The relationship between the structure of plastoquinone derivatives and their biological activity in Photosystem II of spinach chloroplasts

The relationship between the structure of reconstituted plastoquinone derivatives and their ability to recover the Hill reaction was investigated by extraction and reconstitution of lyophilized chloroplasts from spinach, followed by monitoring DCIP photoreduction at 600 nm. The results show that: It is not essential that the plastoquinone side chain be an isoprenoid or a phytol; the activity increases with increasing length of the side chain up to 13–15 carbon atoms; for chains longer than 15 carbon atoms, the activity is practically constant. Lipophilic groups (such as -Br) in the side chain increased the activity, hydrophilic groups (such as -OH) decreased the activity. Conjugated double bonds in the side chain decreased the activity greatly, but non-conjugated double bonds had almost no effect on the activity, indicating a requirement of flexibility of the side chain. The activity is decreased in the order of PQ, UbiQ and MQ, showing a large effect of the ring structure.Abbreviations DCIP 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol - DCMU 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea - Q_A primary electron acceptor in PS II reaction centers - Q_B secondary electron acceptor in PS II reaction centers - PQ _n plastoquinones with an isoprenoid side chain (n, number of the isoprenoid units in the side chain) - PQ-n synthetic plastoquinones with alkyl side chain (n, number of the carbon atoms in the alkyl side chain) - PQ-n synthetic plastoquinones with a double bond in the alkyl side chain - UQ _n ubiquinones with an isoprenoid side chain (n, number of the isoprenoid units in the side chain) - UQ-n synthetic ubiquinones with alkyl side chain (n, number of the carbon atoms in the akyl side chain) - MQ-n 2-alkyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (n, number of the carbon atoms in the alkyl side chain)     

Extraction and Reconstitution of Photosystem II

Hill activity (oxygen evolution with ferricyanide as the electron acceptor), light-induced absorbance changes at liquid nitrogen temperature associated with the primary activity of photosystem II, and fluorescence yield changes at both low temperature and room temperature were measured with lyophilized spinach chloroplasts before and after extraction with hexane and reconstitution with β-carotene and plastoquinone A. Extraction eliminated the Hill activity, and both β-carotene and plastoquinone A were required for maximal restoration of activity to the reconstituted chloroplasts.     

Inhibition of O2 evolution by NADP in isolated potato tuber chloroplast and its identity with 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea inhibition site.

Chloroplast from greening potato tuber showed good photosynthetic capacity. The evolution of O₂ was dependent upon the intensity of light. A light intensity of 30 lux gave maximum O₂ evolution. At higher intensities inhibition was observed. The presence of bicarbonate in the reaction mixture was essential for O₂ evolution. NADP was found to be a potent inhibitor of O₂ evolution in this system. NADP and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea (DCMU) inhibited the O₂ evolution completely at a 3 μm concentration level, which was reversed by oxidized 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol (DCIP). Cyanide (CN)-treated chloroplasts showed full O₂ evolution capacity, when a lipophilic electron acceptor like N-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD) or DCIP was used along with ferricyanide. Ferricyanide alone showed only 20% reduction. NADP or DCMU could inhibit O₂ evolution only when TMPD was the acceptor but not with DCIP. Photosystem II (PS II) isolated from these chloroplasts also showed inhibition by NADP or DCMU and its reversal by DCIP. Here also the evolution of O₂ with only TMPD as acceptor was sensitive to NADP or DCMU. In the presence of added silicotungstate in PS II NADP or DCMU did not affect ferricyanide reduction or oxygen evolution. The chloroplasts were able to bind exogenously added NADP to the extent of 120 nmol/mg chlorophyll. It is concluded that the site of inhibition of NADP is the same as in DCMU, and it is between the DCIP and TMPD acceptor site in the electron transport from the quencher (Q) to plastoquinone (PQ).     

