Structural studies on photosystem II of cyanobacteria

Photosynthesis is one of the most important chemical processes in the biosphere responsible for the maintenance of life on Earth. Light energy is converted into energy of chemical bonds in photoreaction centers, which, in particular, include photosystem II (PS II). PS II is a multisubunit pigment-protein complex located in the thylakoid membrane of cyanobacteria, algae and plants. PS II realizes the first stage of solar energy conversion that results in decomposition of water to molecular oxygen, protons, and bound electrons via a series of consecutive reactions. During recent years, considerable progress has been achieved in determination of the spatial structures of PS II from various cyanobacteria. In the present review, we outline the current state of crystallographic studies on PS II.