EPR, ENDOR and ESEEM Investigation of the Electron Acceptor Radical Anion QA −· in Photosystem II (PS II) Reaction Centres

Author(s):  
F. MacMillan ◽  
J. Kurreck ◽  
N. Adir ◽  
F. Lendzian ◽  
H. Käss ◽  
...  
1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Congming Lu ◽  
Giuseppe Torzillo ◽  
Avigad Vonshak

The kinetic response of photosystem II (PS II) photochemistry in Spirulina platensis(Norstedt M2 ) to high salinity (0.75 M NaCl) was found to consist of two phases. The first phase, which was independent of light, was characterized by a rapid decrease (15–50%) in the maximal efficiency of PS II photochemistry (Fv /Fm), the efficiency of excitation energy capture by open PS II reaction centres (Fv′/Fm′), photochemical quenching (qp) and the quantum yield of PS II electron transport (Φ PS II) in the first 15 min, followed by a recovery up to about 80–92% of their initial levels within the next 2 h. The second phase took place after 4 h, in which further decline in above parameters occurred. Such a decline occurred only when the cells were incubated in the light, reaching levels as low as 45–70% of their initial levels after 12 h. At the same time, non-photochemical quenching (qN) and Q B -non-reducing PS II reaction centres increased significantly in the first 15 min and then recovered to the initial level during the first phase but increased again in the light in the second phase. The changes in the probability of electron transfer beyond QA (ψo) and the yield of electron transport beyond QA (φ Eo), the absorption flux (ABS/RC) and the trapping flux (TRo /RC) per PS II reaction centre also displayed two different phases. The causes responsible for the decreased quantum yield of PS II electron transport during the two phases are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (8) ◽  
pp. 669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Hall ◽  
Rafael Picorel ◽  
Nicholas Cox ◽  
Robin Purchase ◽  
Elmars Krausz

We apply the differential optical spectroscopy techniques of circular polarisation of luminescence (CPL) and magnetic CPL (MCPL) to the study of isolated reaction centres (RCs) of photosystem II (PS II). The data and subsequent analysis provide insights into aspects of the RC chromophore site energies, exciton couplings, and heterogeneities. CPL measurements are able to identify weak luminescence associated with the unbound chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) present in the sample. The overall sign and magnitude of the CPL observed relates well to the circular dichroism (CD) of the sample. Both CD and CPL are reasonably consistent with modelling of the RC exciton structure. The MCPL observed for the free Chl-a luminescence component in the RC samples is also easily understandable, but the MCPL seen near 680nm at 1.8K is anomalous, appearing to have a narrow, strongly negative component. A negative sign is inconsistent with MCPL of (exciton coupled) Qy states of either Chl-a or pheophytin-a (Pheo-a). We propose that this anomaly may arise as a result of the luminescence from a transient excited state species created following photo-induced charge separation within the RC. A comparison of CD spectra and modelling of RC preparations having a different number of pigments suggests that the non-conservative nature of the CD spectra observed is associated with the ‘special pair’ pigments PD1 and PD2.


1989 ◽  
Vol 977 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Lubitz ◽  
R.A. Isaacson ◽  
M.Y. Okamura ◽  
E.C. Abresch ◽  
M. Plato ◽  
...  