Inhibition of photosynthetic electron transfer by amphotericin B

The polyene antibiotic amphotericin B inhibits photosynthetic electron transfer by Class II maize mesophyll chloroplasts, from water to FeCN, DCIP and diquat but not to plastocyanin. Photosystem 1 activity is also inhibited by amphotericin B, but ferredoxin-NADP reductase activity is not affected. The activity of all the photosynthetic electron transfer systems inhibited by amphotericin B can be restored by the addition of carrier amounts of plastocyanin. The results suggest that amphotericin B inhibits photosynthetic electron transfer by acting only at the plastocyanin site in the chain, and that the primary site of reduction of FeCN and DCIP from water by Class II chloroplasts lies on the reducing side of photosystem 1.     

Electron transfer and energy dependent reactions in glutaraldehyde-fixed chloroplasts

The effects of GA fixation on electron transfers in photosystemsI and II in photosynthesis and energy dependent reactions ofchloroplasts, such as changes in light scattering, H⁺ uptakeand 515-nm absorbance, were investigated. Fixation of chloroplastswith GA resulted in a lowering of the DCIP and MV photoreductions.DCIP photoreduction activity in fixed chloroplasts was not restoredin the presence of DPC, an electron donor to photosystem II,but was significantly stimulated by DPC when chloroplasts werefixed after aging. The results suggest that the inhibitory effectof GA fixation on photosystem II differs in its mechanism fromthose of treatments such as heating, Tris-washing and aging.The oxidation-reduction reaction of P700 was depressed by GAfixation. Energy dependent reactions in fixed chloroplasts were more markedlydepressed than were electron transfers. Fixed chloroplasts showeda slight conformational response in the presence of PMS. Analysis of the emission spectrum and the induction of chlorophylla fluorescence in fixed chloroplasts suggested that the twopigment systems were partially disordered and that the correspondingprimary photochemical processes were inhibited. (Received November 21, 1972; )     

Lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination of chloroplast membranes. II. Evidence for surface localization of Photosystem II reaction centers

The enzyme lactoperoxidase was used to specifically iodinate the surface-exposed proteins of chloroplast lamellae. This treatment had two effects on Photosystem II activity. The first, occurring at low levels of iodination, resulted in a partial loss of the ability to reduce 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP), even in the presence of an electron donor for Photosystem II. There was a parallel loss of Photosystem II mediated variable yield fluorescence which could not be restored by dithionite treatment under anaerobic conditions. The same pattern of inhibition was observed in either glutaraldehyde-fixed or unfixed membranes. Analysis of the lifetime of fluorescence indicated that iodination changes the rate of deactivation of the excited state chlorophyll. We have concluded that iodination results in the introduction of iodine into the Photosystem II reaction center pigment-protein complex and thereby introduces a new quenching. The data indicate that the reaction center II is surface exposed.At higher levels of iodination, an inhibition of the electron transport reactions on the oxidizing side of Photosystem II was observed. That portion of the total rate of photoreduction of DCIP which was inhibited by this action could be restored by addition of an electron donor to Photosystem II. Loss of activity of the oxidizing side enzymes also resulted in a light-induced bleaching of chlorophyll a₆₈₀ and carotenoid pigments and a dampening of the sequence of O₂ evolution observed during flash irradiation of treated chloroplasts. All effects on electron transport on the oxidizing side of Photosystem II could be eliminated by glutaraldehyde fixation of the chloroplast lamellae prior to lactoperoxidase treatment. It is concluded that the electron carriers on the oxidizing side of Photosystem II are not surface localized; the functioning of these components is impaired by structural disorganization of the membrane occurring at high levels of iodination.Our data are in agreement with previously published schemes which suggest that Photosystem II mediated electron transport traverses the membrane.     

