Primary Citation of Related Structures:   7FIX
PubMed Abstract: 
Photosystem I (PSI) is a light driven electron pump transferring electrons from Cytochrome c 6 (Cyt c 6 ) to Ferredoxin (Fd). An understanding of this electron transfer process is hampered by a paucity of structural detail concerning PSI:Fd interface and the possible binding sites of Cyt c 6 . Here we describe the high resolution cryo-EM structure of Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1 PSI in complex with Fd and a loosely bound Cyt c 6 . Side chain interactions at the PSI:Fd interface including bridging water molecules are visualized in detail. The structure explains the properties of mutants of PsaE and PsaC that affect kinetics of Fd binding and suggests a molecular switch for the dissociation of Fd upon reduction. Calorimetry-based thermodynamic analyses confirms a single binding site for Fd and demonstrates that PSI:Fd complexation is purely driven by entropy. A possible reaction cycle for the efficient transfer of electrons from Cyt c 6 to Fd via PSI is proposed.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Laboratory for Protein Crystallography, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan.
Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan.
Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
JEOL Ltd., Akishima, Tokyo, Japan.
Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chungbuk, 28119, South Korea.
Plant Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
Bio-Analytical Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, South Korea.
Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, South Korea.
RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research and SPring-8 Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
JEOL YOKOGUCHI Research Alliance Laboratories, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Laboratory for Protein Crystallography, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. christoph.gerle@riken.jp.
RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Kouto, Sayo-gun, Hyogo, 679-5198, Japan. christoph.gerle@riken.jp.
Laboratory for Protein Crystallography, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. gkurisu@protein.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan. gkurisu@protein.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan. gkurisu@protein.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. gkurisu@protein.osaka-u.ac.jp.