Protonophores induce plastoquinol oxidation and quench chloroplast fluorescence: Evidence for a cyclic, proton-conducting pathway in oxygenic photosynthesis.

The photosynthetic apparatus converts light into chemical energy by a series of reactions that give rise to a coupled flow of electrons and protons that generate reducing power and ATP, respectively. A key intermediate in these reactions is plastoquinone (PQ), the most abundant electron and proton (hydrogen) carrier in photosynthetic membranes (thylakoids). PQ ultimately transfers electrons to a terminal electron acceptor by way of the Rieske Fe-S center of the cytochrome bf complex.

Differential detergent-solubilization of integral thylakoid membrane complexes in spinach chloroplasts. Localization of photosystem II, cytochrome b6-f complex and photosystem I.

Progressive solubilization of spinach chloroplast thylakoids by Triton X-100 was employed to investigate the domain organization of the electron transport complexes in the thylakoid membrane. Triton/chlorophyll ratios of 1:1 were sufficient to disrupt fully the continuity of the thylakoid membrane network, but not sufficient to solubilize either photosystem I (PSI), photosystem II (PSII) or the cytochrome b6-f(Cyt b6-f) complex. Progressive with the Triton concentration increase (Triton/Chl greater than 1:1), a differential solubilization of the three electron transport complexes was observed.

Light quality regulates expression of chloroplast genes and assembly of photosynthetic membrane complexes.

The concentrations of photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) reaction centers and the level of chloroplast reaction center gene transcripts were determined in pea plants grown under different light-quality regimes. In plants grown in light primarily absorbed by PSI ("red" light), the PSII/PSI reaction center ratio was 2-fold greater than that in plants grown in PSII-sensitizing ("yellow") light. In addition, the ratio of a PSII gene (psbB) transcript to a PSI gene (psaA) transcript was 2.

Quantitation of plastoquinone photoreduction in spinach chloroplasts.

The question of plastoquinone (PQ) concentration and its stoichiometry to photosystem I (PSI) and PSII in spinach chloroplasts is addressed here. The results from three different experimental approaches were compared. (a) Quantitation from the light-induced absorbance change at 263 nm (ΔA263) yielded the following ratios (mol:mol); Chl:PQ=70:1, PQ:PSI=9:1 and PQ:PSIIα=7:1.

Effect of light quality on chloroplast-membrane organization and function in pea.

The effect of light quality during plant growth of chloroplast membrane organization and function in peas (Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) was investigated.

Excellent wavelength-dependence of laser-induced delayed light-emission from mesophyll and bundle-sheath cells of maize.

Mesophyll and bundle-sheath cells from maize (Zea mays) were examined for delayed light-emission. An enzymic procedure was used to isolate the mesophyll and bundle-sheath cells. A tunable dye laser was used at 695-720 nm to excite delayed light-emission.