The site of manganese function in photosynthetic electron transport system

The effects of Mn²⁺ on aerobic photobleaching of carotenoids, on photoreduction of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) and on fluorescence above 600 mμ of spinach chloroplasts washed with 0.8 M Tris-HC1 buffer were investigated. Carotenoids (mostly carotenes, lutein and violaxanthin) in the Tris-washed chloroplasts were irreversibly bleached by illumination with red light, while carotenoids in normal chloroplasts prepared with a low concentration of Tris-HC1 underwent no bleaching upon illumination. The photobleaching of carotenoids observed with Tris-washed chloroplasts was inhibited by Mn²⁺ (MnCl₂ or MnSO₄) as well as by some inhibitors of the Hill reaction such as dichlorophenyl-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), methylthio-4,6-bis-isopropylamino-s-triazine and o-phenanthroline or by reducing agents such as ascorbate plus tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamine (TMPD). DCIP photoreduction, which was deactivated by Tris, was reactivated to 50–80% of the rate for normal chloroplasts upon addition of Mn²⁺. The restored photoreduction of DCIP was inhibited by DCMU and carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP). The steady-state fluorescence yield of normal chloroplasts measured at room temperature was lowered by Tris treatment, and the decreased yield was restored by adding Mn²⁺ as well as ascorbate plus TMPD. CCCP also lowered the yield; the yield was recovered by adding ascorbate plus TMPD. Determination of manganese in normal and Tris-washed chloroplasts showed that 30% of the manganese in chloroplast was removed with Tris. It was postulated that Mn²⁺ functions in the electron transport on the oxidizing side of Photosystem II at a site between water and an electron carrier (Y). CCCP as well as Tris inhibits the reduction of Y⁺ by Mn²⁺, and carotenoids are oxidized by Y⁺ which is reduced by ascorbate plus TMPD.     

Comparison studies on the effects of ultraviolet irradiation on photosynthesis

1. 1. A comparison of chloroplasts from which plastoquinone had been extracted with ultraviolet irradiation supports the conclusion that plastoquinone destruction is not the major cause of ultraviolet inhibition of photosynthesis. No photodestruction of chloroplast lipids, carotenoids or soluble proteins by ultraviolet irradiation was detected.

2. 2. Phenazine methosulfate-mediated cyclic photophosphorylation and variable yield fluorescence were inhibited at the same rate as the Hill reaction. Examination of fluorescence emission spectra of chloroplasts and whole algal cells revealed decreases in both the 685-nm and long-wavelength emission peaks.

3. 3. Digestion of chloroplasts with lipase decreased fluorescence in a manner similar to ultraviolet irradiation. Hill reaction activity was also inhibited by lipase digestion.

4. 4. It is concluded that the inhibition of photosynthesis by ultraviolet irradiation is most likely due to a disruption of the structural integrity of the lamellar membranes which results in the loss of System II activity and associated reactions.

Hydroxylamine,hydrazine and methylamine donate electrons to the photooxidizing side of Photosystem II in leaves inhibited in oxygen evolution due to water stress

When leaf discs are water stressed, they lose the capacity for photosynthetic oxygen evolution and variable (chlorophyll a) fluorescence. Such a loss of variable fluorescence was previously reported by Govindjee et al. (Plant Sci. Lett. 20 (1981) 191–194). The later activity is not lost if prior to the water-stress treatment the leaf is incubated with typical water analogs known to act as electron donors to Photosystem II, such as hydroxylamine and hydrazine. Methylamine also acts in the same fashion. These results indicate that one of the sites of drought damage is the oxidizing side of Photosystem II, and that electron donors can restore electron transport, at least to the plastoquinone pool, similar to their effect in Tris treatment of isolated chloroplasts.     

