ca/NaCl) membranes was investigated, but only the absence of chloride anions strongly inhibited the rate of DCIP reduction. Substitution of other anions for chloride indicates that Cl(-) serves its well-known role as an OEC cofactor, but it is not substrate X. Multiple turnover flash experiments have shown a period of four oscillations of the fluorescence yield (both the maximum level, F(max), and the fluorescence level measured 50 s after an actinic flash in the presence of DCMU) in native PSII membranes, reflecting the normal function of the OEC, but the absence of oscillations in PSII(-Ca/NaCl) samples. Thus, PSII(-Ca/NaCl) samples do not evolve O(2) but do transfer electrons from the donor to acceptor sides and exhibit a disrupted S-state cycle. We explain these results as follows. In Ca(2+)-depleted PSII membranes, obtained without chelators, the oxidation of the OEC stops after the absorption of three quanta of light (from the S1 state), which should convert the native OEC to the S4 state. An one-electron oxidation of the water molecule bound to the Mn cluster then occurs (the second substrate water molecule is absent due to the absence of calcium), and the OEC returns to the S3 state. The appearance of a sub-cycle within the S-state cycle between S3-like and S4-like states supplies electrons (substrate X is postulated to be OH(-)), explains the absence of O(2) production, and results in the absence of a period of four oscillation of the normal functional parameters, such as the fluorescence yield or the EPR signal from S2. Chloride anions probably keep the redox potential of the Mn cluster low enough for its oxidation by Y(Z)(*).

Photoproduction of hydrogen by sulfur-deprived C. reinhardtii mutants with impaired photosystem II photochemical activity.

Photoproduction of H2 was examined in a series of sulfur-deprived Chlamydomonas reinhardtii D1-R323 mutants with progressively impaired PSII photochemical activity. In the R323H, R323D, and R323E D1 mutants, replacement of arginine affects photosystem II (PSII) function, as demonstrated by progressive decreases in O2-evolving activity and loss of PSII photochemical activity. Significant changes in PSII activity were found when the arginine residue was replaced by negatively charged amino acid residues (R323D and R323E). However, the R323H (positively charged or neutral, depending on the ambient pH) mutant had minimal changes in PSII activity. The R323H, R323D, and R323E mutants and the pseudo-wild-type (pWt) with restored PSII function were used to study the effects of sulfur deprivation on H2-production activity. All of these mutants exhibited significant changes in the normal parameters associated with the H2-photoproduction process, such as a shorter aerobic phase, lower accumulation of starch, a prolonged anaerobic phase observed before the onset of H2-production, a shorter duration of H2-production, lower H2 yields compared to the pWt control, and slightly higher production of dark fermentation products such as acetate and formate. The more compromised the PSII photochemical activity, the more dramatic was the effect of sulfur deprivation on the H2-production process, which depends both on the presence of residual PSII activity and the amount of stored starch.

Flash-induced blocking of the high-affinity manganese-binding site in photosystem II by iron cations: dependence on the dark interval between flashes and binary oscillations of fluorescence yield.

Incubation of Fe(II) cations with Mn-depleted PSII membranes (PSII(-Mn)) under weak continuous light is accompanied by blocking of the high-affinity, Mn-binding (HAZ) site with ferric cations (Semin, B.K. et al. Biochemistry 2002, 41, 5854-5864). In this study we investigated the blocking yield under single-turnover flash conditions. The flash-probe fluorescence method was used to estimate the blocking efficiency. We found that the yield of blocking increases with flash number and reaches 50% after 7 flashes. When the dark interval between the flashes (Delta t) was varied, we found that the percentage of blocking decreases at Delta t < 100 ms (t 1/2, 4-10 ms). No inhibition of the blocking yield was found at longer time intervals (as with photoactivation). This result shows the necessity of a dark rearrangement during the blocking process (the dual-site hypothesis described in the text) and indicates the formation of a binuclear iron center. During the blocking experiments, we found a binary oscillation of the Fmax elicited during a train of flashes. The oscillations were observed only in the presence of Fe(II) cations or other electron donors (including Mn(II)) but not in the presence of Ca2+. Chelators had no effect on the oscillations. Our results indicate that the oscillations are due to processes on the acceptor side of PSII and to the appearance of "acceptor X" after odd flashes. Acceptor X is reduced by QA- at very high rate (<<2 ms), is not sensitive to DCMU, and is rather stable in the dark (t l/2 approximately 2 min). These properties are similar to those of nonheme Fe(III) (Fe(III)NHI). When Fe(II)NHI was oxidized with ferricyanide (Fe(CN)6), the fluorescence decay kinetics and yield of fluorescence were identical to those observed when the sample was exposed to 1 flash prior to the fluorescence measurement. We suggest that acceptor X is Fe(III)NHI, oxidized by the semiquinone form of QB-. This is similar to the mechanism of "reduction-induced oxidation of Fe(II)NHI" by exogenous quinones reported in the literature. We suggest that involvement of QB- in the oxidation of Fe(II)NHI in PSII(-Mn) membranes is due to the modification of the QB-binding site and increase of its redox potential resulting from extraction of the functional Mn cluster.

