Ultrafast carotenoid-to-chlorophyll singlet energy transfer in the cytochrome b6f complex from Bryopsis corticulans

Ultrafast carotenoid-to-chlorophyll (Car-to-Chl) singlet excitation energy transfer in the cytochrome b(6)f (Cyt b(6)f) complex from Bryopsis corticulans is investigated by the use of femtosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy. For all-trans-alpha-carotene free in n-hexane, the lifetimes of the two low-lying singlet excited states, S(1)(2A(g)(-)) and S(2)(1B(u)(+)), are determined to be 14.3 +/- 0.4 ps and 230 +/- 10 fs, respectively. For the Cyt b(6)f complex, to which 9-cis-alpha-carotene is bound, the lifetime of the S(1)(2A(g)(-)) state remains unchanged, whereas that of the S(2)(1B(u)(+)) state is significantly reduced. In addition, a decay-to-rise correlation between the excited-state dynamics of alpha-carotene and Chl a is clearly observed. This spectroscopic evidence proves that the S(2)(1B(u)(+)) state is able to transfer electronic excitations to the Q(x) state of Chl a, whereas the S(1)(2A(g)(-)) state remains inactive. The time constant and the partial efficiency of the energy transfer are determined to be 240 +/- 40 fs and (49 +/- 4)%, respectively, which supports the overall efficiency of 24% determined with steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. A scheme of the alpha-carotene-to-Chl a singlet energy transfer is proposed based on the excited-state dynamics of the pigments.     

Expression of vde Gene Integrated Into Tobacco Genome in Antisense and Overexpressed Ways

Violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) is localised in the thylakoid lumen of chloroplasts and catalyses de-epoxidation of violaxanthin into antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin. Tobacco vde gene was inserted into a binary vector pCAMBIA1301 with the hygromycin resistant gene for selection in antisense and overexpressed ways. Two constructs with antisense and overexpressed vde gene were introduced in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404, PCR and Southern blot analyses demonstrated that the exogenous gene was integrated into genome of tobacco plants. VDE activity assay and HPLC analysis of pigments showed that the vde gene was expressed in the overexpressed transformants, whereas suppressed in the antisense ones. The chlorophyll fluorescence measurements proved that the contents of VDE in transgenic plants have a significant function in non-photochemical quenching.     

A Comparative Study on Function and Membrane Proteins of Chloroplasts of Three Species of Cephalotaxus in Late Winter

Three species of evergreen Cephalotaxus (C. fortunei Hook. f., C. sinensis Li and C. harringtonia cv. Fastigiata) were used as materials to study some functional properties of chloroplasts. It is found that the oxygenevolving capacity of the chloroplasts from these plants is inhibited but partial reaction of PS-II and effect of Mg²⁺ on energy distribution between two photosystems are detectable during the winter. Seasonal effects on the functional properties of chloroplasts from evergreen Cephalotaxus are similar to that of conifer chloroplasts. The ratio between F₆₈₅, F₆₉₅ and F₇₃₅ of fluorescence emission spectra at 77°K of chloroplasts is different among these three species. It is found by using SDS-PAGE that the number of polypeptide resolved from thylakoid membrane of C. harringtonia cv. Fastigiata substantially differs from that of C. fortunei Hook.f. and C. sinensis Li. The result shows that the fluorescence emission spectrum feature and polypeptide composition of thylakoid membrane may be used as a tool for systematics of the genus Cephalotaxus.     

光合细菌原初反应的理论研究

选择光合细菌的原初电子供体P₈₇₀为理论研究对象 ,通过理论计算发现 :( 1 )原初电子供体的双分子结构在能量上比单分子结构更有利 ;( 2 )电荷分离之后 ,原初电子供体的原有空间构型不再是稳定的构型 ,其构型会向能量和化学活性都更低的构型转变 .在光合细菌的P₈₇₀ 中 ,这种转变通过C₃ 位的乙酰基旋转使其氧原子与另 1个细菌叶绿素a分子的镁原子相互作用 ,导致P^+.₈₇₀的总能量和化学活性都明显降低 .认为原初电子供体的构型在原初反应过程中的这种转变对于防止原初反应过程中的电荷重组、维持光能的高效转化有重要意义 .提出了原初反应的新模型 ,并利用这一新机理对最近的动力学和定点突变研究结果给予了较合理的解释 .     