Effects of copper on photosynthetic electron transport systems in spinach chloroplasts

The effects of copper on photosynthetic electron transfer systemsin isolated spinach chloroplasts were studied. Two differentinhibitions were observed. First, copper markedly inhibitedferredoxin-catalyzed reactions such as NADP⁺ photoreduction.The concentration required for 50% inhibition was about 2 µMof cupric sulfate. However, electron flow from reduced 2,6-dichloroindophenol(DCIP) to methyl viologen was not affected. The dissociationconstant between ferredoxin and ferredoxin-NADP⁺ reductase wasunchanged in the presence of 2.5 µM of cupric sulfate.In enzymic reaction systems, the ferredoxin-dependent electronflow from NADPH to cytochrome c was also strongly inhibitedin the presence of cupric sulfate, while DCIP reduction withNADPH as the electron donor was not affected. Second, DCIP photoreductionwas weakly blocked by copper and the lost activity could notbe recovered by adding 1,5-diphenylcarbazide (DPC). It can be concluded that copper directly interacted with ferredoxincausing inhibition of ferredoxin-dependent reactions. Further,copper caused weak inactivation between the oxidizing side ofthe reaction center of photosystem II and the electron donatingsite of DPC. (Received August 8, 1977; )     

Multiple sites of DCIP reduction by sonicated Oat chloroplasts: Role of plastocyanin

1. Oat chloroplasts, in the presence of 0.02 M methylamine, reduce 2,6 dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) at a rate of 350–500 μmoles/mg chl per h, in saturating light. Brief sonication for approx. 1 min lowers the rate to approx. 50 μmoles/mg chl per h; longer sonication does not reduce activity further. During brief sonication, plastocyanin is lost from the chloroplasts. When plastocyanin is added back to sonicated fragments, DCIP reduction is approximately doubled to 100 μmoles/mg chl per h.

2. When oxidized plastocyanin is added, a transient is observed when light is first turned on: this is due to a reduction of the plastocyanin before DCIP reduction begins. When reduced plastocyanin is added, a different transient occurs: this is due to a fast photoreduction of DCIP by the plastocyanin and is followed by the slower steady state reduction of DCIP by water. When light is turned off before complete reduction of DCIP, a transient reduction of oxidized plastocyanin by reduced DCIP is seen. Insensitivity of these transients to 3(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) and the greater effectiveness of 710 nm light, along with the known capacity of plastocyanin to mediate electron transfer to System I, prove that an intrinsically fast reduction of DCIP occurs at a site close to the primary photoreduced product of System I.

3. After brief sonication and washing, no residual plastocyanin was detected in chloroplast fragments, and the rate of the slow DCIP reduction (about 50μmoles/mg chl per h) sustained by such fragments was essentially identical to that maintained by fragments of mutants lacking System I activity. Following et al.⁹, the simplest explanation for this slow DCIP reduction is that is occurs at a site close to System II and the system I is not involved.

4. A very slow transient reduction of DCIP occurs after extinguishing light; this presumably involves another reduction site close to System II, as suggested by ⁹.     

The Effect of Cadmium on Photosystem II in Spinach Chloroplasts

Cadmium ions, as an environmental pollution factor, significantly inhibited the photosynthesis especially, photosystem Ⅱ activity in isolated spinach chloroplasts. The presence of 5 mmol/l Cd2+ inhibited the O2-evolution to 53%. Cd2+ reduced the activity of photoreduction of DCIP and the variable fluorescence of chloroplasts and PSⅡ preparation. The inhibited DCIP photoreduction activity could only be restored slightly by the addition of an artificial electron donor of PSII, DPC, and the inhibited variable fluorescence could not be obviously recovered by the addition of NH2OH, another artificial electron donor of PSⅡ. It is considered that, besides the oxidizing side of PSI1, Cd2+ could also inhibit directly the PSⅡ reaction center. The inhibitory effect of Cd2+ on the whole chain electron transport (H2O→MV) was more serious than on O2-evolution (H2O→DCMU). It is suggested that the oxidizing side of PSⅡ is not the only site for Cd2+ action. There may be another site inhibited by Cd2+ in the electron transport chain between PSⅠ and PSⅡ.     

