Photosystem II (PSII) catalyzes the light-driven charge separation and water oxidation reactions of photosynthesis. Eukaryotic PSII core is usually associated with membrane-embedded light-harvesting antennae, which greatly increase the absorbance cross-section of the core. The peripheral antennae in different phototrophs vary considerably in protein composition and arrangement. Photosynthetic cryptophytes possess chlorophyll a/c binding proteins (CACs) that serve as their antennae. How these CACs assemble with the PSII core remains unclear. Here, we report the 2.57-Å resolution structure of cryptophyte PSII-CAC purified from cells at nitrogen-limited stationary growth phase. We show that each monomer of the PSII homodimer contains a core complex, six chlorophyll a/c binding proteins (CACs) and a previously unseen chlorophyll-binding protein (termed CAL-II). Six CACs are arranged as a double-layered arc-shaped non-parallel belt, and two such belts attach to the dimeric core from opposite sides. The CAL-II simultaneously interacts with a number of core subunits and five CACs. The distinct organization of CACs and the presence of CAL-II may play a critical role in stabilizing the dimeric PSII-CAC complex under stress conditions. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the assembly and function of the PSII-CAC complex as well as the possible adaptation of cryptophytes in response to environmental stresses.
Organizational Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
FH [auth 2] HJ [auth 5] ML [auth O] ON [auth R] PI [auth 4]
FH [auth 2], HJ [auth 5], ML [auth O], ON [auth R], PI [auth 4], VK [auth 1], WM [auth Q], ZO [auth N]
(1~{R})-3,5,5-trimethyl-4-[(3~{E},5~{E},7~{E},9~{E},11~{E},13~{E},15~{E},17~{E})-3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-18-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)octadeca-3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-octaen-1-ynyl]cyclohex-3-en-1-ol C40 H54 O UNJKJDIRJWIHLL-BQLQDKTLSA-N
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