Knowledge of the manganese oxidation states of the oxygen-evolving Mn₄CaO₅ cluster in photosystem II (PSII) is crucial toward understanding the mechanism of biological water oxidation. There is a 4 decade long debate on this topic that historically originates from the observation of a multiline electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal with effective total spin of S = 1/2 in the singly oxidized S₂ state of this cluster. This signal implies an overall oxidation state of either Mn(III)₃Mn(IV) or Mn(III)Mn(IV)₃ for the S₂ state. These 2 competing assignments are commonly known as “low oxidation (LO)” and “high oxidation (HO)” models of the Mn₄CaO₅ cluster. Recent advanced EPR and Mn K-edge X-ray spectroscopy studies converge upon the HO model. However, doubts about these assignments have been voiced, fueled especially by studies counting the number of flash-driven electron removals required for the assembly of an active Mn₄CaO₅ cluster starting from Mn(II) and Mn-free PSII. This process, known as photoactivation, appeared to support the LO model since the first oxygen is reported to evolve already after 7 flashes. In this study, we improved the quantum yield and sensitivity of the photoactivation experiment by employing PSII microcrystals that retained all protein subunits after complete manganese removal and by oxygen detection via a custom built thin-layer cell connected to a membrane inlet mass spectrometer. We demonstrate that 9 flashes by a nanosecond laser are required for the production of the first oxygen, which proves that the HO model provides the correct description of the Mn₄CaO₅ cluster’s oxidation states.

Ferrous chloride complexes [FeIILxCl] commonly attain a high-spin state independently of the supporting ligand(s) and temperature. Herein, we present the first report of a complete spin crossover with T1/2 = 80 K in [FeII(Py5OH)Cl]+ (Py5OH = pyridine-2,6-diylbis[di(pyridin-2-yl)methanol]). Both spin forms of the complex are analyzed by X-ray spectroscopy and DFT calculations.

Herein, we communicate about an Earth-abundant semiconductor photocathode (p-Si/TiO₂/NiO_x) as an alternative for the rare and expensive Pt as a counter electrode for overall photoelectrochemical water splitting. The proposed photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting device mimics the "Z"-scheme observed in natural photosynthesis by combining two photoelectrodes in a parallelillumination mode. A nearly 60% increase in the photocurrent density (J_ph) for pristine α-Fe₂O₃ and a 77% increase in the applied bias photocurrent efficiency (ABPE) were achieved by replacing the conventionally used Pt cathode with an efficient, cost effective p-Si/TiO₂/NiO_x photocathode under parallel illumination. The resulting photocurrent density of 1.26 mA cm⁻² at 1.23V_RHE represents a new record performance for hydrothermally grown pristine α-Fe₂O₃ nanorod photoanodes in combination with a photocathode, which opens the prospect for further improvement by doping α-Fe₂O₃ or by its decoration with co-catalysts. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements suggest that this significant performance increase is due to the enhancement of the space-charge field in α-Fe₂O_3. 

High solar flux is known to diminish photosynthetic growth rates, reducing biomass productivity and lowering disease tolerance. Photosystem II (PSII) of plants is susceptible to photodamage (also known as photoinactivation) in strong light, resulting in severe loss of water oxidation capacity and destruction of the water‐oxidizing complex (WOC). The repair of damaged PSIIs comes at a high energy cost and requires de novo biosynthesis of damaged PSII subunits, reassembly of the WOC inorganic cofactors and membrane remodeling. Employing membrane‐inlet mass spectrometry and O2‐polarography under flashing light conditions, we demonstrate that newly synthesized PSII complexes are far more susceptible to photodamage than are mature PSII complexes. We examined these ‘PSII birth defects’ in barley seedlings and plastids (etiochloroplasts and chloroplasts) isolated at various times during de‐etiolation as chloroplast development begins and matures in synchronization with thylakoid membrane biogenesis and grana membrane formation. We show that the degree of PSII photodamage decreases simultaneously with biogenesis of the PSII turnover efficiency measured by O2‐polarography, and with grana membrane stacking, as determined by electron microscopy. Our data from fluorescence, QB‐inhibitor binding, and thermoluminescence studies indicate that the decline of the high‐light susceptibility of PSII to photodamage is coincident with appearance of electron transfer capability QA− → QB during de‐etiolation. This rate depends in turn on the downstream clearing of electrons upon buildup of the complete linear electron transfer chain and the formation of stacked grana membranes capable of longer‐range energy transfer.

Earth-abundant cobalt-doped hematite thin-film electrocatalysts were explored for acidic water oxidation. The strategically doped hematite produced a stable geometric current density of 10 mA cm(-2) for up to 50 h at pH 0.3, as a result of Co-enhanced intrinsic catalytic activity and charge transport properties across the film matrix.

