Plastocyanin stimulation of whole chain and photosystem I electron transport in inside-out thylakoid vesicles

Inside-out and right-side-out thylakoid vesicles were isolated from spinach chloroplasts by aqueous-polymer two-phase (dextran/polyethylene glycol) partitioning. Externally added plastocyanin stimulated the whole-chain and PSI electron transport rates in the inside-out thylakoid vesicles by about 500 and 350%, respectively, compared to about 50% stimulation for both assays in the fraction enriched in right-side-out vesicles. No apparent stimulation by plastocyanin was observed in unbroken Class II thylakoids. The electron transport between PSII and PSI in inside-out thylakoid vesicles appears to be interrupted due to plastocyanin release from the thylakoids by the Yeda press treatment, but it was restored by externally added plastocyanin. The P700 content of the inside-out membrane preparations, measured by chemical and photochemical methods, was 1 P700 per 1100 to 1500 chlorophylls while it was about 1 P700 per 500 chlorophylls for the right-side-out vesicles. The data presented support the concept of lateral heterogeneity of PS I and II in thylakoid membranes, but does not support a virtual or total absence of PSI in the appressed grana partitions. Further, the heterogeneity does not appear to be as extreme as suggested earlier. Although PSI is somewhat depleted in the appressed grana membrane region, there is adequate photochemically active P700, when sufficient plastocyanin is available, to effectively couple PSI electron transfer with the preponderant PSII in linear electron transport.     

Presence of the Photoactive Reaction-Center Chlorophyll of PSI (P700) in Dark-Grown Cells of a Chlorophyll-Deficient Mutant of Chlorella kessleri

Compositions of pigments and polypeptides of pale green membranesthat had been isolated from dark-grown cells of a chlorophyll-deficientmutant of Chlorella kessleri were investigated. They containedChl a in a level corresponding to about 1% of that present inthe thylakoid membranes isolated from autotrophically grownwild-type cells and a trace amount of chlorophyllide a, butneither Chl b nor carotenoids. The polypeptide profile of themutant membranes was similar to that of membranes isolated fromwild-type cells that were grown in the dark. Neither the chlorophyll-bindingsubunits of PSI nor the apoproteins of LHCP were detected bySDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis. However, the light-minus-darkdifference spectrum of the mutant membranes revealed the presenceof the reaction-center chlorophyll of PSI (P700) at a molarratio of 190 chlorophyll (Chl a plus Chlide a) per P700. P700was more stable than Chl a and Chlide a in the light so thatprolonged illumination led to a decline in the Chl/P700 ratioto 24. The initial rate of P700 photooxidation in the mutantmembranes was comparable to that in CP1 isolated from the dark-grownwild-type cells. Under illumination with strong light, the initialrate was decreased in parallel to the decrease in Chl/P700 ratio.The results suggest that most of Chi present in the mutant membranescan transfer excitation energy to P700. (Received March 13, 1998; Accepted August 7, 1998)     

The effects of external electric field on the electron transport system of spinach chloroplasts

Since the thylakoid membranes of an active chloroplast are constantly exposed to the electric fields generated by the electron transport system inside the membranes, we have studied the effects of pretreating chloroplasts of spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves with an external AC (alternating current) electric field on their electron transport system. It was found that a few minutes electric field pretreatment (333 V cm^-1 across chloroplast samples), especially at low frequency, irreversibly inhibited the activity of photosystem II (PSII), but under certain conditions, stimulated that of photosystem I (PSI). From the measurements of fluorescence from PSII, we ascribe the inhibition to a lesion close to its reaction center P680, leading to increased dissipation of excitation energy to heat. The effect on PSI was investigated by the reduction of its reaction center, P700 by various artificial donors. We suggest that the stimulative effect can be attributed to a positive shift of the surface charge density of thylakoid membranes that brings about an increase in the accessibility of exogenous electronegative donors.     

