Estimation of mutation rates in cultured mammalian cells

The factors that affect reliable estimations of mutation rates (μ) in cultured mammalian somatic cell populations by fluctuation analysis are studied experimentally and statistically. We analyze the differential effect of the final cell population size in each culture (N_t) and the number of parallel cultures (C) on the variation in the rate estimates ($\text{μ}$) inferred from the P₀ method. The analysis can be made after the derivation of the variance of $\text{μ}$, which is a measure of variation of $\text{μ}$ for a given combination of N_t and C in a number of repeat experiments. The variance of $\text{μ}$ is inversely proportional to C and to the square of N_t. N_t determines the probability of occurrence of mutation in a cell culture. By influencing the size of P₀, N_t also determines whether a rate estimate is obtainable from the experiment. Since P_o is estimated from the fraction of cultures containing no mutation in a set of C cultures, C becomes a determining factor for the accuracy of $\text{μ}$. The rate estimated from $\text{P}\text{?}{}_0$ is biased, but the bias is in general 2 orders of magnitude smaller than $\text{μ}$. By the selection of an appropriate combination of N_t and C for the experiment, this bias can be reduced even further.Based on the notion of comparing two proportions, we propose a test statistic and have applied it to experimental results for a test of equality of mutation rates in different cell lines. This development places the comparison of mutation rates on a statistical basis.     

Hemolytically active components from P. parvum and G. breve toxins

Hemolytically active fractions were isolated from the toxins produced by the red-tide dinoflagellate $\text{Gymnodinium breve}$ (GBTX) and the chrysomonad $\text{Prymnesium parvum}$ (PPTX). High pressure liquid chromatography through bonded phase (ODS) silica columns using a gradient of methanol in chloroform yielded 6 major fractions from GBTX, 3 of which were hemolytic (HD₅₀=0.3?0.56 μg·ml^?1). None were ichthyotoxic. Of the 6 fractions obtained from PPTX, 4 were hemolytic (HD₅₀=0.013?2.8 μg·ml^?1) but only one (fraction 6) was ichthyotoxic. This fraction was ～ 2000 times more hemolytic than the crude PPTX (HD₅₀=33.2 μg·ml^?1). Analysis of their UV spectra indicates that the fractions within each group are closely related.     

Correlation of the perceived texture of random coil polysaccharide solutions with objective parameters

A wide range of concentrated random coil polysaccharide solutions have been assessed for textural attributes by a trained sensory panel. The only textural terms invoked to describe these model systems were ‘thickness’ and ‘stickiness’, which were shown to be highly correlated, and essentially identical numerically, using a ratio scaling technique. Viscosity (η) measurements over a wide range of shear rates (γ) for all these samples gave flow curves (log η versus log γ) of the same form. Differences in flow behaviour between samples could then be characterised completely by two parameters, the maximum viscosity at low shear rates (η₀), and the shear rate ($\text{γ}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{0·1}}$) at which $\text{η =}\text{solη}{}_0\text{10}$. A simple linear relationship was demonstrated between these two parameters and perceived thickness (T) or stickiness (S), irrespective of polysaccharide type. For Newtonian liquids, log T (or log S) varied linearly with log η. Hence the effective ‘in-mouth’ thickness of random coil polysaccharide solutions, in normal viscosity units, may be predicted directly from η₀ and $\text{γ}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{0·1}}$ by the simple relationship: $\text{log}\text{η}{}_{\mathrm{N}}\text{= 1·13}\text{log}\text{η}{}_0\text{+ 0·45}\text{log}\text{γ}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{0·1}}\text{? 1·72}$ where η_N is the viscosity of a Newtonian solution which would be perceived as identical in thickness (and stickiness) to the polysaccharide solution.     

