Characterization of the Structure and Function of the Photosynthetic RC-LH1 Core Supercomplex From Rhodospirillum rubrum.
Christianson, B., Liu, Z., Zhang, Y., Wang, C., Gardner, A.M., Zhang, Y.Z., Wang, P., Liu, L.N.(2025) Physiol Plant 177: e70275-e70275
- PubMed: 40384483 Search on PubMedSearch on PubMed Central
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.70275
- Primary Citation Related Structures: 
9K3Q - PubMed Abstract: 
Photosynthetic reaction center-light harvesting 1 (RC-LH1) core supercomplexes are essential for energy capture and electron transport in purple bacteria. Rhodospirillum rubrum, a model organism for bacterial photosynthesis, features an RC-LH1 architecture with a closed LH1 ring and lacks the peripheral LH2 antenna in the photosynthetic membranes. How this unique RC-LH1 supercomplex performs energy transfer and quinone transport remains unclear. Here, we characterized both the structural and functional properties of Rsp. rubrum RC-LH1 supercomplex using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy, and cytochrome c 2 oxidation assays. Cryo-EM of the RC-LH1 monomeric structure revealed a closed LH1 ring of 16 αβ-polypeptides encircling the RC, with weaker RC-LH1 interactions than other RC-LH1 structures reported. TA spectra and cytochrome c 2 oxidation assays showed that Rsp. rubrum RC-LH1 monomer with a closed LH1 ring exhibits slower and more distributed excitation energy transfer (EET) kinetics from LH1 to RC and slower electron transport rates than Rba. sphaeroides RC-LH1 monomer with a large opening in the LH1 ring. Our findings provide insight into the unique architecture and spectroscopic properties of Rsp. rubrum RC-LH1 supercomplex. This study enhances our understanding of bacterial photosynthetic mechanisms and lays the foundation for bioengineering applications in artificial photosynthetic systems.
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
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