Ferredoxin Cross-Links to a 22 kD Subunit of Photosystem I

We have used a cross-linking approach to study the interaction of ferredoxin (Fd) with photosystem I (PSI). The cross-linking reagent N-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide was found to cross-link spinach Fd to a 22 kilodalton subunit of PSI in both isolated spinach (Spinacia oleracea) PSI complexes and spinach thylakoid membranes. The product had an apparent molecular weight of 38 kilodaltons on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and was identified as a cross-linked product using specific antibodies to Fd and the 22 kilodalton subunit. In both a native PSI complex (200 Chl/P700) and a PSI core complex (100 Chl/P700), a second cross-linked product at 36 kilodaltons was seen. The latter cross-reacted with an antibody to Fd but did not cross-react with antibodies directed against the 24.3, 22, 19, 17.3 or 8.5 kilodalton, or psaC subunits of PSI. Its composition remains to be determined. In thylakoids only the 38 kilodalton product was observed along with a cross-linked complex of Fd and Fd:NADP⁺ reductase.     

Reversed-phase HPLC determination of chlorophyll a' and phylloquinone in Photosystem I of oxygenic photosynthetic organisms. Universal existence of one chlorophyll a' molecule in Photosystem I.

Chlorophyll (Chl) a', the C132-epimer of Chl a, is a constituent of the primary electron donor (P700) of Photosystem (PS) I of a thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus (Thermosynechococcus) elongatus, as was recently demonstrated by X-ray crystallography. To determine whether PS I of oxygenic photosynthetic organisms universally contains one molecule of Chl a', pigment compositions of thylakoid membranes and PS I complexes isolated from the cyanobacteria T. elongatus and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and the green plant spinach, were examined by simultaneous detection of phylloquinone (the secondary electron acceptor of PS I) and Chl a' by reversed-phase HPLC. The results were compared with the Chl a/P700 ratio determined spectrophotometrically. The Chl a'/PS I ratios of thylakoid membranes and PS I were about 1 for all the organisms examined, and one Chl a' molecule was found in PS I even after most of the peripheral subunits were removed. Chl a' showed a characteristic extraction behaviour significantly different from the bulk Chl a in acetone/methanol extraction upon varying the mixing ratio. These findings confirm that a single Chl a' molecule in P700 is the universal feature of PS I of the Chl a-based oxygenic photosynthetic organisms.     

Electron flow to photosystem I from stromal reductants in vivo: the size of the pool of stromal reductants controls the rate of electron donation to both rapidly and slowly reducing photosystem I units

Electron donation from stromal reductants to photosystem I (PSI) was studied using the kinetics of P700(+) (the oxidized primary donor of PSI) reduction in the dark after irradiation of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves. The leaves were treated with diuron and methyl viologen to abolish both the electron flow from PSII and PSI-driven cyclic electron transport. The redox state of P700 was monitored using the absorbance changes at 830 nm (Delta A(830)). Two exponentially decaying components with half-times of about 3 s (the slow component) and about 0.6 s (the fast one) were distinguished in the kinetic curves of Delta A(830) relaxation after a 1-s pulse of far-red light. The complex kinetics of P700(+) reduction thus manifested two types of PSI unit differing in the rate of electron input from stromal reductants. The rates of both kinetic components assayed after 1-s pulses were increased about 20-fold by a short (2-5 min) heat-pretreatment of leaves, indicating the accelerated input of electrons to both types of PSI unit. The increased rates of electron flow to P700(+) were even observed 1.5 h after the action of heat had been completed. Both kinetic components were dramatically slowed down upon irradiation of heat-treated leaves for 20-30 s. Their rates were restored after a short (20-30 s) period of darkness. A 5-min leaf exposure at 38 degrees C was sufficient to stimulate by severalfold the reduction of P700(+) pre-oxidized by a brief light pulse. In contrast, the acceleration of P700(+) reduction after a 1-min irradiation was observed only if leaves were subjected to temperatures above 40 degrees C. Neither heat treatment of leaves nor light-dark modulations in the rates of the fast and the slow components of P700(+) dark reduction influenced the relative magnitudes of the two kinetic components, providing strong additional evidence in favor of two distinct types of PSI existing per se in barley leaves. The key role in the control of the activity of electron donation to P700(+) in both rapidly and slowly reducing PSI units was attributed to the amount of stromal reductants available for P700(+) reduction. The latter was expected to be reduced under illumination in the presence of methyl viologen, while increased again in the dark. The regeneration of the pool of stromal reductants in the dark was likely provided by starch breakdown within the chloroplast stroma, but not by import of reducing equivalents from the cytosol. This was evidenced by much lower rates, compared with 1-h dark-adapted leaves, of dark reduction of both components of P700(+) in leaves stored for 24 h in the dark and thus depleted of starch but containing large amounts of glucose, the respiratory substrate.     

