Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP  

Photosynthesis converts light energy into biologically useful chemical energy vital to life on Earth. The initial reaction of photosynthesis takes place in photosystem II (PSII), a 700-kilodalton homodimeric membrane protein complex that catalyses photo-oxidation of water into dioxygen through an S-state cycle of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC). The structure of PSII has been solved by X-ray diffraction (XRD) at 1.9 angstrom resolution, which revealed that the OEC is a Mn4CaO5-cluster coordinated by a well defined protein environment(1). However, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) studies showed that the manganese cations in the OEC are easily reduced by X-ray irradiation(2), and slight differences were found in the Mn-Mn distances determined by XRD1, EXAFS(3-7) and theoretical studies(8-14). Here we report a 'radiation-damage-free' structure of PSII from Thermosynechococcus vulcanus in the S-1 state at a resolution of 1.95 angstroms using femtosecond X-ray pulses of the SPring-8 angstrom compact free-electron laser (SACLA) and hundreds of large, highly isomorphous PSII crystals. Compared with the structure from XRD, the OEC in the X-ray free electron laser structure has Mn-Mn distances that are shorter by 0.1-0.2 angstroms. The valences of each manganese atom were tentatively assigned as Mn1D(III), Mn2C(IV), Mn3B(IV) and Mn4A(III), based on the average Mn-ligand distances and analysis of the Jahn-Teller axis on Mn(III). One of the oxo-bridged oxygens, O5, has significantly longer distances to Mn than do the other oxo-oxygen atoms, suggesting that O5 is a hydroxide ion instead of a normal oxygen dianion and therefore may serve as one of the substrate oxygen atoms. These findings provide a structural basis for the mechanism of oxygen evolution, and we expect that this structure will provide a blueprint for the design of artificial catalysts for water oxidation.

DOI： 10.1038/nature13991

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Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：American Chemical Society (ACS)  

DOI： 10.1021/acsaelm.4c02031

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Authorship：Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Three psbA genes (psbA1, psbA2, and psbA3) encoding the D1 subunit of photosystem II (PSII) are present in the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus and are expressed differently in response to changes in the growth environment. To clarify the functional differences of the D1 protein expressed from these psbA genes, PSII dimers from two strains, each expressing only one psbA gene (psbA2 or psbA3), were crystallized, and we analyzed their structures at resolutions comparable to previously studied PsbA1-PSII. Our results showed that the hydrogen bond between pheophytin/D1 (PheoD1) and D1-130 became stronger in PsbA2- and PsbA3-PSII due to change of Gln to Glu, which partially explains the increase in the redox potential of PheoD1 observed in PsbA3. In PsbA2, one hydrogen bond was lost in PheoD1 due to the change of D1-Y147F, which may explain the decrease in stability of PheoD1 in PsbA2. Two water molecules in the Cl-1 channel were lost in PsbA2 due to the change of D1-P173M, leading to the narrowing of the channel, which may explain the lower efficiency of the S-state transition beyond S2 in PsbA2-PSII. In PsbA3-PSII, a hydrogen bond between D1-Ser270 and a sulfoquinovosyl-diacylglycerol molecule near QB disappeared due to the change of D1-Ser270 in PsbA1 and PsbA2 to D1-Ala270. This may result in an easier exchange of bound QB with free plastoquinone, hence an enhancement of oxygen evolution in PsbA3-PSII due to its high QB exchange efficiency. These results provide a structural basis for further functional examination of the three PsbA variants.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102668

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Language：English   Publisher：ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA  

The aim of this review is to elucidate geometric structures of the catalytic CaMn4Ox (x = 5, 6) cluster in the Kok cycle for water oxidation in the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII) based on the high-resolution (HR) X-ray diffraction (XRD) and serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) experiments using the X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL). Quantum mechanics (QM) and QM/molecular mechanics (MM) computations are performed to elucidate the electronic and spin structures of the CaMn4Ox (x = 5, 6) cluster in five states S-i (i = 0 similar to 4) on the basis of the X-ray spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and related experiments. Interplay between the experiments and theoretical computations has been effective to elucidate the coordination structures of the CaMn4Ox (x = 5, 6) cluster ligated by amino acid residues of the protein matrix of PSII, valence states of the four Mn ions and total spin states by their exchange-couplings, and proton-shifted isomers of the CaMn4Ox (x = 5, 6) cluster. The HR XRD and SFX XFEL experiments have also elucidated the biomolecular systems structure of OEC of PSII and the hydrogen bonding networks consisting of water molecules, chloride anions, etc., for water inlet and proton release pathways in PSII. Large-scale QM/MM computations have been performed for elucidation of the hydrogen bonding distances and angles by adding invisible hydrogen atoms to the HR XRD structure. Full geometry optimizations by the QM and QM/MM methods have been effective for elucidation of the molecular systems structure around the CaMn4Ox (x = 5, 6) cluster in OEC. DLPNO-CCSD(T-0) method has been applied to elucidate relative energies of possible intermediates in each state of the Kok cycle for water oxidation. Implications of these results are discussed in relation to the blueprint for developments of artificial catalysts for water oxidation. (C) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/j.ccr.2022.214742

