Architectures of photosynthetic RC-LH1 supercomplexes from Rhodobacter blasticus.
Wang, P., Christianson, B.M., Ugurlar, D., Mao, R., Zhang, Y., Liu, Z.K., Zhang, Y.Y., Gardner, A.M., Gao, J., Zhang, Y.Z., Liu, L.N.(2024) Sci Adv 10: eadp6678-eadp6678
- PubMed: 39383221 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adp6678
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
8YGD, 8YGL - PubMed Abstract: 
The reaction center-light-harvesting complex 1 (RC-LH1) plays an essential role in the primary reactions of bacterial photosynthesis. Here, we present high-resolution structures of native monomeric and dimeric RC-LH1 supercomplexes from Rhodobacter ( Rba. ) blasticus using cryo-electron microscopy. The RC-LH1 monomer is composed of an RC encircled by an open LH1 ring comprising 15 αβ heterodimers and a PufX transmembrane polypeptide. In the RC-LH1 dimer, two crossing PufX polypeptides mediate dimerization. Unlike Rhodabacter sphaeroides counterpart, Rba. blasticus RC-LH1 dimer has a less bent conformation, lacks the PufY subunit near the LH1 opening, and includes two extra LH1 αβ subunits, forming a more enclosed S-shaped LH1 ring. Spectroscopic assays reveal that these unique structural features are accompanied by changes in the kinetics of quinone/quinol trafficking between RC-LH1 and cytochrome bc 1 . Our findings reveal the assembly principles and structural variability of photosynthetic RC-LH1 supercomplexes, highlighting diverse strategies used by phototrophic bacteria to optimize light-harvesting and electron transfer in competitive environments.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System & College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
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