Effects of Dark Adaptation on Light-Induced Electron Transport through Photosystem I in the Cyanobacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synechocystis</Emphasis> sp. PCC 6803

Kinetics of the redox reactions in the reaction center (P700) of photosystem I (PSI) of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 have been studied by EPR spectroscopy. The redox kinetics were recorded based on accumulation of the EPRI signal when the final signal was the sum of individual signals produced in response to illumination of the cells. After prolonged (more than 3 sec) dark intervals between illuminations, the kinetic curve of the EPR signal from P700+ was multiphasic. After a sharp increase in the signal amplitude at the beginning of illumination (phase I), the amplitude rapidly (for 0.1-0.2 sec) decreased (phase II). Then the signal amplitude gradually increased (phase III) until the steady rate of electron transfer was established. With short-term (1 sec) dark intervals between the flashes and also in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), the kinetics of the light-induced increase in the EPR signal from P700+ were monophasic. Inhibition with iodoacetamide of electron transport on the acceptor side of PSI under anaerobic conditions or an increase in the amount of respiration substrates on addition of glucose into a suspension of DCMU-treated wild-type cells increased the level of P700 reduction in phase III. The findings suggest that the kinetic curve of the EPR signal from P700+ is determined by both the electron entrance onto P700+ on the donor side of PSI and activity of electron acceptors of PSI.     

Isolation from Spirulina membranes of two photosystem I-type complexes, one of which contains chlorophyll responsible for the 77 K fluorescence band at 760 nm.

Two types of chlorophyll-protein complexes of photosystem I (PSIa, PSIc) have been isolated from the membranes of Spirulina platensis using a Triton X-100 treatment and chromatography on DEAE-Toyopearl. The complexes are equally enriched with P700 (Chl: P700 = 100-110) but show different electrophoretic molecular masses--140 (PSIa) and 320 kDa (PSIc)--and differ in the content of long-wavelength absorbing Chl. PSIa has a typical PSI fluorescence band at 730 nm (F730) as the main band at 77 K, whereas PSIc is responsible for F760, the intensity of which depends on the redox state of P700. PSIc only shows 77 K light-induced variable fluorescence at 760 typical of Spirulina membranes and cells.     

Reduction of photosystem I reaction center by recombinant DrgA protein in isolated thylakoid membranes of the cyanobacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synechocystis</Emphasis> sp. PCC 6803

To study the function of soluble NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 encoded by drgA gene, recombinant DrgA protein carrying 12 histidine residues on the C-terminal end was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Recombinant DrgA is a flavoprotein that exhibits quinone reductase and nitroreductase activities with NAD(P)H as the electron donor. Using EPR spectroscopy, it was demonstrated that addition of recombinant DrgA protein and NADPH to DCMU-treated isolated thylakoid membranes of the cyanobacterium increased the dark rereduction rate of the photosystem I reaction center (P700⁺). Thus, DrgA can participate in electron transfer from NADPH to the electron transport chain of the Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 thylakoid membrane.     

The two histidine axial ligands of the primary electron donor chlorophylls (P700) in photosystem I are similarly perturbed upon P700+ formation