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Authorship：Last author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Silicon is a beneficial element for plant growth and production, especially in rice. Plant roots take up silicon in the form of silicic acid. Silicic acid channels, which belong to the NIP subfamily of aquaporins, are responsible for silicic acid uptake. Accumulated experimental results have deepened our understanding of the silicic acid channel for its uptake mechanism, physiological function, localization, and other aspects. However, how the silicic acid channel efficiently and selectively permeates silicic acid remains to be elucidated. Recently reported crystal structures of the silicic acid channel enabled us to discuss the mechanism of silicic acid uptake by plant roots at an atomic level. In this mini-review, we focus on the crystal structures of the silicic acid channel and provide a detailed description of the structural determinants of silicic acid permeation and its transport mechanism, which are crucial for the rational creation of secure and sustainable crops.

DOI： 10.3389/fpls.2022.982068

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Authorship：Last author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Photosystem II (PSII) catalyzes light-induced water oxidation through an S i -state cycle, leading to the generation of di-oxygen, protons and electrons. Pump-probe time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (TR-SFX) has been used to capture structural dynamics of light-sensitive proteins. In this approach, it is crucial to avoid light contamination in the samples when analyzing a particular reaction intermediate. Here, a method for determining a condition that avoids light contamination of the PSII microcrystals while minimizing sample consumption in TR-SFX is described. By swapping the pump and probe pulses with a very short delay between them, the structural changes that occur during the S1-to-S2 transition were examined and a boundary of the excitation region was accurately determined. With the sample flow rate and concomitant illumination conditions determined, the S2-state structure of PSII could be analyzed at room temperature, revealing the structural changes that occur during the S1-to-S2 transition at ambient temperature. Though the structure of the manganese cluster was similar to previous studies, the behaviors of the water molecules in the two channels (O1 and O4 channels) were found to be different. By comparing with the previous studies performed at low temperature or with a different delay time, the possible channels for water inlet and structural changes important for the water-splitting reaction were revealed.

DOI： 10.1107/S2052252521002177

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Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Photosystem I (PSI) is one of the two photosystems in photosynthesis, and generates reducing power required for carbon dioxide fixation. PSI exists as a reaction center core in cyanobacteria but is surrounded by light-harvesting antenna complexes (LHCI) to form PSI-LHCI supercomplexes in eukaryotic organisms. The structures of PSI core and PSI-LHCI have been reported from various organisms. We compare these structures and highlight the differences among different organisms. While the PSI core is more conserved, there are differences in its subunit composition and organization. Larger differences are found in the subunit composition, organization, and pigment binding in LHCI. All these changes can be explained in the framework of better adaptation to different light environment that each photosynthetic organism inhabits.

DOI： 10.1016/j.sbi.2020.02.005

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Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

BACKGROUND: The invention of the X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) has provided unprecedented new opportunities for structural biology. The advantage of XFEL is an intense pulse of X-rays and a very short pulse duration (<10 fs) promising a damage-free and time-resolved crystallography approach. SCOPE OF REVIEW: Recent time-resolved crystallographic analyses in XFEL facility SACLA are reviewed. Specifically, metalloproteins involved in the essential reactions of bioenergy conversion including photosystem II, cytochrome c oxidase and nitric oxide reductase are described. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: XFEL with pump-probe techniques successfully visualized the process of the reaction and the dynamics of a protein. Since the active center of metalloproteins is very sensitive to the X-ray radiation, damage-free structures obtained by XFEL are essential to draw mechanistic conclusions. Methods and tools for sample delivery and reaction initiation are key for successful measurement of the time-resolved data. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: XFEL is at the center of approaches to gain insight into complex mechanism of structural dynamics and the reactions catalyzed by biological macromolecules. Further development has been carried out to expand the application of time-resolved X-ray crystallography. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Novel measurement techniques for visualizing 'live' protein molecules.

