Collaborative Research: Unraveling the Initial Charge Separation Mechanism in Photosystem I: A synergistic Approach

合作研究：揭示光系统 I 中的初始电荷分离机制：一种协同方法

• 批准号: 2313482
• 负责人: Wu Xu
• 金额: $ 45万
• 依托单位: University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-15 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2313482&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Unraveling; Initial; Charge; Collaborative; Research; Unraveling; Initial; Charge

With the support of the Chemistry of Life Processes program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Wu Xu from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Professors Sergei Savikhin and Lyudmila Slipchenko from Purdue University will investigate the molecular mechanism of the initial charge transfer in photosystem I complex. Photosystem I is found in all plants, algae, and oxygenic bacteria on Earth. It is one of the major components of photosynthetic machinery that captures the energy of sunlight and powers life on the planet. The goal of the proposed research is to provide a detailed and unambiguous picture of the process that enables photosystem I to convert absorbed sunlight into motion of charges, i.e. electrical current. The work will be conducted through the unique synergistic combination of genetic engineering, ultrafast optical spectroscopy, and predictive molecular modeling. A practical value of the proposed research is in its potential impact on the advancement of natural and bio-inspired systems for energy production. This work will provide graduate and undergraduate students with truly multidisciplinary experience and reinforce the role of such collaborations in the future generation of scientists.Despite three decades of intense investigation, critical details of charge separation in photosystem I are still lacking. There is no consensus on the kinetics and molecular mechanism of the primary charge separation in the photosystem I reaction center. The proposed work will address these research questions. Genetic engineering targeting the properties of various cofactors within the photosystem I reaction center combined with ultrafast optical spectroscopy will provide a wealth of data that carries indirect information on the electron transfer in the complex. This data will be used to validate and refine first-principles modeling strategies in which the only experimental input is the structure of the photosystem I complex. The validated first-principles model will facilitate the interpretation of the experimental data and suggest new specific mutations with anticipated effects on photosystem I properties. This multifaceted, synergistic project is being conducted by a team of investigators who have extensive expertise and experience in photosynthetic research and an established track record of collaboration.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

在化学过程中的化学过程中的支持下，路易斯安那大学拉斐特大学的Wu Xu教授以及普渡大学的Sergei Savikhin和Lyudmila Slipchenko教授将研究Photosystem I In Complect中初始电荷转移的分子机制。光系统I在地球上的所有植物，藻类和氧细菌中都发现。它是光合机制的主要组成部分之一，可捕捉阳光的能量并为地球上的生命提供动力。拟议的研究的目的是提供详细且明确的图片，使光系统I能够将吸收的阳光转化为电荷的运动，即电流。这项工作将通过基因工程，超快光谱和预测分子建模的独特协同组合进行。拟议的研究的实用价值在于其对能源生产的自然和生物启发系统的进步的潜在影响。这项工作将为毕业生和本科生提供真正的多学科经验，并加强了此类合作在未来一代科学家中的作用。尽管进行了三十年的激烈调查，但仍缺乏光学系统的收费分离的关键细节。在光系统I反应中心的主要电荷分离的动力学和分子机制上没有共识。拟议的工作将解决这些研究问题。针对光系统I反应中心中各种辅助因子与超快光谱的特性的基因工程将提供大量数据，这些数据传递有关复合物中电子传递的间接信息。该数据将用于验证和完善第一原理建模策略，其中唯一的实验输入是光系统I复合物的结构。经过验证的第一原理模型将促进实验数据的解释，并提出对光系统I属性产生预期影响的新特定突变。这个多方面的协同项目是由一组研究人员进行的，他们在光合研究方面拥有丰富的专业知识和经验，并建立了协作的良好记录。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的审查标准来通过评估来通过评估来获得支持的。