The extent of delocalization of the positive charge in the oxidized dimer of chlorophyll (Chl) constituting P700, the primary electron donor of photosystem I (PSI), has been investigated by analyzing the perturbation upon P700(+) formation of infrared (IR) vibrational modes of the two His axial ligands of the two P700 Chl molecules. Fourier transform IR (FTIR) difference spectra of the photooxidation of P700 in PSI core complexes isolated from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 isotopically labeled either globally with (15)N or more specifically with (13)C on all the His residues reveal isotopic shifts of a differential signal at 1102/1108 cm(-)(1). This signal is assigned to a downshift upon P700(+) formation of the predominantly C(5)-Ntau imidazole stretching mode of His residue(s). The amplitude of this signal is reduced by approximately half in FTIR spectra of Synechocystis mutants in which His PsaB 651, the axial ligand to one of the two Chl molecules in P700, is replaced by Cys, Gln, or Leu. These observations provide further evidence that the positive charge in P700(+) is essentially delocalized over the two Chl molecules, in agreement with a previous FTIR study in which the frequency of the vibrational modes of the 9-keto and 10a-ester C=O groups of the two Chl's in P700, P700(+), and (3)P700 were firmly established for the first time [Breton, J., et al. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 11585-11592]. Only limited perturbations of the amplitude and frequency of the 9-keto and 10a-ester C=O bands of the P700 Chl are elicited by the mutations. On the basis of comparable mutational studies of the primary electron donor in purple bacteria, these perturbations are attributed to small molecular rearrangements of the Chl macrocycle and substituents caused by the repositioning of the P700 dimer in the new protein cavity generated by the mutations. It is proposed that the perturbation of the FTIR spectra upon mutation of a His axial ligand of the P700 Chl recently reported in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii [Hastings, G., et al. (2001) Biochemistry 40, 12943-12949] can be explained by the same effect without the need for a new assignment of the C=O bands of P700. The distribution of charge/spin in P700(+) and (3)P700 determined by FTIR spectroscopy is discussed in relation with the contrasting interpretations derived from recent magnetic resonance experiments.     

Regulation of energy dissipation in photosystem I by the redox state of the plastoquinone pool

The effect of exogenous plastoquinone (PQ) on the different deexcitation pathways of photosystem I (PSI) was investigated. Addition of oxidized decyl-plastoquinone (dPQ) and PQ-2 strongly quenched the chlorophyll (Chl) emission spectra of PSI submembrane fractions over all wavelengths. This quenching increased with the concentration of exogenous PQ added and followed the modified Stern-Volmer law. The Stern-Volmer constants found for dPQ and PQ-2 were 1.25 x 10(6) M-1 and 0.55 x 10(6) M-1, respectively, and the fraction of fluorescence accessible to the quencher was 0.7 for both exogenous PQ. dPQ and PQ-2 also retarded the P700 photooxidation measured under limiting actinic light irradiances. Photoacoustic measurements showed that addition of dPQ increased the heat dissipation and decreased the photochemical capacity of PSI. From these results, exogenous oxidized PQ were shown to efficiently quench the Chl excited state in the PSI antenna and change the balance between Chl deexcitation pathways. Moreover, reduction of the endogenous PQ pool in whole thylakoid membranes by NADPH increased PSI fluorescence by 65%, indicating the importance of the redox state of the PQ pool on PSI energy dissipation.     

Influence of the axial ligands on the spectral properties of P700 of photosystem I: a study of site-directed mutants

Two histidines provide the axial ligands of the two chlorophyll a (Chl a) molecules which form the primary electron donor (P700) of photosystem I (PSI). Histidine 676 in the protein subunit PsaA, His(A676), and histidine 656 in subunit PsaB, His(B656), were replaced in the green algae Chlamydomnas reinhardtii by site-directed mutagenesis with nonpolar, uncharged polar, acidic, and basic amino acid residues. Only the substitutions with uncharged polar residues led to a significant accumulation of PSI in the thylakoid membranes. These PSI complexes were isolated and the physical properties of the primary donor characterized. The midpoint potential of P700(+)(*)/P700 was increased in all mutants (up to 140 mV) and showed a dependence on size and polarizability of the residues when His(B656) was substituted. In the light-minus-dark absorbance spectra, all mutations in PsaB exhibited an additional bleaching band at 665 nm at room temperature comparable with the published spectrum for the replacement of His(B656) with asparagine [Webber, A. N., Su Hui, Bingham, S. E., K?ss, H., Krabben, L., Kuhn, M., Jordan, R., Schlodder, E., and Lubitz, W. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 12857-12863]. Substitutions of His(A676) showed an additional shoulder around 680 nm. In the low-temperature absorbance difference spectra of P700(+)(*)/P700, a blue shift of the main bleaching band by 2 nm and some changes in the spectral features around 660 nm were observed for mutations of His(B656) in PsaB. The analogous substitution in PsaA showed only a shift of the main bleaching band. Similar effects of the mutations were found in the (3)P700/P700 absorbance difference spectra at low temperatures (T = 2 K). The zero-field splitting parameters of (3)P700 were not significantly changed in the mutated PSI complexes. The electron spin density distribution of P700(+)(*), determined by ENDOR spectroscopy, was only changed when His(B656) was replaced. In all measurements, two general observations were made. (i) The replacement of His(B656) had a much stronger impact on the physical properties of P700 than the mutation of His(A676). (ii) The exchange of His(B656) with glutamine induces the smallest changes in the spectra or the midpoint potential, whereas the other replacements exhibited a stronger but very similar influence on the spectroscopic features of P700. The data provide convincing evidence that the unpaired electron in the cation radical and the triplet state of P700 are mainly localized on the Chl a of the dimer which is axially coordinated by His(B656).     

