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X-ray diffraction studies on chromatophore membrane from photosynthetic bacteria. III. Basic structure of the photosynthetic unit and its relation to other bacteriochlorophyll forms.

We have performed X-ray diffraction studies on photosynthetic units of Rhodospirillum rubrum and solubilized *B800 + B890 complex from chromatophores of Chromatium vinosum, to investigate the homology of their molecular structures. The native chromatophores of Chromatium vinosum, which contain other bacteriochlorophyll forms, were examined by an X-ray diffraction technique, in order to assess the interactions between the complexes as well as the molecular structures of the bacteriochlorophyll forms. The subchromatophore particles, solubilized by Triton X-100 from cells of Chromatium vinosum, exhibit a major absorption maximum at 881 nm and a minor one at 804 nm, consisting of bacteriochlorophyll form *B800 + B890. The near-IR absorption spectrum of the particle is very similar to that of chromatophores of Rhodospirillum rubrum although the major absorption maximum is shifted slightly. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the subchromatophore particles is very similar to that of chromatophores of Rhodospirillum rubrum. Thus, the subchromatophore particles are considered to be the "photoreaction unit" of Rhodospirillum rubrum. Since the bacteriochlorophyll form, *B800 + B890, is common in the purple bacteria, it is strongly suggested that the photoreaction unit is the basic and common structure existing in the photosynthetic units of purple bacteria. Chromatium vinosum cells exhibit different near-IR absorption spectra, depending on the culture media and also on the intensity of the illumination during culture. The chromatophores from these cells give different equatorial X-ray diffraction patterns. These patterns are much broader than that of solubilized subchromatophore particles, though they have common features. Thus, the molecular structures in the photosynthetic units are different, depending on their constituent bacteriochlorophyll forms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bacterial Chromatophores↗

Mechanisms of CO2 fixation in bacterial photosynthesis studied by the carbon isotope fractionation technique.

The carbon isotope discrimination properties of a representative of each of the three types of photosynthetic bacteria Chlorobium thiosulfatophilum, Rhodospirillum rubrum and Chromatium and of the C3-alga Chlamydomonas reinhardii were determined by measuring the ratio of 13CO2 to 12CO2 incorporated during photoautotrophic growth. 2. Chromatium and R. rubrum had isotope selection properties similar to those of C3-plants, whereas Chlorobium was significantly different. 3. The results suggest that Chromatium and R. rubrum assimilate CO2 mainly via ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase and the associated reactions of the reductive pentose phosphate cycle, whereas Chlorobium utilizes other mechanisms. Such mechanisms would include the ferredoxin-linked carboxylation enzymes and associated reactions of the reductive carboxylic acid cycle.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Role of the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase in the activation process.

The large (A) and small (B) subunits of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39) from the cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica and from the purple sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Chromatium vinosum (strain D) were separated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation at low ionic strength and alkaline pH (9.3), respectively. It was found that subunit B enhances the extent of activation by CO2 and Mg2+ at equilibrium of the two homologous enzymes consisting of Aphanothece large subunit and its own small subunit (AaBa) and the Chromatium large subunit and its own small subunit (AcBc). The extent of activation induced by saturating amounts of subunit B was larger with AcBc than AaBa, amounting to 3.7- and 1.8-fold of that by each catalytic core alone, respectively. Subunit B stimulated both the extent of activation at equilibrium and catalysis in a parallel and simultaneous manner with respect to the concentration of B in both homologous enzymes. These results suggest that subunit B interacts with both activation and catalytic sites simultaneously. On the other hand, Chromatium subunit B only slightly stimulated the extent of activation in the hybrid enzyme AaBc. The role of subunit B in enhancing the extent of activation at equilibrium can be substituted by the effect exerted by 6-phosphogluconate. Both homologous enzymes AaBa and AcBc showed a faster deactivation rate when the enzyme was activated in the absence of subunit B. The mechanism by which subunit B promotes activation seems to involve its effect on stabilizing the activated enzyme molecule. From studies on the Km for substrate CO2 in the hybrid enzyme AaBc a major involvement of subunit B in influencing Km (CO2) seems unlikely.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Heterologous hybridization of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) restores the enzyme activities.