A carboxylic residue at the high-affinity, Mn-binding site participates in the binding of iron cations that block the site.

The role of carboxylic residues at the high-affinity, Mn-binding site in the ligation of iron cations blocking the site [Biochemistry 41 (2000) 5854] was studied, using a method developed to extract the iron cations blocking the site. We found that specifically bound Fe(III) cations can be extracted with citrate buffer at pH 3.0. Furthermore, citrate can also prevent the photooxidation of Fe(II) cations by YZ. Participation of a COOH group(s) in the ligation of Fe(III) at the high-affinity site was investigated using 1-ethyl-3-[(3-dimethylamino)propyl] carbodiimide (EDC), a chemical modifier of carboxylic amino acid residues. Modification of the COOH groups inhibits the light-induced oxidation of exogenous Mn(II) cations by Mn-depleted photosystem II (PSII[-Mn]) membranes. The rate of Mn(II) oxidation saturates at > or = 10 microM in PSII(-Mn) membranes and > or = 500 microM in EDC-treated PSII (-Mn) samples. Intact PSII(-Mn) membranes have only one site for Mn(II) oxidation via YZ (dissociation constant, Kd = 0.64 microM), while EDC-treated PSII(-Mn) samples have two sites (Kd = 1.52 and 22 microM; the latter is the low-affinity site). When PSII(-Mn) membranes were incubated with Fe(II) before modifier treatment (to block the high-affinity site) and the blocking iron cations were extracted with citrate (pH 3.0) after modification, the membranes contained only one site (Kd = 2.3 microM) for exogenous Mn(II) oxidation by Y(Z)() radical. In this case, the rate of electron donation via YZ saturated at a Mn(II) concentration > or = 15 microM. These results indicate that the carboxylic residue participating in Mn(II) coordination and the binding of oxidized manganese cations at the HAZ site is protected from the action of the modifier by the iron cations blocking the HAZ site. We concluded that the carboxylic residue (D1 Asp-170) participating in the coordination of the manganese cation at the HAZ site (Mn4 in the tetranuclear manganese cluster [Science 303 (2004) 1831]) is also involved in the ligation of the Fe cation(s) blocking the high-affinity Mn-binding site.

Iron-blocking the high-affinity Mn-binding site in photosystem II facilitates identification of the type of hydrogen bond participating in proton-coupled electron transport via YZ.