DOI： 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.129466

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：ELSEVIER  

The fully optimized geometrical structures of the CaMn4Ox (x = 5, 6) clusters in the Si (i = 0-3) states of the Kok cycle of photosynthetic water oxidation by the large-scale quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations were compared to recent experimental results based on serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX). The Mn-Mn and Ca-Mn distances obtained by the QM/MM calculations were found to be totally comparable to the SFX experiments, elucidating the entire Kok cycle involving the S-4 transition state during the O-O bond formation for water oxidation in the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII).

DOI： 10.1016/j.cplett.2019.06.026

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DOI： 10.1038/s41477-019-0438-4

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE  

DOI： 10.1126/science.aav0365

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：WILEY  

Light-harvesting-1 (LH1)-reaction center (RC) super-complex is a membrane protein-pigment complex existing in purple photosynthetic bacteria, where LH1 absorbs light energy and transfers them rapidly and efficiently to RC to initiate the charge separation and electron transfer reactions. The structure of LH1-RC has been reported at relatively low resolutions from several different species of bacteria previously, but was solved at an atomic resolution recently from a thermophilic photosynthetic bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. This high-resolution structure revealed the detailed organization of the super-complex including a number of unique features that are important for its functioning, such as a more intact RC structure, transporting routes for quinones to replace the bound Q(B) as well as for the in-and-out of the closed LH1 ring, detailed coordinating environment of the Ca2+ ions in LH1 important for the remarkable red shift of the absorption spectrum, as well as for the enhanced thermostability. These results thus greatly advance our understanding on the mechanisms of energy transfer, quinone exchange, the red shift in the LH1-Qy transition and the enhanced thermal stability, in this super-complex.

DOI： 10.1111/febs.14679

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Sulfoquinovosyl-diacylglycerol (SQDG) is one of the four lipids present in the thylakoid membranes. Depletion of SQDG causes different degrees of effects on photosynthetic growth and activities in different organisms. Four SQDG molecules bind to each monomer of photosystem II (PSII), but their role in PSII function has not been characterized in detail, and no PSII structure without SQDG has been reported. We analyzed the activities of PSII from an SQDG-deficient mutant of the cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus by various spectroscopic methods, which showed that depletion of SQDG partially impaired the PSII activity by impairing secondary quinone (QB) exchange at the acceptor site. We further solved the crystal structure of the PSII dimer from the SQDG deletion mutant at 2.1 Å resolution and found that all of the four SQDG-binding sites were occupied by other lipids, most likely PG molecules. Replacement of SQDG at a site near the head of QB provides a possible explanation for the QB impairment. The replacement of two SQDGs located at the monomer-monomer interface by other lipids decreased the stability of the PSII dimer, resulting in an increase in the amount of PSII monomer in the mutant. The present results thus suggest that although SQDG binding in all of the PSII-binding sites is necessary to fully maintain the activity and stability of PSII, replacement of SQDG by other lipids can partially compensate for their functions.

DOI： 10.1074/jbc.RA118.004304

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：American Chemical Society  

Photosynthetic water oxidation is performed in photosystem II (PSII) through a light-driven cycle of intermediates called S states (S0-S4) at the water oxidizing center. Time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) has recently been applied to the microcrystals of PSII to obtain the structural information on these intermediates. However, it remains unanswered whether the reactions efficiently proceed throughout the S-state cycle retaining the native structures of the intermediates in PSII crystals. We investigated the water oxidation reactions in the PSII microcrystals using flash-induced Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) difference spectroscopy. In comparison with the FTIR spectra in solution, it was shown that all of the metastable intermediates in the microcrystals retained their native structures, and the efficiencies of the S-state transitions remained relatively high, although those of the S2 → S3 and S3 → S0 transitions were slightly lowered possibly due to some restriction of water movement in the crystals.

DOI： 10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b00638

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Nature Publishing Group  

Light-harvesting complex 1 (LH1) and the reaction centre (RC) form a membrane-protein supercomplex that performs the primary reactions of photosynthesis in purple photosynthetic bacteria. The structure of the LH1-RC complex can provide information on the arrangement of protein subunits and cofactors
however, so far it has been resolved only at a relatively low resolution. Here we report the crystal structure of the calcium-ion-bound LH1-RC supercomplex of Thermochromatium tepidum at a resolution of 1.9 Å. This atomic-resolution structure revealed several new features about the organization of protein subunits and cofactors. We describe the loop regions of RC in their intact states, the interaction of these loop regions with the LH1 subunits, the exchange route for the bound quinone QB with free quinone molecules, the transport of free quinones between the inside and outside of the LH1 ring structure, and the detailed calcium-ion-binding environment. This structure provides a solid basis for the detailed examination of the light reactions that occur during bacterial photosynthesis.

