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A Hydrogen-Bond Stabilized Mechanism Of Oxygen Evolution In Photosystem Ii: A Proposed Computational Experiment, Christopher King

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The ability of plants to take in water and release oxygen into the atmosphere is crucial to the survival of life on Earth. During photosynthesis, water is oxidized to O₂ (dioxygen) at the Oxygen Evolving Complex (OEC) of Photosystem II. Structurally, the OEC resembles a box with an open lid, consisting of metal atoms (four manganese and one calcium) bridged by oxygen atoms. The mechanism of action of this complex, however, is not well understood. Various mechanisms have been proposed in recent years to explain how the OEC oxidizes water to dioxygen, but all of these mechanisms contain gaps …