Studies on the relation between the fast phase of millisecond delayed light emission and the proton released from oxidation of water in spinach chloroplast

The relation between the fast phase of ms-DLE (delayed light emission measured with a phosphoroscope) and the proton released from water oxidation in spinach chloroplasts was studied in several aspects. When photophosphorylation was allowed to be coupled to the Hill reaction the intensity of the fast phase of ms-DLE of chloroplast was lowered more at 1 °C than at 25 °C, and the photophosphorylation rate within 40 ms of flashing light was higher at 1 °C than at 25 °C. Adding the subunit of ATP synthase to the chloroplast preparation to block the leakage of protons through ATP synthase, the intensity of the fast phase of ms-DLE was enhanced, to a larger extent at 1 °C than at 25°C. When the ms-DLE was measured under isotonic conditions, the intensity of fast phase of ms-DLE enhanced by proton released from oxidation of water was more pronounced. The above results support the suggestion that under lower temperature and isotonic conditions, the proton released from water oxidation was liable to be localized and could enhance the intensity of the fast phase of ms-DLE more effectively.