The catalytic core (A8) and small subunit (B) of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) were isolated from two species of cyanobacteria (Aphanothece halophytica and Synechococcus ACMM 323) as well as from the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium, Chromatium vinosum. The subunit B is essential for the activity of all three enzymes. The heterologous hybridization of RuBisCO molecules from the three organisms was attempted and the reconstitution of the catalytically active hybrid was achieved between A8 derived from either Aphanothece or Synechococcus and subunit B from Aphanothece, Synechococcus or Chromatium. However, reconstitution of the enzymically active hybrid between A8 from Chromatium and B subunits from the cyanobacteria could not be achieved. Experiments by using high performance liquid column chromatography also showed the formation of a heterologous hybrid possessing RuBP carboxylase activity.

Catalysis↗

Discovery of a novel ferredoxin from Azotobacter vinelandii containing two [4Fe-4S] clusters with widely differing and very negative reduction potentials.

Ferredoxins that contain 2[4Fe-4S]2+/+ clusters can be divided into two classes. The "clostridial-type" ferredoxins have two Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Xaa-Cys-Pro motifs. The "chromatium-type" ferredoxins have one motif of that type and one more unusual Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Cys-Xaa7-9-Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Xaa-Cys-Pro motif. Here we report the purification of a novel ferredoxin (FdIII) from Azotobacter vinelandii which brings to 12 the number of small [Fe-S] proteins that have now been reported from this organism. NH2-terminal sequencing of the first 56 amino acid residues shows that FdIII is a chromatium-type ferredoxin with 77% identity and 88% similarity to Chromatium vinosum ferredoxin. Studies of the purified protein by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectroscopy, iron analysis, absorption, circular dichroism, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies show that FdIII contains 2[4Fe-4S]2+/+ clusters in a 9,220-Da polypeptide. All 2[4Fe-4S]2+/+ ferredoxins that have been studied to date, including C. vinosum ferredoxin, are reported to have extremely similar or identical reduction potentials for the two clusters. In contrast, electrochemical characterization of FdIII clearly establishes that the two [4Fe-4S]2+/+ clusters have very different and highly negative reduction potentials of -486 mV and -644 mV versus the standard hydrogen electrode.

Azotobacter vinelandii↗

Carbon isotope fractionation by thermophilic phototrophic sulfur bacteria: evidence for autotrophic growth in natural populations.

Purple phototrophic bacteria of the genus Chromatium can grow as either photoautotrophs or photoheterotrophs. To determine the growth mode of the thermophilic Chromatium species, Chromatium tepidum, under in situ conditions, we have examined the carbon isotope fractionation patterns in laboratory cultures of this organism and in mats of C. tepidum which develop in sulfide thermal springs in Yellowstone National Park. Isotopic analysis (13C/12C) of total carbon, carotenoid pigments, and bacteriochlorophyll from photoautotrophically grown cultures of C. tepidum yielded 13C fractionation factors near -20%. Cells of C. tepidum grown on excess acetate, wherein synthesis of the Calvin cycle enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase) was greatly repressed, were isotopically heavier, fractionation factors of ca. -7% being observed. Fractionation factors determined by isotopic analyses of cells and pigment fractions of natural populations of C. tepidum growing in three different sulfide thermal springs in Yellowstone National Park were approximately -20%, indicating that this purple sulfur bacterium grows as a photoautotroph in nature.

Bacteria↗

Formation of cobalt-free corrinoids in Rhodopseudomonas spheroides.

Co-free corrinoids (CFCs) were found in the cells of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides grown without cobalt salt. A predominant fraction of three CFCs on paper-electrophoregram was further purified, and investigated physico-chemically as well as microbiologically in comparison with that isolated by Toohey from Chromatium. The electrophoretic as well as spectrophotometric patterns of CFC from Rh. spheroides were partly different from those of Chromatium CFC. The former CFC was a competitive inhibitor of cyanocobalamin in Ochromonas malhamensis. The findings obtained indicate that the CFC from Rh. spheroides resembles that from Chromatium in chemical structure with some difference, and that the compound has an anti-vitamin B12 activity in O. malhamensis.