DOI： 10.1038/s41586-018-0002-9

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY  

Large-scale QM/MM calculations were performed to elucidate an optimized geometrical structure of a CaMn4O5 cluster with and without water insertion in the S-3 state of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII). The left (L)-opened structure was found to be stable under the assumption of no hydroxide anion insertion in the S-3 state, whereas the right (R)-opened structure became more stable if one water molecule is inserted to the Mn4Ca cluster. The optimized Mn-a(4)-Mn-d(1) distance determined by QM/MM was about 5.0 angstrom for the S-3 structure without an inserted hydroxide anion, but this is elongated by 0.2-0.3 angstrom after insertion. These computational results are discussed in relation to the possible mechanisms of O-O bond formation in water oxidation by the OEC of PSII.

DOI： 10.1039/c6fd00230g

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：AMER SOC BIOCHEMISTRY MOLECULAR BIOLOGY INC  

Photosystem II catalyzes light-induced water oxidation leading to the generation of dioxygen indispensable for sustaining aerobic life on Earth. The Photosystem II reaction center is composed of D1 and D2 proteins encoded by psbA and psbD genes, respectively. In cyanobacteria, different psbA genes are present in the genome. The thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus contains three psbA genes: psbA1, psbA2, and psbA3, and a new c-type heme protein, Tll0287, was found to be expressed in a strain expressing the psbA2 gene only, but the structure and function of Tll0287 are unknown. Here we solved the crystal structure of Tll0287 at a 2.0 angstrom resolution. The overall structure of Tll0287 was found to be similar to some kinases and sensor proteins with a Per-Arnt-Sim-like domain rather than to other c-type cytochromes. The fifth and sixth axial ligands for the heme were Cys and His, instead of the His/Met or His/His ligand pairs observed for most of the c-type hemes. The redox potential, E-1/2, of Tll0287 was -255 +/- 20 mV versus normal hydrogen electrode at pH values above 7.5. Below this pH value, the E1/2 increased by approximate to 57 mV/pH unit at 15 degrees C, suggesting the involvement of a protonatable group with a pK(red) = 7.2 +/- 0.3. Possible functions of Tll0287 as a redox sensor under microaerobic conditions or a cytochrome subunit of an H2S-oxidizing system are discussed in view of the environmental conditions in which psbA2 is expressed, as well as phylogenetic analysis, structural, and sequence homologies.

DOI： 10.1074/jbc.M116.746263

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Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：CURRENT BIOLOGY LTD  

Photosystem I (PSI) is one of the two photosystems in oxygenic photosynthesis, and absorbs light energy to generate reducing power for the reduction of NADP+ to NADPH with a quantum efficiency close to 100%. The plant PSI core forms a supercomplex with light-harvesting complex I (LHCI) with a total molecular weight of over 600 kDa. Recent X-ray structure analysis of the PSI-LHCI membrane-protein supercomplex has revealed detailed arrangement of the light-harvesting pigments and other cofactors especially within LHCI. Here we introduce the overall structure of the PSI-LHCI supercomplex, and then focus on the excited energy transfer (EET) pathways from LHCI to the PSI core and photoprotection mechanisms based on the structure obtained.

DOI： 10.1016/j.sbi.2016.04.004

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Language：English   Publisher：ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV  

Several key concepts and geometrical rules for the Mn-Mn and Mn-O distances of the CaMn4O5 cluster in the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII) by previous and present theoretical calculations were examined for a clear understanding of the damage-free Si structure revealed by X-ray free electron laser (XFEL). A simple equation to estimate the Mn-a-Mn-b distance in relation to the Mn-a-O(5) distance was derived taking into consideration the Jahn-Teller (JT) effects for Mn centers, indicating that the XFEL structure is regarded as a slightly right-elongated quasi-central structure in contradiction to a right-opened structure proposed by the EXAFS measurements. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/j.cplett.2015.03.033

