The structure of a triple complex of plant photosystem I with ferredoxin and plastocyanin

The ability of photosynthetic organisms to use sunlight as a sole source of energy is endowed by two large membrane complexes—photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII). PSI and PSII are the fundamental components of oxygenic photosynthesis, providing oxygen, food and an energy source for most living organisms on Earth. Currently, high-resolution crystal structures of these complexes from various organisms are available. The crystal structures of megadalton complexes have revealed excitation transfer and electron-transport pathways within the various complexes. PSI is defined as plastocyanin–ferredoxin oxidoreductase but a high-resolution structure of the entire triple supercomplex is not available. Here, using a new cryo-electron microscopy technique, we solve the structure of native plant PSI in complex with its electron donor plastocyanin and the electron acceptor ferredoxin. We reveal all of the contact sites and the modes of interaction between the interacting electron carriers and PSI.