Conformational Flexibility of D1-Glu189: A Crucial Determinant in Substrate Water Selection, Positioning, and Stabilization within the Oxygen-Evolving Complex of Photosystem II

Photosynthetic water oxidation is a vital process responsible for producing dioxygen and supplying the energy necessary to sustain life on Earth. This fundamental reaction is catalyzed by the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II, which houses the Mn₄CaO₅ cluster as its catalytic core. In this study, we specifically focus on the D1-Glu189 amino acid residue, which serves as a direct ligand to the Mn₄CaO₅ cluster. Our primary goal is to explore, using density functional theory (DFT), how the conformational flexibility of the D1-Glu189 side chain influences crucial catalytic processes, particularly the selection, positioning, and stabilization of a substrate water molecule within the OEC. Our investigation is based on a hypothesis put forth by Li et al. (Nature, 2024, 626, 670), which suggests that during the transition from the S₂ to S₃ state, a specific water molecule temporarily coordinating with the Ca ion, referred to as O6*, may exist as a hydroxide ion (OH^–). Our results demonstrate a key mechanism by which the detachment of the D1-Glu189 carboxylate group from its coordination with the Ca ion allows the creation of a specialized microenvironment within the OEC that enables the selective attraction of O6* in its deprotonated form (OH^–) and stabilizes it at the catalytic metal (Mn_D) site. Our findings indicate that D1-Glu189 is not only a structural ligand for the Ca ion but may also play an active and dynamic role in the catalytic process, positioning O6* optimally for its subsequent participation in the oxidation sequence during the water-splitting cycle.