Photo-isomerization of the isolated photoactive yellow protein chromophore: what comes before the primary step?

Anstöter, Cate S.; Curchod, Basile F.E.; Verlet, Jan R.R.

Abstract

Photoactive proteins typically rely on structural changes in a small chromophore to initiate a biological response. While these changes often involve isomerization as the “primary step”, preceding this is an ultrafast relaxation of the molecular framework caused by the sudden change in electronic structure upon photoexcitation. Here, we capture this motion for an isolated model chromophore of the photoactive yellow protein using time-resolved photoelectron imaging. It occurs in <150 fs and is apparent from a spectral shift of ∼70 meV and a change in photoelectron anisotropy. Electronic structure calculations enable the quantitative assignment of the geometric and electronic structure changes to a planar intermediate from which the primary step can then proceed.

Citation

Anstöter, C. S., Curchod, B. F., & Verlet, J. R. (2022). Photo-isomerization of the isolated photoactive yellow protein chromophore: what comes before the primary step?. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 24(3), 1305-1309. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1cp05259d

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 23, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Dec 23, 2021
• Publication Date: Jan 21, 2022
• Deposit Date: Mar 15, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 23, 2022
• Journal: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
• Print ISSN: 1463-9076
• Electronic ISSN: 1463-9084
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 1305-1309
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d1cp05259d
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1215172