ABSTRACT
In this Review we give an overview of the structure and function of the membrane-bound photosynthetic antenna reaction centre complexes present in oxyphotobacteria. We summarise how variations in the organisation of these complexes have enabled oxyphotobacteria to exploit different ecological niches and discuss the evolutionary relationships of the IsiA/Pcb family of pigment-binding proteins.
Subject(s)
Gram-Negative Oxygenic Photosynthetic Bacteria/chemistry , Gram-Negative Oxygenic Photosynthetic Bacteria/metabolism , Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes/metabolism , Photosynthesis , Evolution, Molecular , Gram-Negative Oxygenic Photosynthetic Bacteria/drug effects , Gram-Negative Oxygenic Photosynthetic Bacteria/genetics , Iron/pharmacology , Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes/chemistry , Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes/genetics , Photosynthesis/drug effectsABSTRACT
Progress has recently been made in the understanding of the function of the cytochrome bc1 complex and related proteins in the context of recent structural information. The structures support many features that were predicted from sequence analysis and biophysical studies, but contain some surprises. Most dramatically, it is apparent that the iron-sulfur protein can take up different positions in different crystals, suggesting a novel mechanism for electron transfer through domain movement. Evidence from studies of mutant strains, in which the function of the sites or the binding of inhibitors is perturbed, has provided clues about the mechanism.