Trichinella spiralis: genetic basis for differential expression of phase-specific intestinal immunity in inbred mice

Responsiveness of mouse strains after phase-specific immunization with Trichinella spiralis is compared. Two strains ($\text{NFR}\text{N, NFS/N}$) showed strong overall responsiveness. The response type could be characterized in phase-specific terms as: strongly anti-adult, weakly to moderately anti-preadult, and strongly antifecundity. By comparison, congenic mice of the C₅₇B1 $\text{10}\text{Sn}$ background (B10·A, B10·D₂, B10·S, B10·Q) displayed poor total responses that could be characterized as: weakly anti-adult, very weakly anti-preadult, weakly anti-fecundity after preadult immunization, and mixed (weak and strong) after adult immunization. The $\text{C}{}_3\text{H}\text{HeJ}$ mouse appeared to be intermediate between the B10·BR and the $\text{NFR}\text{N}$ strains in overall responsiveness. Genetic determinants of anti-preadult or anti-adult responses of $\text{NFR}\text{N}$ strain mice were dominant over their B10 congenic counterparts as shown in F₁, crosses of $\text{NFR}\text{N}$ × B1O·BR mice. Since the $\text{NFR}\text{N}$ (predominantly H-2^q) and the $\text{NFS}\text{N}$ (H-2^S) are both strong responders, while the B10·Q(H-2^q) and B10·S (H-2^S) are weak, it is suggested that the major genes controlling anti-preadult and anti-adult responses are not linked to the major histocompatibility complex. However, variations in anti-adult immunity and anti-fecundity in the B10 congenic mice (B10·Q and B10·S are the strongest responders) suggest that minor genes linked to the MHC exert some control over these responses. Some evidence was obtained for gene complementation as the F₁ cross of $\text{NFR}\text{N}$ and $\text{NFS}\text{N}$ mice responded more vigorously than the parental lines. We conclude that multiple genes determine anti-T. spiralis intestinal responses in mice. The major genes are unlinked to the major histocompatibility complex whereas several minor genes are linked.     

Physical measurements on the lipid-containing bacteriophage φ6

Bacteriophage φ6 has been studied by small-angle X-ray scattering, intensity-fluctuation spectroscopy, analytical ultracentrifugation, and spectroscopy. The sedimentation coefficient (s₂₀⁰, w) is 375 S, the diffusion coefficient (D₂₀⁰, w) is 2.66 · 10^?8 cm²/s. Using the Svedberg equation and an estimate of the partial specific volume, the M_r is 1.49 ± 0.32 · 10⁸.A simple model which describes φ6, is a central sphere consisting of RNA and protein of radius 330 Å and an outer shell of low electron density 40 Å thick. The RNA may form five concentric shells in the region $\text{r = 140?290}\text{A}\text{?}$     

Preliminary crystallographic data for Azotobacter cytochrome c5.

Two closely related crystal forms of dimeric cytochrome c₅ from Azotobacter rinelandii have been grown. The crystals belong to space groups (C2 with $\text{a = 45·0, b = 38·4, c = 41·3}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{β = 101 ° 0′}$; and C1 (a centered triclinic cell) with $\text{a = 46·0, b = 37·6, c = 49·4}\text{A}\text{?}$, α = 87 ° 20′, β = 96 ° 40′ and γ = 90 ° 0′. In C2 the 24,000 molecular weight dimer lies on a Crystallographic 2-fold axis; in C1 the entire dimer occupies the asymmetric unit.     

Dual action of ionophore A23187 on intact chloroplasts

1. Ionophore A23187 induces uncoupling of potassium ferricyanide-dependent O₂ evolution by envelope-free chloroplasts and oxaloacetate-dependent O₂ evolution by intact chloroplasts. The half maximal concentration ($\text{C}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$) for stimulation of oxygen evolution in both cases is approximately 4 μM · 100 μg chlorophyll · ml^?1.2. Ionophore A23187 also induces inhibition of CO₂ and 3-phosphoglycerate-dependent O₂ evolution by intact chloroplasts in the presence of 3 mM MgCl₂. The half maximal concentrations ($\text{C}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$) for inhibition of O₂ evolution are 3 μM and 5 μM respectively · 100 μg^?1 chlorophyll · ml^?1.3. A very high concentration of ionophore A23187 (10 μM · 20 μg^?1 chlorophyll · ml^?1) plus 0.1 mM EDTA lowers the fluorescence yield of intact chloroplasts suspended in a cation-free medium in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, indicating loss of divalent cation from the diffuse double layers of the thylakoid membranes.4. These results are discussed in relation to ionophore A23187-induced divalent cation/proton exchange at both the thylakoid and the envelope membranes of intact chloroplasts.     

