Biomaterial Database

Crystal structure of the bacteriochlorophyll a protein from Chlorobium tepidum. 1997

Y F Li, and W Zhou, and R E Blankenship, and J P Allen

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Center for The Study of Early Events in Photosynthesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA.

The bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a protein from Chlorobium tepidum, which participates in energy transfer in green photosynthetic bacteria, has been crystallized using the sitting drop method of vapor diffusion. X-ray diffraction data collected from these crystals indicate that the crystals belong to the cubic space group P4132 with cell dimensions of a=b=c=169.5 A. A native X-ray diffraction data set has been collected to a resolution of 2.2 A. The initial solution was determined by using the molecular replacement method using the structure of the previously solved BChl a protein from Prosthecochloris aestuarii. A unique rotation and translation solution was obtained for two monomers in the asymmetric unit giving a pseudo-body centered packing. After rebuilding and refinement the model yields an R factor of 19.0%, a free R-factor of 28.3%, and good geometry with root-mean-square deviations of 0.013 A and 2.1 degrees for the bond lengths and angles, respectively. The structure of the BChl a protein from C. tepidum consists of three identical subunits related by a 3-fold axis of crystallographic symmetry. In each subunit the polypeptide backbone forms large beta-sheets and encloses a central core of seven BChl a molecules. The distances between neighboring bacteriochlorin systems within a subunit range between 4 A to 11 A and that between two bacteriochlorins from different subunits is more than 20 A. The overall structure is comparable with that of P. aestuarii but significant differences are observed for the individual bacteriochlorophyll structures. The surface of the trimer has a hydrophobic region that is modeled as the complex being a peripheral membrane protein partially embedded in the membrane. A general model is presented for the membrane organization with two of the bacteriochlorophyll structures in the membrane and transferring energy to the reaction center complex. In this model these two bacteriochlorophyll structures serve a similar role to the cofactors of integral membrane light-harvesting complexes although the protein structure surrounding the cofactors is significantly different for the BChl a protein compared with the integral membrane complexes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008027	Light	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range.	Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D008958	Models, Molecular	Models used experimentally or theoretically to study molecular shape, electronic properties, or interactions; includes analogous molecules, computer-generated graphics, and mechanical structures.	Molecular Models,Model, Molecular,Molecular Model
D011487	Protein Conformation	The characteristic 3-dimensional shape of a protein, including the secondary, supersecondary (motifs), tertiary (domains) and quaternary structure of the peptide chain. PROTEIN STRUCTURE, QUATERNARY describes the conformation assumed by multimeric proteins (aggregates of more than one polypeptide chain).	Conformation, Protein,Conformations, Protein,Protein Conformations
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D004735	Energy Transfer	The transfer of energy of a given form among different scales of motion. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed). It includes the transfer of kinetic energy and the transfer of chemical energy. The transfer of chemical energy from one molecule to another depends on proximity of molecules so it is often used as in techniques to measure distance such as the use of FORSTER RESONANCE ENERGY TRANSFER.	Transfer, Energy
D001426	Bacterial Proteins	Proteins found in any species of bacterium.	Bacterial Gene Products,Bacterial Gene Proteins,Gene Products, Bacterial,Bacterial Gene Product,Bacterial Gene Protein,Bacterial Protein,Gene Product, Bacterial,Gene Protein, Bacterial,Gene Proteins, Bacterial,Protein, Bacterial,Proteins, Bacterial
D001429	Bacteriochlorophylls	Pyrrole containing pigments found in photosynthetic bacteria.	Bacteriochlorophyll
D014443	Tyrosine	A non-essential amino acid. In animals it is synthesized from PHENYLALANINE. It is also the precursor of EPINEPHRINE; THYROID HORMONES; and melanin.	L-Tyrosine,Tyrosine, L-isomer,para-Tyrosine,L Tyrosine,Tyrosine, L isomer,para Tyrosine
D045322	Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins	Protein complexes that take part in the process of PHOTOSYNTHESIS. They are located within the THYLAKOID MEMBRANES of plant CHLOROPLASTS and a variety of structures in more primitive organisms. There are two major complexes involved in the photosynthetic process called PHOTOSYSTEM I and PHOTOSYSTEM II.	Photosynthetic Complex,Photosynthetic Reaction Center,Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Protein,Photosynthetic Complexes,Photosynthetic Reaction Centers,Center, Photosynthetic Reaction,Complex, Photosynthetic,Complexes, Photosynthetic,Reaction Center, Photosynthetic,Reaction Centers, Photosynthetic
D045342	Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes	Complexes containing CHLOROPHYLL and other photosensitive molecules. They serve to capture energy in the form of PHOTONS and are generally found as components of the PHOTOSYSTEM I PROTEIN COMPLEX or the PHOTOSYSTEM II PROTEIN COMPLEX.	Antenna Complexes, Light-Harvesting,Light-Harvesting Antenna Complexes,Light-Harvesting Chlorophyll Protein,Light-Harvesting Chlorophyll Protein Complexes,Antenna Complexes, Light Harvesting,Chlorophyll Protein, Light-Harvesting,Complexes, Light-Harvesting Antenna,Complexes, Light-Harvesting Protein,Light Harvesting Antenna Complexes,Light Harvesting Chlorophyll Protein,Light Harvesting Chlorophyll Protein Complexes,Light Harvesting Protein Complexes,Protein Complexes, Light-Harvesting