Incubation of Mn-depleted PSII membranes [PSII(-Mn)] with Fe(II) is accompanied by the blocking of Y(Z)(*) at the high-affinity Mn-binding site to exogenous electron donors [Semin et al. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 5854-5864] and a shift of the pK(app) of the hydrogen bond partner for Y(Z) (base B) from 7.1 to 6.1 [Semin, B. K., and Seibert, M. (2004) Biochemistry 43, 6772-6782]. Here we calculate activation energies (E(a)) for Y(Z)(*) reduction in PSII(-Mn) and Fe-blocked PSII(-Mn) samples [PSII(-Mn, +Fe)] from temperature dependencies of the rate constants of the fast and slow components of the flash-probe fluorescence decay kinetics. At pH < pK(app) (e.g., 5.5), the decays are fit with one (fast) component in both types of samples, and E(a) is equal to 42.2 +/- 2.9 kJ/mol in PSII(-Mn) and 46.4 +/- 3.3 kJ/mol in PSII(-Mn, +Fe) membranes. At pH > pK(app), the decay kinetics exhibit an additional slow component in PSII(-Mn, +Fe) membranes (E(a) = 36.1 +/- 7.5 kJ/mol), which is much lower than the E(a) of the corresponding component observed for Y(Z)(*) reduction in PSII(-Mn) samples (48.1 +/- 1.7 kJ/mol). We suggest that the above difference results from the formation of a strong low barrier hydrogen bond (LBHB) between Y(Z) and base B in PSII(-Mn, +Fe) samples. To confirm this, Fe-blocking was performed in D(2)O to insert D(+), which has an energetic barrier distinct from H(+), into the LBHB. Measurement of the pH effects on the rates of Y(Z)(*) reduction in PSII(-Mn, +Fe) samples blocked in D(2)O shows a shift of the pK(app) from 6.1 to 7.6, and an increase in the E(a) of the slow component. This approach was also used to measure the stability of the Y(Z)(*) EPR signal at various temperatures in both kinds of membranes. In PSII(-Mn) membranes, the freeze-trapped Y(Z)(*) radical is stable below 190 K, but half of the Y(Z)(*) EPR signal disappears after a 1-min incubation when the sample is warmed to 253 K. In PSII(-Mn, +Fe) samples, the trapped Y(Z)(*) radical is unstable at a much lower temperature (77 K). However, the insertion of D(+) into the hydrogen bond between Y(Z) and base B during the blocking process increases the temperature stability of the Y(Z)(*) EPR signal at 77 K. Again, these results indicate that Fe-blocking involves Y(Z) in the formation of a LBHB, which in turn is consistent with the suggested existence of a LBHB between Y(Z) and base B in intact PSII membranes [Zhang, C., and Styring, S. (2003) Biochemistry 42, 8066-8076].

Iron bound to the high-affinity Mn-binding site of the oxygen-evolving complex shifts the pK of a component controlling electron transport via Y(Z).

Flash-probe fluorescence spectroscopy was used to compare the pH dependence of charge recombination between Y(Z)(*) and Q(a)(-) in Mn-depleted, photosystem II membranes [PSII(-Mn)] and in membranes with the high-affinity (HA(Z)) Mn-binding site blocked by iron [PSII(-Mn,+Fe); Semin, B. K., Ghirardi, M. L., and Seibert, M. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 5854-5864]. The apparent half-time for fluorescence decay (t(1/2)) in PSII(-Mn) increased from 9 ms at pH 4.4 to 75 ms at pH 9.0 [with an apparent pK (pK(app)) of 7.1]. The actual fluorescence decay kinetics can be fit to one exponential component at pH <6.0 (t(1/2) = 9.5 ms), but it requires an additional component at pH >6.0 (t(1/2) = 385 ms). Similar measurements with PSII(-Mn,+Fe) membranes show that iron binding has little effect on the maximum and minimum t(1/2) values measured at alkaline and acidic pHs but that it does shift the pK(app) from 7.1 to 6.1 toward the more acidic pK(app) value typical of intact membranes. Light-induced Fe(II) blocking of the PSII(-Mn) membrane is accompanied by a decrease in buffer Fe(II) concentration. This decrease was not the result of Fe(II) binding, but rather of its oxidation at two sites, the HA(Z) site and the low-affinity site. Mössbauer spectroscopy at 80 K on PSII(-Mn,+Fe) samples, prepared under conditions providing the maximal blocking effect but minimizing the amount of nonspecifically bound iron cations, supports this conclusion since this method detected only Fe(III) cations bound to the membranes. Correlation of the kinetics of Fe(II) oxidation with the blocking parameters showed that blocking occurs after four to five Fe(II) cations were oxidized at the HA(Z) site. In summary, the blocking of the HA(Z) Mn-binding site by iron in PSII(-Mn) membranes not only prevents the access of exogenous donors to Y(Z) but also partially restores the properties of the hydrogen bond net found in intact PS(II), which in turn controls the rate of electron transport to Y(Z).

Accumulation of ferrous iron in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Influence of CO2 and anaerobic induction of the reversible hydrogenase.

