Section of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 U.S.A.
Abstract:
Electron transport, phosphorylation and internal proton concentration were measured in illuminated spinach chloroplast thylakoid membranes under a number of conditions. Regardless of the procedure used to vary these parameters, the data fit a simple chemiosmotic model. Protons from Photosystem II did not appear to be utilized differently from those derived from Photosystem I. The maximal phosphorylation efficiency () for photophosphorylation in washed thylakoids under oxidizing conditions is likely to be . This value is consistent with a proton-to-electron-pair ratio of 4 for electron flow through both photosystems and a proton-to-ATP ratio of 3 for the chloroplast proton-ATPase.