Effect of N-alkyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium ions on phosphatidylcholine model membrane structure as studied by 31P-NMR

The interaction of |C_nH_2n+1N⁺(CH₃)₃| · I^? (n = 3, 6, 9, 12, 14, 16 or 18) with egg-yolk phosphatidylcholine-water dispersions has been studied by ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy. It is shown that the effective anisotropy of ³¹P chemical shift (?Δσ_eff) of the lamellar phospholipid liquid-crystalline phase L_α increases with increasing concentration and alkyl chain length of the drug. Addition of $\text{|}\text{C}{}_6\text{H}{}_{13}\text{N}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{(CH}{}_3\text{)}{}_3\text{| ·I}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ or |C₉H₁₉N⁺(CH₃)₃|·I^? to the phospholipid-water dispersion at a molar ratio ammonium salt:phospholipid > 0.8 induces in the dispersion a structure with an effective isotropic phospholipid motion. This structure is unstable and slowly transforms into the hexagonal phase. These effects have not been observed in phospholipid-water dispersions mixed with the ammonium derivatives with the longer alkyl chains n  12, 14, 16 or 18. It is proposed that these results might explain the effects of the investigated drugs on the nerve, muscle and bacterial cells.     

Investigations on purine and pyrimidine bases stacking associations in aqueous solutions by the fluorescence quenching method: I. Autoassociation of 2-aminopurine

A general equation was derived, describing fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime of an autoassociating compound in liquid solutions. The autoassociation of 2-aminopurine in aqueous solution was examined within the range from 0 to 90°C. The compound seemed to associate cooperatively. The thermodynamic parameters of polymerization change with temperature, so that its free enthalpy ΔG = ?0.0797 T² + 45.4 T ?7893. The dimerization enthalpy and entropy are approximately temperature-independent (ΔH₂ = ?4.17 $\text{kcal}\text{mol}$, ΔS₂ = ?10.9 e.u.), although the function: ΔG₂ = ?0.0308 T² + 30.3 T - 7213 fits experimental points better. The observed dependences can be explained by the increasing role of the hydrophobic effect with temperature and size of the aggregates. The association rate constants were determined, and a two-step reaction mechanism was demonstrated. The first step is diffusion-controlled. The second is characterized by an activation energy of ~2 $\text{kcal}\text{mol}$ and an encounter distance of ~8.3 Å.     

Characterization of sodium and proton flows in sub-bacterial particles of Halobacterium halobium in terms of nonequilibrium thermodynamics

A thermodynamic characterization of the Na⁺-H⁺ exchange system in Halobacterium halobium was carried out by evaluating the relevant phenomenological parameters derived from potential-jump measurements. The experiments were performed with sub-bacterial particles devoid of the purple membrane, in 1 M NaCl, 2 M KCl, and at pH 6.5–7.0. Jumps in either pH or pNa were brought about in the external medium, at zero electric potential difference across the membrane, and the resulting relaxation kinetics of protons and sodium flows were measured. It was found that the relaxation kinetics of the proton flow caused by a pH-jump follow a single exponential decay, and that the relaxation kinetics of both the proton and the sodium flows caused by a pNa-jump also follow single exponential decay patterns. In addition, it was found that the decay constants for the proton flow caused by a pH-jump and a pNa-jump have the same numerical value. The physical meaning of the decay constants has been elucidated in terms of the phenomenological coefficients (mobilities) and the buffering capacities of the system. The phenomenological coefficients for the Na⁺-H⁺ flows were determined as differential quantities. The value obtained for the total proton permeability through the particle membrane via all available channels, $\text{L}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>H</mtext>}}\text{= (}\text{?J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>H\; +</mtext>}}\text{?Δ}\text{pH}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>\Delta \psi ,\Delta </mtext><mtext>pNa</mtext>}}$, was in the range of 850–1150 nmol H⁺·(mg protein)^?1·h^?1·(pH unit)^?1 for four different preparations; for the total Na⁺ permeability, $\text{L}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Na</mtext>}}\text{= (}\text{?J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Na</mtext>}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{?Δ}\text{pNa}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>\Delta \psi ,\Delta </mtext><mtext>pH</mtext>}}$, it was 1620–2500 nmol Na⁺·(mg protein)^?1·h^?1·(pNa unit)^?1; and for the proton ‘cross-permeability’, $\text{L}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>HNa</mtext>}}\text{= (}\text{?J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>H</mtext>}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{?Δ}\text{pNa}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>\Delta \psi ,\Delta </mtext><mtext>pH</mtext>}}$, it was 220–580 nmol H⁺·(mg protein)^?1·h^?1·(pNa unit)^?1, for different preparations. From the above phenomenological parameters, the following quantities have been calculated: the degree of coupling (q), the maximal efficiency of Na⁺-H⁺ exchange (η_max), the flow and force efficacies (?) of the above exchange, and the admissible range for the values of the molecular stoichiometry parameter (r). We found q ? 0.4; η_max ? 5%; 0.36 ? r ? 2; ?_JNa⁺ ? 1.3 · 10⁵μmol · (RT unit)^?1 at J_Na = 1 μmolNa⁺ · (mgprotein)^?1 · h^?1; and ?_ΔpNa ? 5 · 10⁴ ΔpNa · (mg protein) · h · (RT unit)^?1 at ΔpNa = 1 unit, for different preparations.     

