Photosynthetic and respiratory electron transport in a cyanobacterium

In the cyanobacterium Agmenellum quadruplicatum steady-state redox conditions were monitored in vivo for cytochrome (+c553) and P700 versus intensities of an actinic light 1 or light 2 (mainly absorbed by photosystems, and 2, respectively). Parallel measurements of O₂ evolution were used to calibrate intensities for rates of electron transfer. Results show that the quality of actinic light (as light 1 or light 2) depends on intensity as well as wavelength. The contribution of electron flow from respiration is confirmed by observations of relative rate of photoreaction 1 estimated from Ip (intensity × fraction of P700 reduced). With 3,- (3,4-dichlorophenyl-1, 1-dimethylurea) (DCMU) the rate of photoreaction 1 depends upon, and is sensitive to small changes in, the rate of dark respiration. Very slow transient dark reductions of Cyt (f+c553) and P700 following any low intensity actinic light 1 are attributed to respiratory electron flow. Cyclic electron flow around photoreaction 1 cannot be large compared to dark respiration and cannot vary significantly with light intensity.This paper is contributed in honor of my longtime friend, L.N.M. Duysens, who has carried still further the eminence of the Dutch tradition in biophysics.