Nature's water splitting cofactor passes through a series of catalytic intermediates (S-0-S-4) before O-O bond formation and O-2 release. In the second last transition (S-2 to S-3) cofactor oxidation is coupled to water molecule binding to Mn1. It is this activated, water-enriched all Mn-IV form of the cofactor that goes on to form the O-O bond, after the next light-induced oxidation to S-4. How cofactor activation proceeds remains an open question. Here, we report a so far not described intermediate (S-3') in which cofactor oxidation has occurred without water insertion. This intermediate can be trapped in a significant fraction of centers (> 50%) in (i) chemical-modified cofactors in which Ca2+ is exchanged with Sr2+; the Mn4O5Sr cofactor remains active, but the S-2-S-3 and S-3-S-0 transitions are slower than for the Mn4O5Ca cofactor; and (ii) upon addition of 3% vol/vol methanol; methanol is thought to act as a substrate water analog. The S-3' electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal is significantly broader than the untreated S-3 signal (2.5 T vs. 1.5 T), indicating the cofactor still contains a 5-coordinate Mn ion, as seen in the preceding S-2 state. Magnetic double resonance data extend these findings revealing the electronic connectivity of the S-3' cofactor is similar to the high spin form of the preceding S-2 state, which contains a cuboidal Mn3O4Ca unit tethered to an external, 5-coordinate Mn ion (Mn-4). These results demonstrate that cofactor oxidation regulates water molecule insertion via binding to Mn-4. The interaction of ammonia with the cofactor is also discussed.

In nature, an oxo‐bridged Mn4CaO5 cluster embedded in photosystem II (PSII), a membrane‐bound multi‐subunit pigment protein complex, catalyzes the water oxidation reaction that is driven by light‐induced charge separations in the reaction center of PSII. The Mn4CaO5 cluster accumulates four oxidizing equivalents to enable the four‐electron four‐proton catalysis of two water molecules to one dioxygen molecule and cycles through five intermediate S‐states, S0 – S4 in the Kok cycle. One important question related to the catalytic mechanism of the oxygen‐evolving complex (OEC) that remains is, whether structural isomers are present in some of the intermediate S‐states and if such equilibria are essential for the mechanism of the O‐O bond formation. Here we compare results from electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) obtained at cryogenic temperatures for the S2state of PSII with structural data collected of the S1, S2 and S3 states by serial crystallography at neutral pH (∼6.5) using an X‐ray free electron laser at room temperature. While the cryogenic data show the presence of at least two structural forms of the S2 state, the room temperature crystallography data can be well‐described by just one S2 structure. We discuss the deviating results and outline experimental strategies for clarifying this mechanistically important question.

With this Tribute, we remember and honor Thomas John (Tom) Wydrzynski. Tom was a highly innovative, independent and committed researcher, who had, early in his career, defined his life-long research goal. He was committed to understand how Photosystem II produces molecular oxygen from water, using the energy of sunlight, and to apply this knowledge towards making artificial systems. In this tribute, we summarize his research journey, which involved working on soft money' in several laboratories around the world for many years, as well as his research achievements. We also reflect upon his approach to life, science and student supervision, as we perceive it. Tom was not only a thoughtful scientist that inspired many to enter this field of research, but also a wonderful supervisor and friend, who is deeply missed (see footnote*).

Photosynthetic water oxidation is catalyzed by the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) in photosystem II (PSII). This process is energetically driven by light-induced charge separation in the reaction center of PSII, which leads to a stepwise accumulation of oxidizing equivalents in the OEC (S-i states, i=0-4) resulting in O-2 evolution after each fourth flash, and to the reduction of plastoquinone to plastoquinol on the acceptor side of PSII. However, the S-i-state advancement is not perfect, which according to the Kok model is described by miss-hits (misses). These may be caused by redox equilibria or kinetic limitations on the donor (OEC) or the acceptor side. In this study, we investigate the effects of individual S state transitions and of the quinone acceptor side on the miss parameter by analyzing the flash-induced oxygen evolution patterns and the S-2, S-3 and S-0 state lifetimes in thylakoid samples of the extremophilic red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae. The data are analyzed employing a global fit analysis and the results are compared to the data obtained previously for spinach thylakoids. These two organisms were selected, because the redox potential of Q(A)/Q(A)(-) in PSII is significantly less negative in C. merolae (E-m=-104mV) than in spinach (E-m=-163mV). This significant difference in redox potential was expected to allow the disentanglement of acceptor and donor side effects on the miss parameter. Our data indicate that, at slightly acidic and neutral pH values, the E-m of Q(A)(-)/Q(A) plays only a minor role for the miss parameter. By contrast, the increased energy gap for the backward electron transfer from Q(A)(-) to Pheo slows down the charge recombination reaction with the S-3 and S-2 states considerably. In addition, our data support the concept that the S-2 S-3 transition is the least efficient step during the oxidation of water to molecular oxygen in the Kok cycle of PSII.