Antimetabolites↗

Enzyme activities of the carbon reduction cycle in some photosynthetic organisms.

Profile analyses of the enzymes comprising the photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle have been performed in extracts of dark grown and greening Euglena gracilis var. bacillaris. Chlorella pyrenoidosa grown photoautotrophically, in the light with glucose or in the dark with glucose, Tolypothrix tenuis, Chromatium and leaves of spinach. Amounts of activity are compared with the level of photosynthetic CO(2) fixation. Only in Chromatium were all enzyme activities sufficient to support the in vivo rate of CO(2) fixation. In organisms other than Chromatium, some enzymes and particularly fructose 1,6-phosphatase and ribulose 1.5-diphosphate carboxylase appeared to be present in insufficient amounts to support the photosynthetic rate of the intact cell. Developmental studies with Euglena and growth studies with Chlorella led to the conclusion that these enzymes were associated with the cycle. Suppression of CO(2) fixation in heterotrophically grown Chlorella was accompanied by a striking decrease in the same enzymes whose activities increased in greening Euglena.

Journal Article↗

Factors determining annual changes in bacterial photosynthetic pigments in holomictic lake cisó, Spain.

The pigments and biomass of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria were measured during a year cycle in Lake Cisó (Girona, Spain). Two genera, Chromatium and Chlorobium, accounted for most of the bacterial population. The bacteria were present throughout the year despite complete mixing of the lake during fall and winter. This was possible because the sulfide production in the sediment was high enough to make the lake anaerobic to the very surface. Solar radiation, temperature, and biomass of Chromatium sp. were found to be important in determining pigment concentrations by correlation analysis. Sulfide concentration and biomass of Chlorobium spp. were found to be unimportant. A path analysis was performed to determine what percentage of the variability of pigments could be explained by the variables studied. Since a high percentage could be explained, it was possible to conclude that solar radiation, temperature, and biomass of Chromatium sp. were the main variables.

Journal Article↗

Populations of Anaerobic Phototrophic Bacteria in a Spartina alterniflora Salt Marsh.

Habitat-simulating media were used with the Hungate anaerobic roll tube technique to enumerate culturable anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria in sediment, tidal waters, and Spartina alterniflora plant samples collected from the salt marsh at Sapelo Island, Ga. No phototrophs were detected in samples of creekside (low marsh) sediment or in tidal waters in creekside regions. In the high marsh region, 90% of anaerobic phototrophic bacteria occurred in the top 5 mm of sediment and none were detected below 6 mm. There was a seasonal variation, with maximal populations occurring in summer and fall (mean, 4.4 x 10 phototrophs g of dry sediment) and minimal numbers occurring in winter (mean, 3.9 x 10 phototrophs g of dry sediment). During winter and late spring, phototrophs had a patchy distribution over the high marsh sediment surface. In contrast, during late summer they had a random uniform distribution. Tidal water collected over high marsh sediment contained an average of 8.7 x 10 phototrophs ml, with no significant seasonal variation. Anaerobic phototrophic bacteria were also cultured from the lower stem tissue of S. alterniflora growing in both the high (4.3 x 10 phototrophs g of dry tissue) and creekside (4.9 x 10 phototrophs g of dry tissue) marsh regions. Chromatium buderi, Chromatium vinosum, Thiospirillum sanguineum, Rhodospirillum molischianum, and Chlorobium phaeobacteroides were the predominant anaerobic phototrophic species cultured from high marsh sediment. The two Chromatium species were dominant.

Journal Article↗

Electron paramagnetic resonance studies of ferric cytochrome c' from photosynthetic bacteria.

