From proton microdomains to protein migration: hypothesis for ΔpH-controlled PSII relocation.

Local lumenal pH may regulate PSII complex movement and maturation within thylakoid membranes through multiple mechanisms.

• Why it matters: Understanding how PSII complexes are dynamically organized is crucial for insights into photosynthesis efficiency and thylakoid membrane regulation, yet the role of lumenal pH remains unclear.
• What they did: The hypothesis outlines five potential pathways—pH-dependent protein affinities, lumenal protease activity, membrane packing, proton microdomains, and electrostatic shifts—by which lumenal pH could influence protein dynamics.
• The result: These mechanisms suggest that lumenal pH might serve as a co-regulatory parameter, integrating biochemical and biophysical cues to maintain PSII homeostasis and thylakoid organization.