Background: PSII is a protein complex that captures sunlight to drive water oxidation. Results: Cyanidioschyzon merolae PSII is protected by reversible reaction center-based non-photochemical quenching. Conclusion: C. merolae PSII employs reaction center non-photochemical quenching as the main photoprotective mechanism. Significance: We provide the first direct evidence of the PSII reaction center as the primary locus of non-photochemical quenching in the extremophilic red algae.

The binding affinity of the two substrate-water molecules to the water-oxidizing Mn₄CaO₅ catalyst in photosystem II core complexes of the extremophilic red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae was studied in the S₂ and S₃ states by the exchange of bound ¹⁶O-substrate against ¹⁸O-labeled water. The rate of this exchange was detected via the membrane-inlet mass spectrometric analysis of flash-induced oxygen evolution. For both redox states a fast and slow phase of water-exchange was resolved at the mixed labeled m/z 34 mass peak: kf=52 ± 8s⁻¹ and ks=1.9 ± 0.3s⁻¹ in the S₂ state, and kf=42 ± 2s⁻¹ and kslow=1.2 ± 0.3s⁻¹ in S₃, respectively. Overall these exchange rates are similar to those observed previously with preparations of other organisms. The most remarkable finding is a significantly slower exchange at the fast substrate-water site in the S₂ state, which confirms beyond doubt that both substrate-water molecules are already bound in the S2 state. This leads to a very small change of the affinity for both the fast and the slowly exchanging substrates during the S₂→S₃ transition. Implications for recent models for water-oxidation are briefly discussed.

The electronic coupling between a robust red algal photosystem I (PSI) associated with its light harvesting antenna (LHCI) and nanocrystalline n‐type semiconductors, TiO2 and hematite (α‐Fe2O3) is utilized for fabrication of the biohybrid dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSC). PSI‐LHCI is immobilized as a structured multilayer over both semiconductors organized as highly ordered nanocrystalline arrays, as evidenced by FE‐SEM and XRD spectroscopy. Of all the biohybrid DSSCs examined, α‐Fe2O3/PSI‐LHCI biophotoanode operates at a highest quantum efficiency and generates the largest open circuit photo­current compared to the tandem system based on TiO2/PSI‐LHCI material. This is accomplished by immobilization of the PSI‐LHCI complex with its reducing side towards the hematite surface and nanostructuring of the PSI‐LHCI multilayer in which the subsequent layers of this complex are organized in the head‐to‐tail orientation. The biohybrid PSI‐LHCI‐DSSC is capable of sustained photoelectrochemical H2 production upon illumination with visible light above 590 nm. Although the solar conversion efficiency of the PSI‐LHCI/hematite DSSC is currently below a practical use, the system provides a blueprint for a genuinely green solar cell that can be used for molecular hydrogen production at a rate of 744 μmoles H2 mg Chl−1 h−1, placing it amongst the best performing biohybrid solar‐to‐fuel nanodevices.

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In this study, we have shown the applicability of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase as a new and convenient selectable marker for stable nuclear transformation as well as potential chloroplast transformation of Cyanidioschyzon merolae-a new model organism, which offers unique opportunities for studding the mitochondrial and plastid physiology as well as various evolutionary, structural, and functional features of the photosynthetic apparatus.

Key messageWe have successfully transformed an exthemophilic red alga with the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene, rendering this organism insensitive to its toxicity. Our work paves the way to further work with this new modelorganism.AbstractHere we report the first successful attempt to achieve a stable, under selectable pressure, chloroplast transformation in Cyanidioschizon merolae—an extremophilic red alga of increasing importance as a new model organism. The following protocol takes advantage of a double homologous recombination phenomenon in the chloroplast, allowing to introduce an exogenous, selectable gene. For that purpose, we decided to use chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT), as chloroplasts are particularly vulnerable to chloramphenicol lethal effects (Zienkiewicz et al. in Protoplasma, 2015, doi:10.1007/s00709-015-0936-9). We adjusted two methods of DNA delivery: the PEG-mediated delivery and the biolistic bombardment based delivery, either of these methods work sufficiently with noticeable preference to the former. Application of a codon-optimized sequence of the cat gene and a single colony selection yielded C. merolae strains, capable of resisting up to 400 µg/mL of chloramphenicol. Our method opens new possibilities in production of site-directed mutants, recombinant proteins and exogenous protein overexpression in C. merolae—a new model organism.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11103-016-0554-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The structure of three secondary transporter proteins, GltT of Bacillus stearothermophilus, CitS of Klebsiella pneumoniae, and GltS of Escherichia coli, was studied. The proteins were purified to homogeneity in detergent solution by Ni 2þ -NTA affinity chromatography, and the complexes were determined by BN-PAGE to be trimeric, dimeric, and dimeric for GltT, CitS, and GltS, respectively. The subunit stoichiometry correlated with the binding affinity of the Ni 2þ -NTA resin for the protein complexes. Projection maps of negatively stained transporter particles were obtained by single-particle electron microscopy. Processing of the GltT particles revealed a projection map possessing 3-fold rotational symmetry, in good agreement with the trimer observed in the crystal structure of a homologous protein, Glt Ph of Pyrococcus horikoshii. The CitS protein showed up in two main views: as a kidney-shaped particle and a biscuit-shaped particle, both with a long axis of 160 A ˚. The latter has a width of 84 A ˚, the former of 92 A ˚. Symmetry considerations identify the biscuit shape as a top view and the kidney shape as a side view from within the membrane. Combining the two images shows that the CitS dimer is a protein with a strong curvature at one side of the membrane and, at the opposite side, an indentation in the middle at the subunit interface. The GltS protein was shaped like CitS with dimensions of 145 A ˚Â 84 A ˚. The shapes and dimensions of the CitS and GltS particles are consistent with a similar structure of these two unrelated proteins.

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