Presteady-state kinetic study of the elementary processes in the chymotrypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis of specific ester substrate. Rate-limiting association process due to the secondary binding.

Presteady-state kinetic studies of α-chymotrypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis of a specific chromophoric substrate, N-(2-furyl)acryloyl-l-tryptophan methyl ester, were performed by using a stopped-flow apparatus both under [E]₀ ? [S]₀ and [S]₀ ? [E]₀ conditions in the pH range of 5–9, at 25 °C. The results were accounted for in terms of the three-step mechanism involving enzyme-substrate complex (E · S) and acylated enzyme (ES′); no other intermediate was observed. This substrate was shown to react very efficiently, i.e., the maximum of the second-order acylation rate constant ($\text{k}{}_2\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{s}}\text{′}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>max</mtext>}}\text{= 4.2 × 10}{}^7\text{M}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{s}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$. The limiting values of K_s′ (dissociation constant of E · S), K₂ (acylation rate) and k₃ (deacylation rate) were obtained from the pH profiles of these parameters to be 0.6 ± 0.2 × 10^?5 m, 360 ± 15 s^?1 and 29.3 ± 0.8 s^?1, respectively. Likewise small values were observed for K_i of N-(2-furyl)-acryloyl-l-tryptophan and N-(2-furyl)acryloyl-d-tryptophan methyl ester and K_m of N-(2-furyl)acryloyl-l-tryptophan amide. The strong affinities observed may be due to intense interaction of β-(2-furyl)acryloyl group with a secondary binding site of the enzyme. This interaction led to a $\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{?1}}\text{k}{}_2$ value lower than unity, i.e., the rate-limiting process of the acylation was the association, even with the relatively low k₂ value of this methyl ester substrate, compared to those proposed for labile p-nitrophenyl esters.     

A dynamical behaviour of active regions in randomly connected neural networks

The field of the randomly connected neural network is approximately formulated by Griffith's equation, regarding the network as being continuous. An integral representation of Griffith's equation is derived. If a relative refractory period can be ignored, it is $\text{X(x,t)}\text{=1}\text{∫}\text{o}\text{∞}\text{ds}\text{∫}\text{?vs}\text{vs}\text{dn}\text{kv}\text{2t}\text{e}{}^{\mathrm{?avs}}\text{X(x?n, t?s) ? θ}$ where X(x, t) corresponds to the firing rate and θ means the threshold of the neural firing, τ the absolute refractory period and v the velocity for the spike potential travelling down the axon. The above equation is formally analogous to Caianiello's equation, but the former describes the more macroscopic behaviour of the neural network than the latter. With the aid of computer simulation, appropriate solutions are successfully obtained.In regions where X = 1, neurones are firing at a high constant rate of $\text{1}\text{τ}$ (active regions). In regions where X = 0, there is no firing of neurones (resting regions). In the neural net for which $\text{0 <}\text{a}{}^2\text{τθ}\text{k}\text{< 1}$, the net is generally a mixture of the active regions and of the resting regions. In the case that a large active region is in contact with a large resting region, the propagation velocity of boundary between the two regions tends to the velocity u given by $\text{u = (1 ?}\text{2a}{}^2\text{τθ}\text{k}\text{)v}$. This expression of velocity u was deduced from the fact that there exists a solution of the type X(x, t) = 1 (ut ? x) for equation (A). In the case of $\text{0 <}\text{a}{}^2\text{τθ}\text{k}\text{< 0 · 5}$, the active region grows and in the case of $\text{0 · 5 <}\text{a}{}^2\text{τθ}\text{k}\text{< 1}$, the resting region grows. A fatigue effect is introduced, for which it is hard for neurones to maintain firing states. In this case an active region of definite width L propagates with constant velocity u′. The dependence of L and u′ on characteristics of neural network and on the fatigue effect is investigated.     

