PsbP and PsbQ proteins are extrinsic subunits of photosystem II (PSII) and optimize the oxygen evolution reaction by regulating the binding properties of the essential cofactors Ca(2+) and Cl(-). PsbP induces conformational changes around the catalytic Mn cluster required for Ca(2+) and Cl(-) retention, and the N-terminal region of PsbP is essential for this reaction. It was reported that PsbQ partially restores the functional defect of N-terminal truncated PsbP [Ifuku and Sato (2002) Plant Cell Physiol. 43, 1244-1249]; however, the mechanism of this restoration is yet to be clarified. In this study, we demonstrate that PsbQ is able to restore the functional binding of mutated PsbPs. In the presence of PsbQ, ∆15-PsbP, a truncated PsbP lacking 15 N-terminal residues, was able to specifically bind to NaCl-washed spinach PSII membranes and significantly restore the oxygen evolving activity. Furthermore, PsbQ was also able to compensate for the impaired ion-retention of H144A-PsbP, in which a conserved histidine at position 144 in the C-terminal domain was substituted with an alanine. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) difference spectroscopy showed that PsbQ restored the ability of ∆15- and H144A-PsbP to induce proper conformational changes during S(1) to S(2) transition. These data suggest that the major function of PsbQ is to stabilize PsbP binding, thereby contributing to the maintenance of the catalytic Mn cluster of the water oxidation machinery in higher plant PSII. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Photosynthesis Research for Sustainability: from Natural to Artificial.

Background:PsbP is an extrinsic subunit of photosystem II in green plants. Results: H144A mutation in PsbP alters the chloride requirement and affects the interaction between its N terminus and the PsbE component of photosystem II. Conclusion:The N-and C-terminal domains of PsbP cooperate to support PSII activity. Significance: This provides important information about the binding characteristics of PsbP in green plant PSII.The PsbP protein regulates the binding properties of Ca 2؉ and Cl ؊ , and stabilizes the Mn cluster of photosystem II (PSII); however, the binding site and topology in PSII have yet to be clarified. Here we report that the structure around His-144 and Asp-165 in PsbP, which is suggested to be a metal binding site, has a crucial role for the functional interaction between PsbP and PSII. The mutated PsbP-H144A protein exhibits reduced ability to retain Cl ؊ anions in PSII, whereas the D165V mutation does not affect PsbP function. Interestingly, H144A/D165V double mutation suppresses the effect of H144A mutation, suggesting that these residues have a role other than metal binding. FTIR difference spectroscopy suggests that H144A/D165V restores proper interaction with PSII and induces the conformational change around the Mn cluster during the S 1 /S 2 transition. Cross-linking experiments show that the H144A mutation affects the direct interaction between PsbP and the Cyt b 559 ␣ subunit of PSII (the PsbE protein). However, this interaction is restored in the H144A/D165V mutant. In the PsbP structure, His-144 and Asp-165 form a salt bridge. H144A mutation is likely to disrupt this bridge and liberate Asp-165, inhibiting the proper PsbP-PSII interaction. Finally, mass spectrometric analysis has identified the cross-linked sites of PsbP and PsbE as Ala-1 and Glu-57, respectively. Therefore His-144, in the C-terminal domain of PsbP, plays a crucial role in maintaining proper N terminus interaction. These data provide important information about the binding characteristics of PsbP in green plant PSII.Photosystem II (PSII) 2 consists of both membrane-intrinsic and membrane-extrinsic subunits, and functions as a water/ plastoquinone oxidoreductase (for reviews, Refs. 1-4). On the thylakoid lumenal side of PSII, a metal cluster of four Mn ions, one Ca 2ϩ ion, and five oxo ligands (the Mn cluster) catalyzes the oxygen-evolving reaction. Additionally, two Cl Ϫ ions are bound near to the Mn cluster (5). The membrane-intrinsic subunits of PSII are involved in pigment and/or cofactor binding for photochemical reactions, while the membrane-extrinsic subunits surround the catalytic Mn cluster and play crucial roles in stabilizing the Mn cluster and retaining the PSII cofactor ions (6 -8).X-ray structural analysis of the cyanobacterial PSII complex at atomic resolution has revealed the location of subunits, pigments, and cofactors, including the exact organization of the subunits within PSII (5, 9 -11). However, the crystallographic information gained from the study of cyanobacterial PSII cannot necessarily be...

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