Bioinorganic Chemistry of Metals Related to Photosynthesis

Abstract

Many inorganic elements play fundamental role in biochemical processes, such as photosynthesis, which is an incredibly important biological processes in this planet. This paper reviewed the role of Mg, Mn, Cu and Fe in photosynthesis. Magnesium plays a role in maintaining the structure of chlorophyll, due to its appropriate size, charge, and redox-inert feature. Manganese is required for photosynthetic O2 evolution. Copper and iron usually form metalloproteins with ligands such as halide and amino acid residual and serve as electron transporters in PSI and PSII. In the past a couple of decades, structures of major redox metalloproteins and principles of important photosynthetic reactions have been intensively studied, and significant progresses have been made. However, there are still a number of ambiguous points that need to be clarified.