On the possibility of the MN blood group determination in human bones

After a series of preliminary tests on inert substances and on saliva drawn from donors of know MN blood group, 31 right femura from Pisa cemetery buried for 25–30 years and 37 eneolithic femura from Gaudo necropolis near Paestum (2500 – 2000 B.C.) were submitted to 140 assays for the MN system using the standard technique already devised in our Laboratory for ABO blood group determination.Positive and reproducible results were obtained in 18:31 recent femura (58%) and in 24:37 eneolithic bones (65%). The following phenotype and gene frequencies were obtained:

$\text{recent femura:}\text{8.}\text{M}\text{+3.}\text{N}\text{+7.}\text{MN}\text{=18; 0·64m+0.·36n=1}$

$\text{eneolithic femura:}\text{9.}\text{M}\text{+6.}\text{N}\text{+9.}\text{MN}\text{=24; 0·56m+0·44n=1}$

When the ABO and the MN blood group determinations are performed in parallel, a significant positive connection between the two diagnosabilities is observable: P = 0·0387 in the case of the eneolithic bones, $\text{P ? 0·02}$ in the case of the total sample of 59 eneolithic and recent bones tested in parallel. This fact could be reasonably explained considering the similarity of the chemical structure of MN and ABO glycoproteins, which would account for a similar behaviour in preservation.The absence or the very low concentration of M and N substances in tissues and body fluids would on the other hand agree with the percentage of diagnosability: lower in the MN system (60–65%) than in the ABO system (75–80%). The more problematical character of MN blood group typing of bones could be better approached if further research were done.     

The yield of chlorophyll a fluorescence as a means to test the various deexcitation mechanisms in the antenna system of green plants

With the aid of measurements of the fluorescence yield, the efficiency of the various deexcitation mechanisms of an exciton in the light-harvesting system has been determined. For this purpose, the fluorescence of dark-adapted as well as of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU)-treated and preilluminated leaves of Zea mays L. was excited by single ultrashort laser pulses of different energies. The experimental results have served for the fitting of solutions of rate equations, which describe the deexcitation by linear relaxation processes like fluorescence and radiationless transitions, by annihiation of excitons, and by traps both in the ground state and in an excited state. We have obtained the following results: a ratio of antenna chlorophyll molecules to Photosystem II traps of 600:1, an annihilation constant γ = 2·10^?8 cm³·s^?1, a mean trapping time of $\text{t}\text{?}\text{=0.5}\text{ns}$, a trapping probability for traps in the ground state of 2·10^?8 cm³·s^?1, and 6·10^?9 cm³·s^?1 for traps in an excited state.     

Crystallization and preliminary x-ray investigation of ubiquitin, a non-histone chromosomal protein.

Large crystals of bovine thymus ubiquitin, a non-histone chromosomal protein, were grown from polyethylene glycol solutions. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group P2₁2₁2₁, with $\text{a = 50·9}\text{a}\text{?}\text{, b = 42·9}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 29·0}\text{A}\text{?}$. The asymmetric unit contains one ubiquitin molecule.     

Angles of nucleotides bound to cross-bridges in glycerinated muscle fiber at various concentrations of ϵ-ATP, ϵ-ADP and ϵ-AMPPNP detected by polarized fluorescence

