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Title: Optimization of ATP Synthase c–Rings for Oxygenic Photosynthesis

Abstract

The conversion of sunlight into useable cellular energy occurs via the proton–coupled electron transfer reactions of photosynthesis. Light is absorbed by photosynthetic pigments and transferred to photochemical reaction centers to initiate electron and proton transfer reactions to store energy in a redox gradient and an electrochemical proton gradient (proton motive force, pmf), composed of a concentration gradient (DpH) and an electric field (Dy), which drives the synthesis of ATP through the thylakoid FoF1- ATP synthase. Although ATP synthase structure and function are conserved across biological kingdoms, the number of membrane–embedded ion–binding c subunits varies between organisms, ranging from 8 to 17, theoretically altering the H+/ATP ratio for different ATP synthase complexes, with profound implications for the bioenergetic processes of cellular metabolism. Of the known c–ring stoichiometries, photosynthetic c–rings are among the largest identified stoichiometries, and it has been proposed that decreasing the c-stoichiometry could increase the energy conversion efficiency of photosynthesis. Indeed, there is strong evidence that the high H+/ATP of the chloroplast ATP synthase results in a low ATP/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) ratio produced by photosynthetic linear electron flow, requiring secondary processes such as cyclic electron flow to support downstream metabolism. We hypothesize that the larger c subunitmore » stoichiometry observed in photosynthetic ATP synthases was selected for because it allows the thylakoid to maintain pmf in a range where ATP synthesis is supported, but avoids excess Dy and DpH, both of which can lead to production of reactive oxygen species and subsequent photodamage. Numerical kinetic simulations of the energetics of chloroplast photosynthetic reactions with altered c– ring size predicts the energy storage of pmf and its effects on the photochemical reaction centers strongly support this hypothesis, suggesting that, despite the low efficiency and suboptimal ATP/NADPH ratio, a high H+/ATP is favored to avoid photodamage. This has important implications for the evolution and regulation of photosynthesis as well as for synthetic biology efforts to alter photosynthetic efficiency by engineering the ATP synthase.« less

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1596179
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1734844
Grant/Contract Number:  
FG02-91ER20021
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
Frontiers in Plant Science
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Frontiers in Plant Science Journal Volume: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 1664-462X
Publisher:
Frontiers Research Foundation
Country of Publication:
Switzerland
Language:
English
Subject:
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; photosynthesis; adenosine triphosphate synthase; proton motive force; singlet oxygen; electron transfer; bioenergetics

Citation Formats

Davis, Geoffry A., and Kramer, David M. Optimization of ATP Synthase c–Rings for Oxygenic Photosynthesis. Switzerland: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.3389/fpls.2019.01778.
Davis, Geoffry A., & Kramer, David M. Optimization of ATP Synthase c–Rings for Oxygenic Photosynthesis. Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01778
Davis, Geoffry A., and Kramer, David M. Thu . "Optimization of ATP Synthase c–Rings for Oxygenic Photosynthesis". Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01778.
@article{osti_1596179,
title = {Optimization of ATP Synthase c–Rings for Oxygenic Photosynthesis},
author = {Davis, Geoffry A. and Kramer, David M.},
abstractNote = {The conversion of sunlight into useable cellular energy occurs via the proton–coupled electron transfer reactions of photosynthesis. Light is absorbed by photosynthetic pigments and transferred to photochemical reaction centers to initiate electron and proton transfer reactions to store energy in a redox gradient and an electrochemical proton gradient (proton motive force, pmf), composed of a concentration gradient (DpH) and an electric field (Dy), which drives the synthesis of ATP through the thylakoid FoF1- ATP synthase. Although ATP synthase structure and function are conserved across biological kingdoms, the number of membrane–embedded ion–binding c subunits varies between organisms, ranging from 8 to 17, theoretically altering the H+/ATP ratio for different ATP synthase complexes, with profound implications for the bioenergetic processes of cellular metabolism. Of the known c–ring stoichiometries, photosynthetic c–rings are among the largest identified stoichiometries, and it has been proposed that decreasing the c-stoichiometry could increase the energy conversion efficiency of photosynthesis. Indeed, there is strong evidence that the high H+/ATP of the chloroplast ATP synthase results in a low ATP/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) ratio produced by photosynthetic linear electron flow, requiring secondary processes such as cyclic electron flow to support downstream metabolism. We hypothesize that the larger c subunit stoichiometry observed in photosynthetic ATP synthases was selected for because it allows the thylakoid to maintain pmf in a range where ATP synthesis is supported, but avoids excess Dy and DpH, both of which can lead to production of reactive oxygen species and subsequent photodamage. Numerical kinetic simulations of the energetics of chloroplast photosynthetic reactions with altered c– ring size predicts the energy storage of pmf and its effects on the photochemical reaction centers strongly support this hypothesis, suggesting that, despite the low efficiency and suboptimal ATP/NADPH ratio, a high H+/ATP is favored to avoid photodamage. This has important implications for the evolution and regulation of photosynthesis as well as for synthetic biology efforts to alter photosynthetic efficiency by engineering the ATP synthase.},
doi = {10.3389/fpls.2019.01778},
journal = {Frontiers in Plant Science},
number = ,
volume = 10,
place = {Switzerland},
year = {Thu Jan 30 00:00:00 EST 2020},
month = {Thu Jan 30 00:00:00 EST 2020}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
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https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01778

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