Electronic ground nature of ferric cytochromes c' isolated from five photosynthetic bacteria. Chromatium vinosum ATCC 17899, Rhodobacter capsulatus ATCC 11166, Rhodopseudomonas palustris ATCC 17001, Rhodospirillum molischianum ATCC 14031, and Rhodospirillum rubrum ATCC 11170 has been investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. EPR spectra indicate that the electronic ground state of five ferric cytochromes c' is a quantum mechanical admixed-spin state of a high spin (S = 5/2) and an intermediate spin (S = 3/2) at pH 7.2 and is high-spin state at pH 11.0. At physiological pH, however, the content of an intermediate spin state differs with the bacterial source of the protein: approximately 50%, Chromatium vinosum; approximately 40%, Rhodobacter capsulatus and Rhodopseudomonas palustris; approximately 10%, Rhodospirillum molischianum and Rhodospirillum rubrum. Computer simulation of the spectra supports this diversity of the contribution of an intermediate spin state. Model studies of the ferric porphyrin complexes suggest that the correlation between content of an intermediate spin state and heme iron displacement from the mean heme plane. Therefore, the variation of the content of an intermediate spin state observed in the present study reflects the subtle difference in the degree of heme iron displacement among the proteins.

Chromatium↗

Reducing red color intensity of seafood wastewater in facultative pond.

Studies were carried out on the growth of Chromatium sp. on seafood wastewater (SFWW), which under facultative conditions and light exposure produced red pigment. The strain grew and utilized organic matter in both dark and light exposure conditions, but it produced red pigment when exposed to light. The growth was repressed by aerobic condition. The red color intensity was reduced by about 32.5+/-1.5 and 70.8+/-2.8% when kept under dark and static conditions, or aerobic and light exposure conditions, respectively. The COD of SFWW and the number of cells of Chromatium sp. were also rapidly reduced by about 78.6+/-2.7 and 92.0+/-1.0%, respectively, under aerobic and light exposure condition. KNO3 and FeCl3 also reduced red color intensity and maximum removal of organic matter and red color were 30 and 4 mg/l, respectively. Aerobic conditions increased the color removal efficiency with 30 mg/l KNO3 and 4 mg/l FeCl3 treatments up to 96.5+/-1 and 98.9+/-1%, respectively.

Bacteria, Aerobic↗

The stoicheiometry of electron transfer by bacterial and plant ferredoxins.

1. The number of electrons carried by ferredoxins from spinach, the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans, the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium welchii and the photosynthetic bacterium Chromatium was determined. 2. Ferredoxins were reduced by illuminated chloroplasts, and the stoicheiometry of the reoxidation in the dark of the ferredoxins by NADP and benzyl viologen was measured. 3. Spinach and A. nidulans ferredoxins were found to be one-electron carriers, and Cl. welchii and Chromatium ferredoxins were two-electron carriers.

Chloroplasts↗

Competition for sulfide among colorless and purple sulfur bacteria in cyanobacterial mats.

The vertical zonation of light, O2, H2S, pH, and sulfur bacteria was studied in two benthic cyanobacterial mats from hypersaline ponds at Guerrero Negro, Baja California, Mexico. The physical-chemical gradients were analyzed in the upper few mm at < or = 100 micrometers spatial resolution by microelectrodes and by a fiber optic microprobe. In mats, where oxygen produced by photosynthesis diffused far below the depth of the photic zone, colorless sulfur bacteria (Beggiatoa sp.) were the dominant sulfide oxidizing organisms. In a mat, where the O2-H2S interface was close to the photic zone, but yet received no significant visible light, purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatium sp.) were the dominant sulfide oxidizers. Analysis of the spectral light distribution here showed that the penetration of only 1% of the incident near-IR light (800-900 nm) into the sulfide zone was sufficient for the mass development of Chromatium in a narrow band of 300 micromoles thickness. The balance between O2 and light penetration down into the sulfide zone thus determined in micro-scale which type of sulfur bacteria became dominant.

Bacteria↗

Multiple-variant design for the enrichment of photosynthetic bacterial populations.