Function of chlorophyll d in reaction centers of photosystems I and II of the oxygenic photosynthesis of Acaryochloris marina

Reaction center chlorophylls (Chls) in photosystems II and I were studied in the isolated thylakoid membranes of a cyanobacterium, Acaryochloris marina, which contains Chls d and a as the major and minor pigments, respectively. The membranes contained PS I and II complexes at a 1.8:1 molar ratio on the basis of the spin densities on the tyrosine D radical and the photo-oxidized PS I primary donor (P740+). In the presence of ferricyanide, laser excitation induced bleach at 725 nm that recovered with time constants of 25 micros and 1.2 ms. The signal, designated P725, was suppressed by PS II inhibitors DCMU and hydroxylamine. The P725 spectrum was tentatively assigned to the absorption changes of the special pair Chl d, the accessory Chl d, and the acceptor pheophytin a in PS II. The addition of ascorbate induced the additional signal with a slow decay time constant of 4.5 ms. This signal showed a broad bleach at 740 nm and shift-type absorption changes at around 707 and 685 nm, which were assigned to the absorption changes of PS I special pair of Chl d (P740), the accessory Chl d, and the primary acceptor Chl a (A0), respectively. Mechanisms and the evolution of the Chl-d based reaction centers using far-red light are discussed together with the amino acid sequences of PS II D1 and D2 proteins.     

Thylakoid Membrane-Bound, NADPH-Specific Pyridine Nucleotide Dehydrogenase Complex Mediates Cyclic Electron Transport in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

The donation of electrons from NADPH to the intersystem chain,as monitored by an increase in Chl fluorescence, occurred inthe isolated thylakoid membranes of Synechocystis PCC 6803.The stimulation by NADPH of the methyl viologen-dependent photoreductionof dioxygen and of the reduction of P700⁺ after photooxidationin the presence of DCMU also confirmed the donation of electronsfrom NADPH to the electron carriers in the intersystem. Thesereactions were sensitive to rotenone, capsaicin, l-(2-thenoyl)-3,3,3-trifluoroacetoneand HgCl₂ but not to antimycin A or flavone. In contrast tothe thylakoid membranes from the wild type, those from a mutant,designated M55, in which a gene of a subunit of the pyridinenucleotide dehydrogenase complex (NDH) had been inactivated,did not show evidence of such reactions. These results supportour previous hypothesis that the transport of electrons fromNADPH to the intersystem chain is mediated by NDH [Mi et al.(1994) Plant Cell Physiol. 35: 163] and indicate the bindingof an NADPH-specific NDH to the thylakoid membranes. The Chlfluorescence was quenched transiently by addition of ferredoxinand NADP₊ to the thylakoid membranes but showed a subsequentincrease. This result suggests the reduction of plastoquinoneby the photoreduced NADP₊ and initiation of the NADPH-mediatedcyclic flow of electrons around PSI. Furthermore, a similarresponse of Chl fluorescence was observed upon the additionof ferredoxin only, demonstrating the ferredoxin-dependent cyclicflow of electrons. Both pathways of cyclic electron transportwere inhibited by rotenone, and were not detected in the NDH-defectedthylakoid membranes from M55, indicating the participation ofthe NDH complex. These results confirm that, in Synechocystis,the thylakoid-bound NDH complex mediates the ferredoxin-dependentcyclic electron flow, as well as the NADPH-dependent cyclicelectron flow. (Received November 24, 1994; Accepted March 16, 1995)     

