Two-electron reactions S2QB -->S0QB and S3QB -->S1QB are involved in deactivation of higher S states of the oxygen-evolving complex of Photosystem II.

The oxygen-evolving complex of Photosystem II cycles through five oxidation states (S(0)-S(4)), and dark incubation leads to 25% S(0) and 75% S(1). This distribution cannot be reached with charge recombination reactions between the higher S states and the electron acceptor Q(B)(-). We measured flash-induced oxygen evolution to understand how S(3) and S(2) are converted to lower S states when the electron required to reduce the manganese cluster does not come from Q(B)(-). Thylakoid samples preconditioned to make the concentration of the S(1) state 100% and to oxidize tyrosine Y(D) were illuminated by one or two laser preflashes, and flash-induced oxygen evolution sequences were recorded at various time intervals after the preflashes. The distribution of the S states was calculated from the flash-induced oxygen evolution pattern using an extended Kok model. The results suggest that S(2) and S(3) are converted to lower S states via recombination from S(2)Q(B)(-) and S(3)Q(B)(-) and by a slow change of the state of oxygen-evolving complex from S(3) and S(2) to S(1) and S(0) in reactions with unspecified electron donors. The slow pathway appears to contain two-electron routes, S(2)Q(B) -->S(0)Q(B), and S(3)Q(B) -->S(1)Q(B). The two-electron reactions dominate in intact thylakoid preparations in the absence of chemical additives. The two-electron reaction was replaced by a one-electron-per-step pathway, S(3)Q(B) -->S(2)Q(B) -->S(1)Q(B) in PS II-enriched membrane fragments and in thylakoids measured in the presence of artificial electron acceptors. A catalase effect suggested that H(2)O(2) acts as an electron donor for the reaction S(2)Q(B) -->S(0)Q(B) but added H(2)O(2) did not enhance this reaction.