The O-2-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII) contains a tetramanganese (Mn-4) cluster, a redox-active tyrosine, and Ca2+/Cl- ions, but its molecular structure has not been determined. Vibrational spectroscopy has the potential of providing new structural information for the OEC, particularly the Mn4 cluster. Toward this goal, the vibrational characteristics of the OEC of PSII were examined using near-infrared (NIR) excitation Raman spectroscopy. NIR excitation decreases the background contribution from chlorophyll emission/ Raman scattering and affords the opportunity of probing selectively low-energy electronic transitions of the Mn-4 cluster. The primary emphasis of the Raman study was on the low-frequency range of the spectrum (220-620 cm(-1)) where Mn-ligand vibrational modes are expected to occur. The low-frequency region was examined for both the S-1 and S-2 oxidation states of the Mn-4 cluster. A particular effort was made to probe a NIR transition of the S-2 State that has been reported to mediate photoconversion from the multiline to the g = 4.1 form of the St state [Boussac et al. Biochemistry 1996, 35, 6984-6989]. The Raman studies revealed the following: (1) the Raman spectra of Mn-depleted PSII and PSII in the S-2 State are nearly identical; (2) the Raman spectrum of PSII in the S-1 state displays several unique low-frequency bands not present in the St state that can be assigned as Mn-ligand vibrational modes and appear to maximize in intensity at lambda(ex) similar to 820 nm; and (3) several of the S-1 state Raman bands are shifted by D2O/H2O exchange. Collectively, these results indicate that the S-1 state of the Mn-4 cluster (1) has a NIR electronic transition from which resonance enhanced Raman scattering can be induced and (2) is coordinated by at least two H2O or OH- groups. The studies reported herein also demonstrate the potential of NIR-excitation Raman techniques for probing selectively the OEC in PSII and, in particular, for characterizing the coordination environment of the Mn-4 cluster.