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by Keyword: Electron transfer

López-Ortiz, M, Zamora, RA, Giannotti, MI, Gorostiza, P, (2023). The Protein Matrix of Plastocyanin Supports Long-Distance Charge Transport with Photosystem I and the Copper Ion Regulates Its Spatial Span and Conductance Acs Nano 17, 20334-20344

Charge exchange is the fundamental process that sustains cellular respiration and photosynthesis by shuttling electrons in a cascade of electron transfer (ET) steps between redox cofactors. While intraprotein charge exchange is well characterized in protein complexes bearing multiple redox sites, interprotein processes are less understood due to the lack of suitable experimental approaches and the dynamic nature of the interactions. Proteins constrained between electrodes are known to support electron transport (ETp) through the protein matrix even without redox cofactors, as the charges housed by the redox sites in ET are furnished by the electrodes. However, it is unknown whether protein ETp mechanisms apply to the interprotein medium present under physiological conditions. We study interprotein charge exchange between plant photosystem I (PSI) and its soluble redox partner plastocyanin (Pc) and address the role of the Pc copper center. Using electrochemical scanning tunneling spectroscopy (ECSTS) current-distance and blinking measurements, we quantify the spatial span of charge exchange between individual Pc/PSI pairs and ETp through transient Pc/PSI complexes. Pc devoid of the redox center (Pcapo) can exchange charge with PSI at longer distances than with the copper ion (Pcholo). Conductance bursts associated with Pcapo/PSI complex formation are higher than in Pcholo/PSI. Thus, copper ions are not required for long-distance Pc/PSI ETp but regulate its spatial span and conductance. Our results suggest that the redox center that carries the charge in Pc is not necessary to exchange it in interprotein ET through the aqueous solution and question the canonical view of tight complex binding between redox protein partners.

JTD Keywords: azurin, binding, blinking, crystal-structure, cupredoxin, current distance spectroscopy, electrochemical tunneling microscopy, proteinconductance, reduction, single metalloprotein, single molecule measurements, site, spectroscopy, Blinking, Cupredoxin, Current distance spectroscopy, Electrochemical tunneling microscopy, Interprotein electron transfer, Protein conductance, Single molecule measurements, State electron-transport


Zamora, RA, López-Ortiz, M, Sales-Mateo, M, Hu, C, Croce, R, Maniyara, RA, Pruneri, V, Giannotti, MI, Gorostiza, P, (2022). Light- and Redox-Dependent Force Spectroscopy Reveals that the Interaction between Plastocyanin and Plant Photosystem I Is Favored when One Partner Is Ready for Electron Transfer Acs Nano 16, 15155-15164

Photosynthesis is a fundamental process that converts photons into chemical energy, driven by large protein complexes at the thylakoid membranes of plants, cyanobacteria, and algae. In plants, water-soluble plastocyanin (Pc) is responsible for shuttling electrons between cytochrome b6f complex and the photosystem I (PSI) complex in the photosynthetic electron transport chain (PETC). For an efficient turnover, a transient complex must form between PSI and Pc in the PETC, which implies a balance between specificity and binding strength. Here, we studied the binding frequency and the unbinding force between suitably oriented plant PSI and Pc under redox control using single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS). The binding frequency (observation of binding-unbinding events) between PSI and Pc depends on their respective redox states. The interaction between PSI and Pc is independent of the redox state of PSI when Pc is reduced, and it is disfavored in the dark (reduced P700) when Pc is oxidized. The frequency of interaction between PSI and Pc is higher when at least one of the partners is in a redox state ready for electron transfer (ET), and the post-ET situation (PSIRed-PcOx) leads to lower binding. In addition, we show that the binding of ET-ready PcRed to PSI can be regulated externally by Mg2+ ions in solution.

JTD Keywords: architecture, binding-site, complexes, ferredoxin, force spectroscopy, induced structural-changes, interprotein electron transfer, light-dependent interaction, mg2+ concentration, photosystem i, plastocyanin, probe, recognition, reduction, Force spectroscopy, Interprotein electron transfer, Light-dependent interaction, Photosynthetic reaction-center, Photosystem i, Plastocyanin, Single molecule measurements


López-Ortiz, M, Zamora, RA, Giannotti, MI, Hu, C, Croce, R, Gorostiza, P, (2022). Distance and Potential Dependence of Charge Transport Through the Reaction Center of Individual Photosynthetic Complexes Small 18, 2104366

