Nano-sized manganese-calcium cluster in photosystem II

Biochemistry (Mosc). 2014 Apr;79(4):324-36. doi: 10.1134/S0006297914040026.

Abstract

Cyanobacteria, algae, and plants are the manufacturers that release O2 via water oxidation during photosynthesis. Since fossil resources are running out, researchers are now actively trying to use the natural catalytic center of water oxidation found in the photosystem II (PS II) reaction center of oxygenic photosynthetic organisms to synthesize a biomimetic supercatalyst for water oxidation. Success in this area of research will transcend the current bottleneck for the development of energy-conversion schemes based on sunlight. In this review, we go over the structure and function of the water-oxidizing complex (WOC) found in Nature by focusing on the recent advances made by the international research community dedicated to achieve the goal of artificial water splitting based on the WOC of PS II.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Calcium / chemistry
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Manganese / chemistry
  • Manganese / metabolism*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Particle Size
  • Photosynthesis
  • Photosystem II Protein Complex / chemistry
  • Photosystem II Protein Complex / metabolism*
  • Water / chemistry
  • Water / metabolism

Substances

  • Photosystem II Protein Complex
  • Water
  • Manganese
  • Calcium