Identification and Characterization of an Assembly Intermediate Subcomplex of Photosystem I in the Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Photosystem I (PSI) is a multiprotein complex consisting of the PSI core and peripheral light-harvesting complex I (LHCI) that together form the PSI-LHCI supercomplex in algae and higher plants. The supercomplex is synthesized in steps during which 12–15 core and 4–9 LHCI subunits are assembled. Here we report the isolation of a PSI subcomplex that separated on a sucrose density gradient from the thylakoid membranes isolated from logarithmic growth phase cells of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Pulse-chase labeling of total cellular proteins revealed that the subcomplex was synthesized de novo within 1 min and was converted to the mature PSI-LHCI during the 2-h chase period, indicating that the subcomplex was an assembly intermediate. The subcomplex was functional; it photo-oxidized P700 and demonstrated electron transfer activity. The subcomplex lacked PsaK and PsaG, however, and it bound PsaF and PsaJ weakly and was not associated with LHCI. It seemed likely that LHCI had been integrated into the subcomplex unstably and was dissociated during solubilization and/or fractionation. We, thus, infer that PsaK and PsaG stabilize the association between PSI core and LHCI complexes and that PsaK and PsaG bind to the PSI core complex after the integration of LHCI in one of the last steps of PSI complex assembly.     

Acclimation to the growth temperature and thermosensitivity of photosystem II in a mesophilic cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC6803

Differences in the temperature dependence and thermosensitivities of PSII activities in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 grown at 25 and 35 degrees C were studied. Hill reactions in cells, thylakoid membranes and purified PSII core complexes were measured at high temperatures or at their growth temperatures after high-temperature treatments. In the presence of 2,5-dichloro-p-benzoquinone as an electron acceptor, which can accept electrons directly from Q(A), the temperature dependence of the oxygen-evolving activity was almost the same in thylakoid membranes and in the purified PSII complexes from cells grown at 25 or 35 degrees C. When duroquinone, which accepts electrons only through Q(B) plastoquinone, was used as an electron acceptor, the temperature dependence was the same for purified PSII core complexes but was different between thylakoids isolated from the cells grown at 25 and 35 degrees C. No remarkable difference was observed in protein compositions between thylakoids and between purified PSII complexes from cells grown at 25 or 35 degrees C. However, the fluidity of thylakoids, measured by electron flow to P700, was affected by the growth temperature. These results suggest that one of the major factors which cause the changes in the thermosensitivity of PSII is the change in the fluidity of thylakoid membranes. As for the acclimation of PSII in thylakoids to high temperatures, one of the main causes is the decrease in the high-temperature-induced formation of non-Q(B) PSII due to the decreased fluidity in the cells grown at 35 degrees C.     

Protective Action of Spermine and Spermidine against Photoinhibition of Photosystem I in Isolated Thylakoid Membranes

The photo-stability of photosystem I (PSI) is of high importance for the photosynthetic processes. For this reason, we studied the protective action of two biogenic polyamines (PAs) spermine (Spm) and spermidine (Spd) on PSI activity in isolated thylakoid membranes subjected to photoinhibition. Our results show that pre-loading thylakoid membranes with Spm and Spd reduced considerably the inhibition of O₂ uptake rates, P700 photooxidation and the accumulation of superoxide anions (O₂ ⁻) induced by light stress. Spm seems to be more effective than Spd in preserving PSI photo-stability. The correlation of the extent of PSI protection, photosystem II (PSII) inhibition and O₂ ⁻ generation with increasing Spm doses revealed that PSI photo-protection is assumed by two mechanisms depending on the PAs concentration. Given their antioxidant character, PAs scavenge directly the O₂ ⁻ generated in thylakoid membranes at physiological concentration (1 mM). However, for non-physiological concentration, the ability of PAs to protect PSI is due to their inhibitory effect on PSII electron transfer.     