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV  

The structure of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII) was recently analyzed by crystallography at 1.95 angstrom resolution using X-ray free electron laser (XFEL), but the positions of hydrogen atoms were not determined. We have examined the XFEL structure theoretically under the assumption off our protonation cases. The spin densities obtained by the high-spin UB3LYP revealed that a partial internal reduction of the high-valent Mn ions in the CaMn4O4X(H2O)(3)Y cluster occurs for the O-(5)(=X) = O2- case, entailing its protonation (X = OH-) in the XFEL structure. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/j.cplett.2015.01.030

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Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：WILEY  

PsbV2 is a c-type cytochrome present in a very low abundance in the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus. We purified this cytochrome and solved its crystal structure at a resolution of 1.5 angstrom. The protein existed as a dimer in the crystal, and has an overall structure similar to other c-type cytochromes like Cytc(6) and Cytc(550), for example. However, the 5th and 6th heme iron axial ligands were found to be His51 and Cys101, respectively, in contrast to the more common bis-His or His/Met ligands found in most cytochromes. Although a few other c-type cytochromes were suggested to have this axial coordination, this is the first crystal structure reported for a c-type heme with this unusual His/Cys axial coordination. Previous spectroscopic characterizations of PsbV2 are discussed in relation to its structural properties. (C) 2013 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.08.023

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：AMER CHEMICAL SOC  

Psb31 is a fifth extrinsic protein found in photosystem II (PSII) of a centric diatom, Chaetoceros gracilis. The protein has been shown to bind directly to PSII in the absence of other extrinsic proteins and serves in part as a substitute for PsbO in supporting oxygen evolution. We report here the crystal structure of Psb31 at a resolution of 1.55 angstrom. The structure of Psb31 was composed of two domains, one major, N-terminal four helical domain and one minor, flexible C-terminal domain. The four helices in the N-terminal domain were arranged in an up down-up-down-fold, which appeared unexpectedly to be similar to the structure of spinach PsbQ in spite of their low sequence homology. This suggests that the centric diatom PSII contains another PsbQ- type extrinsic protein in addition to the original PsbQ protein found in the organism. On the other hand, the C-terminal domain of Psb31 has a unique structure composed of one loop and one short helix. Based on these structural analysis and chemical cross-linking experiments, residues responsible for the binding of Psb31 to PSII intrinsic proteins were suggested. The results are discussed in relation to the copy number of extrinsic proteins in higher plant PSII.

DOI： 10.1021/bi400770d

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Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：WILEY-BLACKWELL  

Fully oxidized cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) under enzymatic turnover is capable of pumping protons, while fully oxidized CcO as isolated is not able to do so upon one-electron reduction. The functional difference is expected to be a consequence of structural differences: [Fe3+-OH-] under enzymatic turnover versus [Fe3+-O-2(2-)-Cu2+] for the as-isolated CcO. However, the electron density for O-2(2-) is equally assignable to Cl-. An anomalous dispersion analysis was performed in order to conclusively demonstrate the absence of Cl- between the Fe3+ and Cu2+. Thus, the peroxide moiety receives electron equivalents from cytochrome c without affecting the oxidation states of the metal sites. The metal-site reduction is coupled to the proton pump.

DOI： 10.1107/S0907444911022803

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：NATL ACAD SCIENCES  

Methylation of cytosine in DNA plays a crucial role in development through inheritable gene silencing. The DNA methyltransferase Dnmt1 is responsible for the propagation of methylation patterns to the next generation via its preferential methylation of hemimethylated CpG sites in the genome; however, how Dnmt1 maintains methylation patterns is not fully understood. Here we report the crystal structure of the large fragment (291-1620) of mouse Dnmt1 and its complexes with cofactor S-adenosyl-L-methionine and its product S-adenosyl-L-homocystein. Notably, in the absence of DNA, the N-terminal domain responsible for targeting Dnmt1 to replication foci is inserted into the DNA-binding pocket, indicating that this domain must be removed for methylation to occur. Upon binding of S-adenosyl-L-methionine, the catalytic cysteine residue undergoes a conformation transition to a catalytically competent position. For the recognition of hemimethylated DNA, Dnmt1 is expected to utilize a target recognition domain that overhangs the putative DNA-binding pocket. Taking into considerations the recent report of a shorter fragment structure of Dnmt1 that the CXXC motif positions itself in the catalytic pocket and prevents aberrant de novo methylation, we propose that maintenance methylation is a multistep process accompanied by structural changes.