On the Molecular Identity of ESR Signal II Observed in Photosynthetic Systems: The Effect of Heptane Extraction and Reconstitution With Plastoquinone and Deuterated Plastoquinone

Speculation as to the identity of Signal II, the light-induced, broad, slow decaying electron spin resonance signal with hyperfine structure observed in photosynthetic materials, has tended to center on the semiquinone of plastoquinone. Experiments reported here were designed to give direct evidence bearing on that speculation. Heptane extraction of lipids from lyophilized spinach and tobacco chloroplast fragments reduced the amplitude of Signal II and increased the ratio of Signal I:Signal II. Reconstitution of the system by the addition of plastoquinone partially restored Signal II as well as the ratio of Signal I:Signal II to its pre-extraction condition. Addition of totally deuterated plastoquinone to extracted chloroplasts in which considerable Signal II had survived heptane extraction resulted in a spectrum which showed the characteristic hallmarks of Signal II observed in totally deuterated organisms. These results establish that a free radical immediately derived from plastoquinone contributes to Signal II. The data taken by themselves are consistent with plastochromanoxyl as well as plastosemiquinone free radicals giving rise to Signal II. Other contributors to Signal II are not ruled out.     

Two Plastoquinone A Molecules Are Required for Photosystem II Activity: Analysis in Hexane-Extracted Photosystem II Particles

Prenylquinones were extracted with hexane from lyophilized oxygen-evolvingphotosystem II particles prepared from spinach chloroplasts.Determination by high performance liquid chromatography showedthat two molecules of plastoquinone A remained per reactioncenter after the extraction, in contrast to the presence ofthree to four plastoquinone A molecules before the extraction.Electron transfer from water to phenyl-p-quinone was not inhibitedby the extraction. Measurement of EPR signal II and microsecondchlorophyll fluorescence kinetics showed that hexane did notextract quinones which were acting as the secondary electrondonor (Z) and the primary electron acceptor (Q_A) in photosystemII. These results, as well as the effect of quinone extractionon oxygen evolution, indicate that two molecules of plastoquinoneA acting as Z and Q_A are essential for the activity of photosystemII. An artificial donor phenyl-p-quinone probably accepts electronfrom Q_A at the same site as the intrinsic secondary electronacceptor (Q_B). Q_A and Z seem to be surrounded by special microenvironmentswhich differ from that of bulk quinones, and are resistant tohexane treatment. (Received November 27, 1984; Accepted April 30, 1985)     

Participation of β-carotene in reactivation of PSI of heptane-extracted spinach chloroplasts

A carotenoid requirement for photosystem I activity in spinach chloroplasts using extraction-reconstitution technique has been investigated. The transfer of electron from N,N,N,N-tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamine through the chloroplast photosystem to methyl viologen dye or to NADP⁺ was used as an assay of photosystem I activity. Extraction of lyophilized spinach chloroplasts with heptane at near 0°C removed almost all -carotene and reduced photochemical activities associated with photosystem I to a low level (about 15% of the original activity). Reconstitution of the extracted chloroplasts with -carotene completely restored photosystem I activity. The maximum rate of methyl viologen photoreduction in reconstituted chloroplasts occurred at an -carotene/chlorophyll molar ratio of 0.5. Cyclic phosphorylation mediated by phenazine methosulphate was partially restored. Xanthophylls (lutein, neoxanthin, violaxanthin), as components of chloroplast membranes, were not able to replace -carotene in reconstitution of chloroplasts and had essentially no effect on restoring photoreactions. On the basis of the P700/total chlorophyll ratio it can be assumed that extraction of lyophilized chloroplasts with heptane do not affect photosystem I reaction centre. Therefore it is possible that -carotene, removed during heptane extraction and belonging mainly to the antenna pigment pool of photosystem I, is effective in the restoration of photosystem I activity.Abbreviations chl chlorophyll - DCIP 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol - DCMU 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea - EPR electron paramagnetic resonance - MV methyl viologen - PMS phenazine methosulphate - PQA plastoquinone A - PS I photosystem I - PS II photosystem II - TMPD N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamine - Tricine N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methyglycine. D-1, D-10, D-50, D-144 represent chloroplast subfractions sedimented at 1000 × g, 10,000 g, 50,000 × g and 144,000 × g - s supernatant This paper is a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree of A.T. at Maria Curie-Skodowska University, Lublin.     