Mutation of Residue Arginine18 of Cytochrome b55α-Subunit and its Effects on Photosystem II Activities in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

It has been known that arginine is used as the basic amino acid in the α-subunit of cytochrome b559 (Cyt b559) except histidine. However, previous studies have focused on the function of histidine in the activities of photosystem (PS) II and there are no reports regarding the structural and/or functional roles of arginine in PSII complexes. In the present study, two arginine18 (R18) mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were constructed using site-directed mutagenesis, in which R18 was replaced by glutamic acid (E) and glycine (G). The results show that the oxygen evolution of the PSII complex in the R18G and R18E mutants was approximately 60% of wild-type (WT) levels and that, after irradiation at high light intensity, oxygen evolution for the PSII of mutants was reduced to zero compared with 40% in WT cells. The efficiency of light capture by PSII (Fv/Fm) of R18G and R18E mutants was approximately 42%–46% that of WT cells. Furthermore, levels of the α-subunit of Cyt b559 and PsbO proteins were reduced in thylakoid membranes compared with WT. Overall, these data suggest that R18 plays a significant role in helping Cyt b559 maintain the structure of the PSII complex and its activity, although it is not directly bound to the heme group.     

光系统Ⅱ核心复合物的化学修饰及其光谱性质研究

光系统II核心复合物的化学修饰及其光谱性质研究 李淑芹 陈耀东 唐崇钦 李良璧 匡廷云 （中国科学院植物研究所光合作用研究中心,北京100093）     

Photosystem Development in Dark-grown Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Seedlings (in English)

It is well known that no chlorophyll synthesis and photosystem biogenesis have been detected in dark-grown angiosperm seedlings. However, in this report, we showed that both PSⅡ and PSⅠ could be formed in dark-grown lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) seedlings. Lots of evidence were given: First, during the dark-grown period, the single fluorescence emission peak at 679 nm in lotus embryo red-shifted and transformed into the normal PSⅡ fluorescence emission; Simultaneously, PSⅠ fluorescence emission at 730 nm appeared and increased obviously; Second, with partial denaturing SDS-PAGE method, PSⅠ chlorophyll-protein complex could be clearly separated from 10 days dark-grown lotus seedlings; Third, the existence of Lhca1 was also proved by Western blots. Moreover, measurements of electron transfer rate demonstrated that both PSⅡand PSⅠ core in dark-grown lotus seedlings were photochemically active.     

光敏核不育水稻农垦58S与其衍生不育系的叶绿体DNA的比较

扩增了光敏核不育系农垦58S及从它衍生出来的5个两用核不育系叶绿体DNA的ORF（open reading frame）100、ORF29-TrnC^GCA、rps16（ribosomal proteins16）基因内含子和TrnT^UGU-TrnL^UAA（tRNA^Thr（UGU）-tRNA^-Leu（UAA）等4个片段,并测定了其序列。研究结果表明,粳型光敏核不系农垦58S的叶绿体为粳型。农垦58S衍生的核不育系中,粳型核不育系7001S以及3个籼型核不育系1103S、培矮64S和广占63S的叶绿体DNA为粳型,与选育者提供的细胞质系谱一致。籼型核不育系W6154S的叶绿体DNA为籼型,与选育者提供的细胞质系谱不一致,推断选育者在选育过程中更换过细胞质（曾用不育系作过父本）。5个粳型叶绿体DNA的rps16基因内含子和TrnT^UGU-TrnL^UAA间区的序列相互之间有1-2个单核苷酸的变异。     

Photosynthesis research in the People's Republic of China1

The first research paper on photosynthesis in China was published by T.T. Li² in 1929. Two photosynthesis laboratories were established in Shanghai and Beijing in the 1950s and the 1960s, respectively. A photophosphorylation `intermediate' was discovered after the energy conversion process was separated into light and dark phases in the 1960s. Since the 1980s, research has accelerated at several different levels through efforts of a large number of scientists in China. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.