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X-ray spectroscopy of the Mn4Ca cluster in the water-oxidation complex of Photosystem II

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Abstract

The water-oxidation complex of Photosystem II (PS II) contains a heteronuclear cluster of 4 Mn atoms and a Ca atom. Ligands to the metal cluster involve bridging O atoms, and O and N atoms from amino acid side-chains of the D1 polypeptide of PS II, with likely additional contributions from water and CP43. Although moderate resolution X-ray diffraction-based structures of PS II have been reported recently, and the location of the Mn4Ca cluster has been identified, the structures are not resolved at the atomic level. X-ray absorption (XAS), emission (XES), resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) provide independent and potentially highly accurate sources of structural and oxidation-state information. When combined with polarized X-ray studies of oriented membranes or single-crystals of PS II, a more detailed picture of the cluster and its disposition in PS II is obtained.

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Abbreviations

EPR:

electron paramagnetic resonance

EXAFS:

extended X-ray absorption fine structure

PS II:

Photosystem II

RIXS:

resonant inelastic X-ray scattering

XANES:

X-ray absorption near-edge structure

XAS:

X-ray absorption spectroscopy

XES:

X-ray emission spectroscopy

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720-1460, USA

    Kenneth Sauer & Junko Yano

  2. Melvin Calvin Laboratory, Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Kenneth Sauer, Junko Yano & Vittal K. Yachandra

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  1. Kenneth Sauer
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  2. Junko Yano
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  3. Vittal K. Yachandra
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Correspondence to Kenneth Sauer, Junko Yano or Vittal K. Yachandra.

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Sauer, K., Yano, J. & Yachandra, V.K. X-ray spectroscopy of the Mn4Ca cluster in the water-oxidation complex of Photosystem II. Photosynth Res 85, 73–86 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-005-0638-9

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