Charge separation and transport through the reaction center of photosystem I (PSI) is an essential part of the photosynthetic electron transport chain. A strategy is developed to immobilize and orient PSI complexes on gold electrodes allowing to probe the complex's electron acceptor side, the chlorophyll special pair P700. Electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (ECSTM) imaging and current-distance spectroscopy of single protein complex shows lateral size in agreement with its known dimensions, and a PSI apparent height that depends on the probe potential revealing a gating effect in protein conductance. In current-distance spectroscopy, it is observed that the distance-decay constant of the current between PSI and the ECSTM probe depends on the sample and probe electrode potentials. The longest charge exchange distance (lowest distance-decay constant ?) is observed at sample potential 0 mV/SSC (SSC: reference electrode silver/silver chloride) and probe potential 400 mV/SSC. These potentials correspond to hole injection into an electronic state that is available in the absence of illumination. It is proposed that a pair of tryptophan residues located at the interface between P700 and the solution and known to support the hydrophobic recognition of the PSI redox partner plastocyanin, may have an additional role as hole exchange mediator in charge transport through PSI.© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

JTD Keywords: azurin, current distance decay spectroscopy, cytochrome c(6), electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (ecstm), electrochemistry, photosystem i, photosystem-i, plastocyanin, protein electron transfer, recognition, single metalloprotein, single molecules, structural basis, tunneling spectroscopy, 'current, Amino acids, Charge transfer, Chlorine compounds, Current distance decay spectroscopy, Decay spectroscopies, Distance decay, Electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy, Electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (ecstm), Electrodes, Electron transfer, Electron transport properties, Gold compounds, Photosystem i, Photosystems, Protein electron transfer, Protein electron-transfer, Proteins, Scanning tunneling microscopy, Silver halides, Single molecule, Single molecules


Lopez-Martinez, Montserrat, López-Ortiz, Manuel, Antinori, Maria Elena, Wientjes, Emilie, Nin-Hill, Alba, Rovira, Carme, Croce, Roberta, Díez-Pérez, Ismael, Gorostiza, Pau, (2019). Electrochemically gated long distance charge transport in photosystem I Angewandte Chemie International Edition 58, (38), 13280-13284

The transport of electrons along photosynthetic and respiratory chains involves a series of enzymatic reactions that are coupled through redox mediators, including proteins and small molecules. The use of native and synthetic redox probes is key to understand charge transport mechanisms, and to design bioelectronic sensors and solar energy conversion devices. However, redox probes have limited tunability to exchange charge at the desired electrochemical potentials (energy levels) and at different protein sites. Here, we take advantage of electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (ECSTM) to control the Fermi level and nanometric position of the ECSTM probe in order to study electron transport in individual photosystem I (PSI) complexes. Current-distance measurements at different potentiostatic conditions indicate that PSI supports long-distance transport that is electrochemically gated near the redox potential of P700, with current extending farther under hole injection conditions.

JTD Keywords: Current decay, ECSTM, Electrochemical gate, Electron transfer, Photosynthesis


Pérez, Judit, Dulay, Samuel, Mir, M., Samitier, Josep, (2018). Molecular architecture for DNA wiring Biosensors and Bioelectronics 121, 54-61

Detection of the hybridisation events is of great importance in many different biotechnology applications such as diagnosis, computing, molecular bioelectronics, and among others. However, one important drawback is the low current of some redox reporters that limits their application. This paper demonstrates the powerful features of molecular wires, in particular the case of S-[4-[2-[4-(2-Phenylethynyl)phenyl]ethynyl]phenyl] thiol molecule and the key role that play the nanometric design of the capture probe linkers to achieve an efficient couple of the DNA complementary ferrocene label with the molecular wire for an effective electron transfer in co-immobilised self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) for DNA hybridisation detection. In this article, the length of the linker capture probe was studied for electron transfer enhancement from the ferrocene-motifs of immobilised molecules towards the electrode surface to obtain higher kinetics in the presence of thiolated molecular wires. The use of the right couple of capture probe linker and molecular wire has found to be beneficial as it helps to amplify eightfold the signal obtained.

JTD Keywords: DNA hybridisation, Bioelectronics, Electron transfer rate constant, Molecular wires, Electrochemistry, Ferrocene, Biosensor


Hoyo, J., Guaus, E., Torrent-Burgués, J., Sanz, F., (2015). Biomimetic monolayer films of digalactosyldiacylglycerol incorporating plastoquinone Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes , 1848, (6), 1341-1351

