STRUCTURE-FUNCTION OF MEMBRANE PROTEIN COMPLEXES INVOLVED IN OXYGENIC PHOTOSYNTHESIS

<p>Three aspects of the electron transport chain have been investigated in the present studies: (<b>i</b>) structure-function studies of the central proton-electron conducting cytochrome <i>b</i>₆<i>f</i>complex, focusing on the effect of lipids in structural stabilization and electron transfer function; (<b>ii</b>) transmembrane electron transfer pathways in the cytochrome <i>b</i>₆<i>f</i>and mitochondrial cytochrome <i>bc</i>₁complexes, determined by heterogeneity in the internal polarity of the membrane protein complexes; and (<b>iii</b>) purification and characterization of a novel ~1 MDa supercomplex, dominated by the presence of photosystem I (PSI), ATP-synthase and ferredoxin-NADP⁺reductase (FNR) from higher plant system <i>Spinacea</i>.<b></b></p>