Researchers from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in collaboration with partners from Sweden, Germany, and the UK, have made groundbreaking discoveries regarding the final phase of photosynthesis. They meticulously observed, at an atomic level, how Photosystem II, a crucial protein complex in plants, undergoes a transformation that results in the release of an additional oxygen atom. These findings are anticipated to pave the way for advancements in clean energy technologies. “This research is poised to revolutionize our understanding of Photosystem II,” expressed Uwe Bergmann, a prominent researcher and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who co-authored the significant study.
Employing “extremely high-resolution images” of various stages of the photochemical process at room temperature, researchers have gained valuable insights into the precise mechanisms of oxygen generation. To illustrate this complex process, a baseball analogy can be employed, albeit somewhat simplistically. “The center goes through four stable oxidation states, referred to as S0 through S3, when it captures sunlight,” explains SLAC. “In a baseball game, S0 represents the beginning, with a player on home base ready to bat. S1-S3 symbolize players on first, second, and third base.” In this analogy, when a batter successfully hits the ball, it signifies the complex absorption of a sunlight photon. “When the fourth ball is hit, the player slides into home plate, scoring a run or, in the context of Photosystem II, releasing a molecule of breathable oxygen.” This critical final stage, denoted as S4, which occurs between third base and home plate, has been documented for the first time, revealing additional previously undiscovered steps in this intricate process.
The video below illustrates the team’s research process and the exciting discoveries they made.
“The majority of the oxygen production occurs during this final phase,” stated Vittal Yachandra, a researcher at Berkeley Lab and co-author of the published paper in Nature. “However, multiple interactions occur at different phases of Photosystem II, all of which must synchronize for the reaction to be successful. Just as various factors, such as the ball’s location and the positioning of fielders, influence a baseball player’s path to home plate, the protein environment surrounding the catalytic center also shapes the dynamics of this reaction.”
The researchers are looking forward to an advanced X-ray upgrade later this year, which will further illuminate the photosynthetic process. This upgrade will enable a repeating rate of approximately one million pulses per second, a significant increase from the 120 pulses per second used in the current experiments. “These enhancements will allow us to gather days’ worth of data in mere hours,” Bergmann noted. “Additionally, we will utilize soft X-rays to deepen our understanding of the chemical transformations occurring within the system. These new capabilities will propel this research forward and unlock further insights into the complexities of photosynthesis.”
The team is optimistic that their findings will contribute to the development of artificial photosynthetic systems designed to imitate natural photosynthesis, effectively harnessing sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into hydrogen and carbon-based fuels. Jan Kern, another co-author and researcher at Berkeley Lab, remarked, “The more we uncover about nature’s methodologies, the closer we come to applying those principles in engineered processes, including concepts for artificial photosynthesis as a viable, clean, and sustainable energy solution.”
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