A design for the simultaneous variation of acetate, sulfide, and sulfate concentrations in 11 related media is described. Selectivity of these media by a direct enumeration technique in solid culture was compared with that for enrichment in liquid culture. Variation of nutritional parameters resulted in the selection of Rhodospirillaceae at initial enrichment concentrations of 0.1 g or less of Na2S-9 H2O per litre and Chromatiaceae at 0.1 to 1.0 g of g of Na2S-9 H2O per litre. The survival of sulfate-reducing and coliform bacteria indicated interdependency of photosynthetic populations with the former and competition with the latter. Photosynthetic bacteria selectively cultivated in liquid enrichment were tentatively identified as Rhodopseudomonas capsulata, Rhodopseudomonas speroides. Chromatium warmingii, Chromatium okenii, Thiospirillum, and Rhabdomonas.

Acetates↗

High and low reduction potential 4Fe-4S clusters in Azotobacter vinelandii (4Fe-4S) 2ferredoxin I. Influence of the polypeptide on the reduction potentials.

Azotobacter vinelandii (4Fe-4S)2 ferredoxin I (Fd I) is an electron transfer protein with Mr equals 14,500 and Eo equals -420 mv. It exhibits and EPR signal of g equals 2.01 in its isolated form. This resonance is almost identical with the signal that originates from a "super-oxidized" state of the 4Fe-4S cluster of potassium ferricyanide-treated Clostridium ferredoxin. A cluster that exhibits this EPR signal at g equals 2.01 is in the same formal oxidation state as the cluster in oxidized Chromatium High-Potential-Iron-Protein (HiPIP). On photoreduction of Fd I with spinach chloroplast fragments, the resonance at g equals 2.01 vanishes and no EPR signal is observed. This EPR behavior is analogous to that of reduced HiPIP, which also fails to exhibit an EPR spectrum. These characteristics suggest that a cluster in A. vinelandii Fd I functions between the same pair of states on reduction as does the cluster in HiPIP, but with a midpoint reduction potential of -420 mv in contrast to the value of +350 mv characteristic of HiPIP. Quantitative EPR and stoichoimetry studies showed that only one 4Fe-4S cluster in this (4Fe-4S)2 ferredoxin is reduced. Oxidation of Fd I with potassium ferricyanide results in the uptake of 1 electron/mol as determined by quantitative EPR spectroscopy. This indicates that a cluster in Fd I shows no electron paramagnetic resonance in the isolated form of the protein accepts an electron on oxidation, as indicated by the EPR spectrum, and becomes paramagnetic. The EPR behavior of this oxidizable cluster indicates that it also functions between the same pair of oxidation states as does the Fe-S cluster in HiPIP. The midpoint reduction potential of this cluster is approximately +340 mv. A. vinelandii Fd I is the first example of an iron-sulfur protein which contains both a high potential cluster (approximately +340 mv) and a low potential cluster (-420 mv). Both Fe-S clusters appear to function between the same pair of oxidation states as the single Fe-S cluster in Chromatium HiPIP, although the midpoint reduction potentials of the two clusters are approximately 760 mv different.

Azotobacter↗

Certain species of the Proteobacteria possess unusual bacteriochlorophyll a environments in their light-harvesting proteins.

In this work, we have examined, using Fourier-transform Raman (FT-R) spectroscopy, the bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a) binding sites in light-harvesting (LH) antennae from different species of the Proteobacteria that exhibit unusal absorption properties. While the LH1 complexes from Erythromicrobium (E.) ramosum (RC-B871) and Rhodospirillum centenum (B875) present classic FT-R spectra in the carbonyl high-frequency region, we show that in the blue-shifted LH1 complex, absorbing at 856 nm, from Roseococcus thiosulfatophilus, as well as in the B798-832 LH2 from E. ramosum, or in the B830 complex from the obligate phototrophic bacterium Chromatium purpuratum, some H-bonds between the acetyl carbonyl of the BChl a and the surrounding protein are missing. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the unusual absorption of these complexes are thus similar to those responsible for tuning of the absorption of the LH2 complexes between 850 and 820 nm. Furthermore, our results suggest that the binding pocket of the monomeric BChl in the LH2 from E. ramosum is different from that of Rps. acidphila or Rb. sphaeroides. The FT-R spectra of Chromatium purpuratum indicate that, in contrast with every LH2 complex previously studied by FT-R spectroscopy, no free-from-interaction keto groupings exist in this complex.

Bacteriochlorophylls↗