Properties of the proteinaceous component acting as apoenzyme for the functional plastoquinone redox groups on the acceptor side of system II

The electron-transfer reactions between the plastoquinone molecules of the acceptor side of photosystem II have been inferred to be regulated by a proteinaceous component (apoenzyme), which additionally contains the receptor site for DCMU-type inhibitors (Renger, G., (1976) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 440, 287–300). In order to reveal the functional properties of this apoenzyme, the effect of procedures which modify the structure of proteins on the photosystem II electron transport have been investigated in isolated spinach chloroplasts by comparative measurements of O₂ evolution and absorption changes at 334 nm induced by repetitive flash excitation and of fluorescence induction curves caused by continuous actinic light. It was found that: (1) The release of blockage of O₂ evolution by the DCMU-type inhibitor SN 58132 due to mild tryptic digestion correlates kinetically with the deterioration of the binding properties. (2) Glutaraldehyde fixation of chloroplasts does not markedly modify the reoxidation kinetics of the reduced primary plastoquinone acceptor component, X320^?, of photosystem II, but it greatly reduces the fluorescence yield of the antenna chlorophylls and slightly retards the ADRY effect. Furthermore, it prevents the attack of trypsin on the apoenzyme. (3) Incubation of chloroplasts in ‘low’ salt medium markedly diminishes the ability of trypsin to release the blockage of O₂ evolution by SN 58132 and completely presents the effect on inhibition by DCMU. Based on these results and taking into account recent findings of other groups, the functional mechanism of the electron transport on the acceptor side of photosystem II is discussed. Assuming a tunnel mechanism, the apoprotein is inferred to act as a dynamic regulator rather than changing only the relative levels of the redox potentials of the plastoquinone molecules involved in the transfer steps. It is further concluded that salt depletion does not only cause grana unstacking and a change of the excitation energy transfer probabilities, but it additionally modifies the orientation of functional membrane proteins of photosystem II and their structural interaction within the thylakoid membrane.     

Comparative study of the action of ultraviolet-C and ultraviolet- B radiation on photosynthetic electron transport

The effect of ultraviolet-C (UV-C, mainly 254 nm radiation) and ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 290-320 nm) radiation on the photosynthetic electron transport reactions has been investigated. The rates of Hill activity mediated by ferricyanide and dichlorodimethoxy-p-benzoquinone (DCDMQ) were differently sensitive to UV-C but equally inhibited by UV-B. Replacement of water with diphenylcarbazide was ineffective in restoring the activity of dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP) Hill reaction in UV-B treated chloroplasts, but had significant effect in UV-C treated chloroplasts.
Photobleaching of carotenoids in the presence of carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl-hydrazone, an indicator of the photochemical reaction associated with the reaction centre of photosystem II, was suppressed and is paralleled by the changes in Hill activity only in UV-B-treated chloroplasts. Carotenoid photobleaching occurred even in UV-C treated chloroplasts showing no measurable Hill activity. UV-C and UV-B irradiation diminished variable fluorescence. With UV-B treated, but not with UV-C treated chloroplasts, an increase in the fluorescence yield was observed upon the addition of 3-(3,4-dichIorophenyl)-l,l-dimethylurea (DCMU) and/or Na dithionite.
Photosystem I activity was found to be unaffected by both UV-C and UV-B radiation at the fluences tested. Kinetics of P700 photooxidation and dark reversal in UV treated chloroplasts indicate that only the electron flow from photosystem II to photosystem I is impaired. It is concluded that while UV-B radiation inactivates specifically the photosystem II reaction centre, UV-C radiation acts at plastoquinone, the quencher Q, and the water oxidizing enzyme system.