Two-dimensional crystals of photosystem I in higher plant grana margins

In this report, we present new structural data on the size, shape, and oligomeric form of higher plant photosystem I (PSI) formed within the thylakoid grana margins. We show that PSI complexes can be assembled into ordered molecular monolayers (two-dimensional crystals) using thylakoid membranes from a variety of higher plant sources. Digital image analysis of negatively stained two-dimensional crystals (a = 26.9 nm, b = 28.0 nm, gamma = 90 degrees, p22(1)2(1) plane group) resulted in a projection map consisting of 4 monomers/unit cell. Higher plant PSI is slightly larger than its cyanobacterial equivalent but shows many similar features. Structural changes after urea and salt washing of the crystals supported the biochemical characterization and were mainly assigned to the stromal side of the complex where the psaC, psaD, and psaE gene products are known to be bound, Labeling with ferredoxin colloidal gold complexes provided direct evidence for a segregated PSI population, with 5 nm diameter ferredoxin-gold particles enriched in the thylakoid grana margins and the two-dimensional crystals. This lateral segregation of photosynthetic complexes is important for the understanding of the kinetics of electron transfer between photosystem II and PSI in higher plants.