The polarized fluorescence from nucleotides bound to myosin heads in glycerinated muscle fibers of rabbit psoas was measured as the number of myosin heads with bound nucleotides was varied by adding various concentrations of fluorescent ?-ATP, ?-ADP and ?-AMPPNP (1:N⁶-etheno-ATP, -ADP and -imido ATP). The angles of the absorption and emission dipoles of bound nucleotides to the fiber axis and their angular distribution were determined from the observed values of four components of the polarized fluorescence.The maximum amount of nucleotides bound to the myosin heads in the fiber, B_m, was 170 to 270 μm. The dissociation constant of nucleotides, $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$, increased in the order ?-ATP, ?-ADP, ?-AMPPNP, and was four to six times larger at a sarcomere length (SL) of 2.1 μm than at 3.7 μm.The polarized fluorescence from bound ?-ADP at SL = 2.1 μm was independent of the amount of bound ?-ADP when it was lower than one-half of B_m, indicating a single helical array of myosin heads having ?-ADP. The angles of the absorption dipole, φ_A, and the emission dipole, φ_E, to the fiber axis were 69 ° and 66 °, respectively. As the amount of bound ?-ADP exceeded one-half of B_m, the values of the polarized fluorescence showed that the extra ?-ADP bound to myosin heads with a lower affinity and had different angles to the fiber axis: φ_A and φ_E were 49 ° and 54 °, respectively. The half-maximum width of the angular distribution of these bound ?-ADP molecules, $\text{θ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$, was about 20 °.During development of isometric tension in the presence of ?-ATP with Mg²⁺, the polarized fluorescence was independent of the amount of bound ?-ATP when it was lower than one-third of B_m or when the concentration of free ?-ATP was lower than 100 μm, indicating a single helical array of myosin heads undergoing the ATPase reaction. The angles of bound nucleotides, φ_A and φ_E, were 68 ° and 64 °, respectively. The half-maximum width of the angular distribution, $\text{θ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$, was about 22 °. As the amount of bound nucleotides exceeded one-third of B_m, the polarized fluorescence showed deviation from the values expected for the single helical array.The angles φ_A and φ_E for bound ?-AMPPNP were about 58 ° and 62 °, respectively, but the angular distribution was broad; that is, $\text{θ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ was about 42 °. These angles were independent of the amount of bound ?-AMPPNP.In a stretched fiber with SL = 3.7 μm, the polarized fluorescence showed that the angles of ?-ADP, ?-ATP and ?-AMPPNP bound to myosin heads had almost random distributions; $\text{θ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ was 90 ° to 100 °, independent of the amount of bound nucleotides. Similar results were obtained with the relaxed fiber in the presence of ?-ATP.     

Preliminary crystallographic data for beta-lactamase I from Bacillus cereus 569.

Crystals of β-lactamase I from Bacillus cereus 569 are monoclinic, space group C2 with unit cell dimensions $\text{a = 143·0 (± 0·5), b = 35·8 (± 0·1), c = 52·7 (± 0·2)}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, β = 97·0 (± 0·1) °}$, and one molecule of molecular weight about 28,000 per asymmetric unit.     

Quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence and primary photochemistry in chloroplasts by dibromothymoquinone

The quenching action of dibromothymoquinone on fluorescence and on primary photochemistry was examined in chloroplasts at ?196 °C. Both the initial (F₀) and final (F_M) levels of fluorescence as well as the fluorescence of variable yield (F_v = F_M ? F₀) were quenched at ?196 °C to a degree which depended on the concentration of dibromothymoquinone added prior to freezing. The initial rate of photoreduction of C-550 at — 196 °C, which was assumed to be proportional to maximum yield for primary photochemistry, ?_Po, was also decreased in the presence of dibromothymoquinone. Simple theory predicts that the ratio $\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>V</mtext>}}\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>M</mtext>}}$ should equal ?_Po. Excellent agreement was found in a comparison of relative values of ?_Po with relative values of $\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>V</mtext>}}\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>M</mtext>}}$ at various degrees of quenching by dibromothymoquinone. These results are taken to indicate that F₀ and F_V are the same type of fluorescence, both emanating from the bulk chlorophyll of Photosystem II.Dibromothymoquinone appears to create quenching centers in the bulk chlorophyll of Photosystem II which compete with the reaction centers for excitation energy. The rate constant for the quenching of excitation energy by dibromothymoquinone is directly proportional to the concentration of the quencher. Rate constants for the de-excitation of excited chlorophyll molecules by fluorescence, k_F, by nonradiative decay processes, k_D, by photochemistry, k_P, and by the specific quenching of dibromothymoquinone, k_Q, were calculated assuming the absolute yield of fluorescence at F₀ to be either 0.02 or 0.05.