Theoretical study on dynamics of electron carriers in photosynthesis stressed by light irradiation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26400429
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biological physics/Chemical physics/Soft matter physics
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Nagao Hidemi 金沢大学, 数物科学系, 教授 (30291892)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SAITO Hiroaki 金沢大学, 理工研究域数物科学系, 助教 (40506820) ; KAWAGUCHI Kazutomo 金沢大学, 理工研究域数物科学系, 助教 (90402429)
• Research Collaborator: NAKAGAWA Satoshi ; Kurniawan Isman ; Saleh Arwansyah ; KODAMA Koichi
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 光化学反応 / 電子伝達体 / 会合解離過程 / プラストシアニン / シトクロムf / 拡散過程 / 光照射ストレス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The association/dissociation process of the electron carriers in photosynthesis has been theoretically and numerically investigated in relation to the diffusion of the proteins. The following main results have been obtained in this study. (1) Free energy profile of plastocyanin, which is one of carriers to bring one electron to cytochrome f, has been calculated by all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The result suggests that there is no potential barrier for the electron transfer. (2) A novel coarse-grained model describing intermolecular interactions has been proposed, and the results by simulations suggest the positive correlation between the distance between the active sites and the reaction coefficient of the electron transfer. (3) Some simulations for the diffusion of plastocyanin inside the thylakoid lumen suggest that the obstacle by membrane proteins in thylakoid membrane for the electron carrier contribute to the decrease of the activity of the electron transfer.

Free Research Field

生物物理学、理論化学