High root temperature blocks both linear and cyclic electron transport in the dark during chilling of the leaves of rice seedlings

The most photosynthetically active leaves of rice seedlings were severely damaged when shoots but not roots were chilled (10°C/25°C, respectively), but no such injury was observed when the whole seedling was chilled (10°C/10°C). To elucidate the mechanisms, we compared the photosynthetic characteristics of the seedlings during the dark chilling treatments. Simultaneous analyses of Chl fluorescence and the change in absorbance of P700 showed that electron transport almost disappeared in both PSII and PSI in the 10°C/25°C leaves, whereas the electron transport rate in PSI in the 10°C/10°C leaves was similar to or higher than that in non-chilled control leaves. Light-induced non-photochemical quenching in PSII was inhibited in the 10°C/25°C leaves, occurring at only half the level in the 10°C/10°C leaves, whereas non-light-induced non-photochemical quenching remained high in the 10°C/25°C leaves. The light induction of Chl a fluorescence (OJIP curves) in the 10°C/25°C leaves was similar to that in leaves treated with DCMU. The fluorescence decay after a single turnover saturating flash in the 10°C/25°C leaves was much slower than in the 10°C/10°C leaves. In vivo analyses of the 550-515 nm difference signal indicated decreased formation of a proton gradient across the thylakoid membrane and decreased zeaxanthin formation in the 10°C/25°C leaves. Our results suggest that electron transport was blocked between Q(A) and Q(B) in the dark 10°C/25°C leaves, but without irreversible damage to the components of this system. The consequent light-dependent losses of electron transport, proton gradient formation across the thylakoids and thermal dissipation may therefore be responsible for the visible injury.     

Separation of light-induced linear, cyclic and stroma-sourced electron fluxes to P700+ in cucumber leaf discs after pre-illumination at a chilling temperature

Pre-illumination of cucumber leaf discs at 4 degrees C with low-irradiance white light (i) led to a marked decrease in the extent of photo-oxidation of P700 (the special chlorophyll pair in the PSI reaction center) in actinic light at room temperature and (ii) hastened the post-illumination re-reduction of P700+. Quantifying the linear, cyclic and stroma-sourced electron fluxes to P700+ in two actinic light regimes, we found that there was no increase in cyclic or linear electron fluxes to account for these changes. Rather, we observed a decrease in the maximum extent of P700 photo-oxidation assayed by a strong flash superimposed on continuous, background light of wavelength 723 nm, which we interpret to represent a loss of stable charge separation in PSI due to enhanced charge recombination as a result of the pre-illumination treatment. The funneling of electrons towards fewer non-damaged PSI complexes could explain the hastened post-illumination re-reduction of P700+, aided by a slight increase in a stroma-sourced electron flux after prolonged pre-illumination at 4 degrees C. Quantifying the separate fluxes to P700+ helps to elucidate the effects of chilling of cucumber leaf discs in the light and the reasons for the hastened post-illumination re-reduction of P700+.     

Study of tobacco transformants to assess the role of chloroplastic NAD(P)H dehydrogenase in photoprotection of photosystems I and II

Nicotiana tabacum L. wild-type plants and transformants (DeltandhCKJ), deficient in functional NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDH), were subjected to high light at 20 degrees C and 4 degrees C for 2 h to examine a possible role of NDH-mediated cyclic electron flow in protecting photosystems I and II from photoinhibition. Photochemical activity of photosystem I (PSI) was assessed by means of P700 absorbance changes at 810 nm. In addition, potential photosystem II (PSII) efficiency was determined by measuring the 'dark-adapted' ratio of variable to maximum chlorophyll fluorescence, F(v)/ F(m). Both photosystems were more susceptible to photoinhibition at 4 degrees C than at 20 degrees C. However, the degree of photoinhibition was not less in the wild type than in the NDH-deficient plants. To evaluate the efficiency of P700 oxidation in far-red light, a saturation constant, K(s), was determined, representing the far-red irradiance at which half of the maximum P700 absorbance change was reached. In photoinhibited leaves, a decrease in the efficiency of P700 oxidation (increase in K(s)) was observed. The increase in K(s) was more pronounced at 4 degrees C than at 20 degrees C, but not significantly different between wild-type and DeltandhCKJ plants. Re-reduction kinetics of oxidised P700 in the dark were accelerated to a similar extent in photoinhibited samples of both genotypes and at the two temperatures tested. The data indicate that NDH-mediated cyclic electron flow does not protect PSI against short-term light stress. It is proposed that the observed increase in K(s) represents a protective mechanism that is based on accelerated charge recombination in PSI and facilitates thermal dissipation of excessive light energy.