The photosynthesis is the process used by plants and bacteria cells to convert inorganic matter in organic thanks to the light energy. This process consist on several steps, being one of them the electronic transport from the photosystem II to the cytochrome thanks to plastoquinone-9 (PQ). Here we prepare membranes that mimic the characteristics and composition of natural photosynthetic cell membranes and we characterize them in order to obtain the PQ molecules position in the membrane and their electrochemical behaviour. The selected galactolipid is digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) that represents the 30% of the thylakoid membrane lipid content. The results obtained are worthful for several science fields due to the relevance of galactolipids as anti-algal, anti-viral, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory agents and the antioxidant and free radical scavenger properties of prenylquinones. Both pure components (DGDG and PQ) and the DGDG:PQ mixtures have been studied using surface pressure-area isotherms. These isotherms give information about the film stability and indicate the thermodynamic behaviour of the mixture and their physical state. The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film has been transferred forming a monolayer that mimics the bottom layer of the biological membranes. This monolayer on mica has been topographically characterized using AFM and both the height and the physical state that they present have been obtained. Moreover, these monolayers have been transferred onto ITO that is a hydrophilic substrate with good optical and electrical features, so that, it is suitable for studying the electrochemical behaviour of these systems and it is a good candidate for energy producing devices.

JTD Keywords: Biomimetic membrane, Digalactosyldiacylglycerol, Electron transfer, LangmuirBlodgett film, Modified ITO electrode, Plastoquinone


Hoyo, J., Guaus, E., Torrent-Burgués, J., Sanz, F., (2015). Electrochemistry of LB films of mixed MGDG: UQ on ITO Bioelectrochemistry , 104, 26-34

The electrochemical behaviour of biomimetic monolayers of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) incorporating ubiquinone-10 (UQ) has been investigated. MGDG is the principal component in the thylakoid membrane and UQ seems a good substitute for plastoquinone-9, involved in photosynthesis chain. The monolayers have been performed using the Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) techniques and the redox behaviour of the LB films, transferred at several surface pressures on a glass covered with indium-tin oxide (ITO), has been characterized by cyclic voltammetry. The cyclic voltammograms show that UQ molecules present two redox processes (I and II) at high UQ content and high surface pressures, and only one redox process (I) at low UQ content and low surface pressures. The apparent rate constants calculated for processes I and II indicate a different kinetic control for the reduction and the oxidation of UQ/UQH2 redox couple, being kRapp(I)=2.2·10-5s-1, kRapp(II)=5.1·10-14 kOapp(I)=3.3·10-3s-1 and kOapp(II)=6.1·10-6s-1, respectively. The correlation of the redox response with the physical states of the LB films allows determining the positions of the UQ molecules in the biomimetic monolayer, which change with the surface pressure and the UQ content. These positions are known as diving and swimming.

JTD Keywords: Cyclic voltammetry, Electron transfer, Langmuir-Blodgett film, Modified ITO electrode, Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, Ubiquinone


Hoyo, J., Guaus, E., Torrent-Burgués, J., Sanz, F., (2012). Electrochemical behaviour of mixed LB films of ubiquinone - DPPC Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry , 669, 6-13

The structure and the electrochemical behaviour of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of the biological ubiquinone-10 (UQ) and a mixture of dipalmytoilphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and UQ at the molar ratios DPPC:UQ 5:1 and 10:1 have been investigated. The surface pressure-area isotherms of the Langmuir films and the AFM images of the LB films show the formation of a monolayer in the DPPC:UQ mixture till a certain surface pressure is attained, and then at higher surface pressures the UQ is progressively expelled. The cyclic voltammograms of DPPC:UQ LB films formed on indium tin oxide, ITO, at different surface pressures show one reduction and one oxidation peak at low surface pressures, but two or even more reduction and oxidations peaks at medium and high surface pressures. The electrochemical behaviour is correlated with the film structure.

JTD Keywords: Cyclic voltammetry, Electron transfer, Langmuir-Blodgett, Lipid monolayer, Modified ITO electrode, Ubiquinone


Artés, Juan M., Díez-Pérez, Ismael, Sanz, Fausto, Gorostiza, Pau, (2011). Direct measurement of electron transfer distance decay constants of single redox proteins by electrochemical tunneling spectroscopy ACS Nano 5, (3), 2060-2066

We present a method to measure directly and at the single-molecule level the distance decay constant that characterizes the rate of electron transfer (ET) in redox proteins. Using an electrochemical tunneling microscope under bipotentiostatic control, we obtained current-distance spectroscopic recordings of individual redox proteins confined within a nanometric tunneling gap at a well-defined molecular orientation. The tunneling current decays exponentially, and the corresponding decay constant (β) strongly supports a two-step tunneling ET mechanism. Statistical analysis of decay constant measurements reveals differences between the reduced and oxidized states that may be relevant to the control of ET rates in enzymes and biological electron transport chains.

JTD Keywords: Long-range electron transfer (LRET), Distance decay constant, Single-molecule electrochemistry, Redox enzyme, Metalloprotein, Blue copper protein, Azurin, Electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, Nanoelectrodes, Debye length, Electrochemical charge screening