Cryo-EM structure of a photosystem I variant containing an unusual plastoquinone derivative in its electron transfer chain | Science Advances

Photosystem I (PS I) is a light-driven oxidoreductase responsible for converting photons into chemical bond energy. Its application for renewable energy was revolutionized by the creation of the MenB deletion (Δ menB ) variant in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, in which phylloquinone is replaced by plastoquinone-9 with a low binding affinity. This permits its exchange with exogenous quinones covalently coupled to dihydrogen catalysts that bind with high affinity, thereby converting PS I into a stable solar fuel catalyst. Here, we reveal the 2.03-Å-resolution cryo-EM structure of a recent MenB variant of PS I. The quinones and their binding environment are analyzed in the context of previous biophysical data, thereby enabling a protocol to solve future PS I hybrids and constructs from this genetically tractable cyanobacterium.