DOI： 10.1073/pnas.1019629108

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Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：WILEY-BLACKWELL  

Intercellular signalling is an essential characteristic of multicellular organisms. Gap junctions, which consist of arrays of intercellular channels, permit the exchange of ions and small molecules between adjacent cells. Here, the structural determination of a gap junction channel composed of connexin 26 (Cx26) at 3.5 angstrom resolution is described. During each step of the purification process, the protein was examined using electron microscopy and/or dynamic light scattering. Dehydration of the crystals improved the resolution limits. Phase refinement using multi-crystal averaging in conjunction with noncrystallographic symmetry averaging based on strictly determined noncrystallographic symmetry operators resulted in an electron-density map for model building. The amino-acid sequence of a protomer structure consisting of the amino-terminal helix, four transmembrane helices and two extracellular loops was assigned to the electron-density map. The amino-acid assignment was confirmed using six selenomethionine (SeMet) sites in the difference Fourier map of the SeMet derivative and three intramolecular disulfide bonds in the anomalous difference Fourier map of the native crystal.

DOI： 10.1107/S0907444909014711

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Language：English  

Gap junctions consist of arrays of intercellular channels between adjacent cells that permit the exchange of ions and small molecules. Here we report the crystal structure of the gap junction channel formed by human connexin 26 (Cx26, also known as GJB2) at 3.5 A resolution, and discuss structural determinants of solute transport through the channel. The density map showed the two membrane-spanning hemichannels and the arrangement of the four transmembrane helices of the six protomers forming each hemichannel. The hemichannels feature a positively charged cytoplasmic entrance, a funnel, a negatively charged transmembrane pathway, and an extracellular cavity. The pore is narrowed at the funnel, which is formed by the six amino-terminal helices lining the wall of the channel, which thus determines the molecular size restriction at the channel entrance. The structure of the Cx26 gap junction channel also has implications for the gating of the channel by the transjunctional voltage.

DOI： 10.1038/nature07869

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1107/S1744309107010731

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J-GLOBAL

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J-GLOBAL

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Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Publisher：The Crystallographic Society of Japan  

DOI： 10.5940/jcrsj.62.238

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Language：Japanese   Publisher：日本放射光学会  

CiNii Article

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Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：Japanese   Publisher：レーザー学会  

CiNii Article

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Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Book review, literature introduction, etc.   Publisher：Japanese Biochemical Society  

DOI： 10.14952/SEIKAGAKU.2017.890699

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Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author  

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Language：Japanese  

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Authorship：Last author   Language：Japanese   Publisher：The Biophysical Society of Japan General Incorporated Association  

Oxygenic photosynthesis synthesizes sugars from water and carbon dioxide using light energy from the sun, thereby converts light energy into chemical energy and provides oxygen for aerobic life on the earth. The light-harvesting, electron transfer, and water-splitting reactions of photosynthesis are catalyzed by two large membrane-protein complexes photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI). Through high-resolution crystal structural analysis by synchrotron X-rays as well as femtosecond X-ray free electron lasers, the mechanisms of these reactions have become understandable at the atomic level. Here we review the recent progresses in analyzing the structures of PSII and PSI as well as their functional implications.

DOI： 10.2142/biophys.56.079

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Other Link： https://jlc.jst.go.jp/DN/JLC/20021928091?from=CiNii

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author  

DOI： 10.5940/jcrsj.58.126

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Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：Japanese   Publisher：日本放射光学会  

CiNii Article

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Publisher：Protein Data Bank, Rutgers University  

DOI： 10.2210/pdb4k7b/pdb

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper, summary (international conference)   Publisher：ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV  

DOI： 10.1016/j.bbabio.2008.05.272

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Language：Japanese   Publisher：The Biophysical Society of Japan General Incorporated Association  

DOI： 10.2142/biophys.44.S132_4

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Event date： 2022.9.28 - 2022.9.30

Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Event date： 2022.9.25 - 2022.9.26

Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Event date： 2022.8.9 - 2022.8.10

Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Event date： 2022.8.6 - 2022.8.7

Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Event date： 2022.7.31 - 2022.8.5

Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Event date： 2022.7.31 - 2022.8.5

Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Event date： 2022.7.31 - 2022.8.5

Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Event date： 2022.5.26 - 2022.5.27

Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Event date： 2022.5.13 - 2022.5.14

Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Event date： 2022.3.22 - 2022.3.24

Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Event date： 2020.3.19

Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Language：English   Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Language：English   Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

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Language：English   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

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Language：English  

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Type：Research consultation

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Type：Research consultation

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Type：Visiting lecture

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Type：Lecture

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Type：Seminar, workshop

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