Obituary: Professor Alexander Kessenikh (1932-2021)

On September 15, 2021, professor Alexander V. Kessenikh died. He was known for his works on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and history of science

A Review of the Dawn of Benchtop EPR Spectrometers—Innovation That Shaped the Future of This Technology

By the early 1980s, unique devices appeared in the USSR: a series of benchtop specialized EPR spectrometers. This equipment was quickly accepted not only in science but also in medicine and in many technical and economic areas including chemical industries and geologic exploration. The appearance of these devices was perceived as a salvation for the Soviet magnetic resonance (MR) scientific instrumentation by those who worked in the field of EPR spectroscopy in the USSR. (However, the program of MR scientific instrumentation ceased to exist along with the USSR a few years later). The Belarusian State University in Minsk was the center of these developments. At that moment and for many years afterwards, these devices were unique with no analogues in the worldwide EPR industry. They remained the only mass-produced MR spectrometers on the territory of the former USSR after its collapse. For the first time, based on archival materials, patents, and our personal memoirs, we describe the development of these EPR spectrometers and discuss the most original technical solutions and the scientific tasks solved with this equipment We also remember the participants of the work, showing the historical context of these events

Spectrum of Light as a Determinant of Plant Functioning: A Historical Perspective

The significance of the spectral composition of light for growth and other physiological functions of plants moved to the focus of “plant science” soon after the discovery of photosynthesis, if not earlier. The research in this field recently intensified due to the explosive development of computer-controlled systems for artificial illumination and documenting photosynthetic activity. The progress is also substantiated by recent insights into the molecular mechanisms of photo-regulation of assorted physiological functions in plants mediated by photoreceptors and other pigment systems. The spectral balance of solar radiation can vary significantly, affecting the functioning and development of plants. Its effects are evident on the macroscale (e.g., in individual plants growing under the forest canopy) as well as on the meso- or microscale (e.g., mutual shading of leaf cell layers and chloroplasts). The diversity of the observable effects of light spectrum variation arises through (i) the triggering of different photoreceptors, (ii) the non-uniform efficiency of spectral components in driving photosynthesis, and (iii) a variable depth of penetration of spectral components into the leaf. We depict the effects of these factors using the spectral dependence of chloroplast photorelocation movements interlinked with the changes in light penetration into (light capture by) the leaf and the photosynthetic capacity. In this review, we unfold the history of the research on the photocontrol effects and put it in the broader context of photosynthesis efficiency and photoprotection under stress caused by a high intensity of light

Molecular dynamics study of the primary charge separation reactions in Photosystem I: Effect of the replacement of the axial ligands to the electron acceptor A0

AbstractMolecular dynamics (MD) calculations, a semi-continuum (SC) approach, and quantum chemistry (QC) calculations were employed together to investigate the molecular mechanics of ultrafast charge separation reactions in Photosystem I (PS I) of Thermosynechococcus elongatus. A molecular model of PS I was developed with the aim to relate the atomic structure with electron transfer events in the two branches of cofactors. A structural flexibility map of PS I was constructed based on MD simulations, which demonstrated its rigid hydrophobic core and more flexible peripheral regions. The MD model permitted the study of atomic movements (dielectric polarization) in response to primary and secondary charge separations, while QC calculations were used to estimate the direct chemical effect of the A0A/A0B ligands (Met or Asn in the 688/668 position) on the redox potential of chlorophylls A0A/A0B and phylloquinones A1A/A1B. A combination of MD and SC approaches was used to estimate reorganization energies λ of the primary (λ1) and secondary (λ2) charge separation reactions, which were found to be independent of the active branch of electron transfer; in PS I from the wild type, λ1 was estimated to be 390±20mV, while λ2 was estimated to be higher at 445±15mV. MD and QC approaches were used to describe the effect of substituting Met688PsaA/Met668PsaB by Asn688PsaA/Asn668PsaB on the energetics of electron transfer. Unlike Met, which has limited degrees of freedom in the site, Asn was found to switch between two relatively stable conformations depending on cofactor charge. The introduction of Asn and its conformation flexibility significantly affected the reorganization energy of charge separation and the redox potentials of chlorophylls A0A/A0B and phylloquinones A1A/A1B, which may explain the experimentally observed slowdown of secondary electron transfer in the M688NPsaA variant. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Photosynthesis research for sustainability: Keys to produce clean energy

Mutant Cytochrome C as a Potential Detector of Superoxide Generation: Effect of Mutations on the Function and Properties

Cytochrome c (CytC) is a single-electron carrier between complex bc1 and cytochrome c-oxidase (CcO) in the electron transport chain (ETC). It is also known as a good radical scavenger but its participation in electron flow through the ETC makes it impossible to use CytC as a radical sensor. To solve this problem, a series of mutants were constructed with substitutions of Lys residues in the universal binding site (UBS) which interact electrostatically with negatively charged Asp and Glu residues at the binding sites of CytC partners, bc1 complex and CcO. The aim of this study was to select a mutant that had lost its function as an electron carrier in the ETC, retaining the structure and ability to quench radicals. It was shown that a mutant CytC with substitutions of five (8Mut) and four (5Mut) Lys residues in the UBS was almost inactive toward CcO. However, all mutant proteins kept their antioxidant activity sufficiently with respect to the superoxide radical. Mutations shifted the dipole moment of the CytC molecule due to seriously changed electrostatics on the surface of the protein. In addition, a decrease in the redox potential of the protein as revealed by the redox titrations of 8Mut was detected. Nevertheless, the CD spectrum and dynamic light scattering suggested no significant changes in the secondary structure or aggregation of the molecules of CytC 8Mut. Thus, a variant 8Mut with multiple mutations in the UBS which lost its ability to electron transfer and saved most of its physico-chemical properties can be effectively used as a detector of superoxide generation both in mitochondria and in other systems