The green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, can photoproduce molecular H(2) via ferredoxin and the reversible [Fe]hydrogenase enzyme under anaerobic conditions. Recently, a novel approach for sustained H(2) gas photoproduction was discovered in cell cultures subjected to S-deprived conditions (A. Melis, L. Zhang, M. Forestier, M.L. Ghirardi, M. Seibert [2000] Plant Physiol 122: 127-135). The close relationship between S and Fe in the H(2)-production process is of interest because Fe-S clusters are constituents of both ferredoxin and hydrogenase. In this study, we used Mössbauer spectroscopy to examine both the uptake of Fe by the alga at different CO(2) concentrations during growth and the influence of anaerobiosis on the accumulation of Fe. Algal cells grown in media with (57)Fe(III) at elevated (3%, v/v) CO(2) concentration exhibit elevated levels of Fe and have two comparable pools of the ion: (a) Fe(III) with Mössbauer parameters of quadrupole splitting = 0.65 mm s(-1) and isomeric shift = 0.46 mm s(-1) and (b) Fe(II) with quadrupole splitting = 3.1 mm s(-1) and isomeric shift = 1.36 mm s(-1). Disruption of the cells and use of the specific Fe chelator, bathophenanthroline, have demonstrated that the Fe(II) pool is located inside the cell. The amount of Fe(III) in the cells increases with the age of the algal culture, whereas the amount of Fe(II) remains constant on a chlorophyll basis. Growing the algae under atmospheric CO(2) (limiting) conditions, compared with 3% (v/v) CO(2), resulted in a decrease in the intracellular Fe(II) content by a factor of 3. Incubating C. reinhardtii cells, grown at atmospheric CO(2) for 3 h in the dark under anaerobic conditions, not only induced hydrogenase activity but also increased the Fe(II) content in the cells up to the saturation level observed in cells grown aerobically at high CO(2). This result is novel and suggests a correlation between the amount of Fe(II) cations stored in the cells, the CO(2) concentration, and anaerobiosis. A comparison of Fe-uptake results with a cyanobacterium, yeast, and algae suggests that the intracellular Fe(II) pool in C. reinhardtii may reside in the cell vacuole.

Blocking of electron donation by Mn(II) to Y(Z*) following incubation of Mn-depleted photosystem II membranes with Fe(II) in the light.

The donation of electrons by Mn(II) and Fe(II) to Y(Z*) through the high-affinity (HA(Z)) site in Mn-depleted photosystem II (PSII) membranes has been studied by flash-probe fluorescence yield measurements. Mn(II) and Fe(II) donate electrons to Y(Z*) with about the same efficiency, saturating this reaction at the same concentration (ca. 5 microM). However, following a short incubation of the membranes with 5 microM Fe(II), but not with Mn(II) in room light, added Mn(II) or Fe(II) can no longer be photooxidized by Y(Z)(*). This blocking effect is caused by specifically bound, photooxidized Fe [> or =Fe(III)] and is accompanied by a delay in the fluorescence yield decay kinetics attributed to the slowing down of the charge recombination rate between Q(a-) and Y(Z*). Exogenously added Fe(III), on the other hand, does not donate electrons to Y(Z*), does not block the donation of electrons by added Mn(II) and Fe(II), and does not change the kinetics of the decay of the fluorescence yield. These results demonstrate that the light-dependent oxidation of Fe(II) by Y(Z*) creates an Fe species that binds at the HA(Z) site and causes the blocking effect. The pH dependence of Mn(II) electron donation to Y(Z*) via the HA(Z) site and of the Fe-blocking effect is different. These results, together with sequence homologies between the C-terminal ends of the D1 and D2 polypeptides of the PSII reaction center and several diiron-oxo enzymes, suggest the involvement of two or perhaps more (to an upper limit of four to five) bound iron cations per reaction center of PSII in the blocking effect. Similarities in the interaction of Fe(II) and Mn(II) with the HA(Z) Mn site of PSII during the initial steps of the photoactivation process are discussed. The Fe-blocking effect was also used to investigate the relationship between the HA(Z) Mn site and the HA sites on PSII for diphenylcarbazide (DPC) and NH2OH oxidation. Blocking of the HA(Z) site with specifically bound Fe leads to the total inhibition of electron donation to Y(Z*) by DPC. Since DPC and Mn(II) donation to PSII is noncompetitive [Preston, C., and Seibert, M. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 9615-9624], the Fe bound to the HA(Z) site can also block the DPC donation site. On the other hand, electron donation by NH2OH to PSII still occurs in Fe-blocked membranes. Since hydroxylamine does not reduce the Fe [> or =Fe(III)] specifically bound to the HA(Z) site, NH2OH must donate to Y(Z*) through its own site or directly to P680+.