Isolated chlorophyll a , in contrast to when it is dissolved in organic solvents, shows a lower and variable yield of fluorescence when bound to protein and embedded in the thylakoid membrane of photosynthetic organisms. There are two current theories that attempt to explain the origin of this variable yield of fluorescence, (i) It may be emitted directly from the photosystem II (PSII) antenna system and therefore in competition with photochemical trapping (prompt fluorescence), (ii) It may be derived from a recombination reaction between oxidized P 680 and reduced pheophytin within the PS II reaction centre (delayed fluorescence). We have isolated a PS II reaction centre complex that binds only four chlorophyll a molecules and can carry out primary charge separation. The complex contains no plastoquinone and therefore is devoid of the secondary electron acceptor Q A . It does, however, contain two pheophytin a molecules, and one of these acts as a primary electron acceptor. The electron donor is P 680 , which is either a monomeric or dimeric form of chlorophyll a . The isolated PS II reaction centre fluoresces at room temperature with a maximum at 683 nm, and the intensity of this emission is almost totally quenched when reduced pheophytin (bright light plus sodium dithionite) or oxidized P 680 (bright light plus silicomolybdate) is photoaccumulated. The photo-induced quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence when sodium dithionite is present is also observed in intact PS II preparations containing plastoquinone Q A . In the latter case Q A is chemically reduced in the dark by dithionite. Bearing in mind the above two postulates for the origin of variable chlorophyll fluorescence it has been possible to investigate the relative quantum yields for the photoproduction of the P 680 Pheo - state either in the absence (with isolated PS II reaction centres) or presence (with PSII-enriched membranes) of reduced Q A . It has been shown that in the absence of Q - A the quantum efficiency for production of the P 680 Pheo - is several orders of magnitude greater than when Q - A is present. This difference probably partly reflects the coulombic restraints on primary charge separation when Q A is reduced and would suggest that under these conditions the PS II reaction centre is a less efficient trap. Such a conclusion is therefore consistent with postulate (i) that the increase inyield of chlorophyll fluorescence as Q A becomes reduced is not due to a back reaction between P + 680 and Pheo - but rather to a decrease in competition between emission and trapping. The results do emphasize however, that the P 680 Pheo - and P + 680 Pheo states are quenchers of chlorophyll fluorescence. In addition to the above, it has been noted that at 77 K fluorescence from the isolated PS II reaction centre reaches a maximum at 685 nm and does not have a peak at 695 nm. This observation appears to invalidate the postulate that the 695 nm emission is from the pheophytin of the PS II reaction centre.


1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 397 ◽  
Author(s):  
WS Chow ◽  
AB Hope ◽  
JM Anderson

It was shown briefly [W. S. Chow, A. B. Hope and J. M. Anderson (1989), Biochirnica et Biophysics Acta, 973, 105-8] that the oxygen evolved per flash from leaf discs, under steady-state flashing conditions and in the presence of background far-red light, gave a valid measure of the number of functional photosystem II (PS II) reaction centres. Further work on this direct and convenient method has been done to optimise conditions for making reliable measurements. It is found that, to obtain the higher estimates of [PS II], corresponding to functionality of practically all PS II reaction centres that bind herbicides, a form of 'light activation' is necessary after a prolonged dark pre-incubation. Without a sufficient number of flashes being given following a long dark incubation, the number of functional PS II reaction centres was underestimated. Provided light activation had occurred, the measured number of functional PS II reaction centres was independent of flash frequencies up to at least 40 Hz. The results strongly suggest that, in steady-state, light-limited photosynthesis, there does not exist any sub- stantial fraction of non-functional or 'slow' PS II reaction centres.


Biochemistry ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 34 (25) ◽  
pp. 8144-8156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fraser MacMillan ◽  
Friedhelm Lendzian ◽  
Gernot Renger ◽  
Wolfgang Lubitz

1992 ◽  
Vol 47 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 711-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunhe Xu ◽  
Yong Zhu ◽  
Govindjee

We demonstrate here that monohalogenated acetates (MFA , monofluoroacetate; M CA, monochloroacetate; MBA, monobromoacetate) are unique probes of the electron acceptor side of the photosystem II (PS II) reaction center: (1) they differentially inhibit the reoxidation of the reduced primary plastoquinone electron acceptor, QA-, by the secondary plastoquinone electron acceptor QB, and increase the equilibrium [QA-] in the order: MBA ≳ M CA > MFA; and (2) M CA and MBA rephase the PS II electron acceptor side, a rather unusual effect. This results in flash number dependence of [QA-] with maxima at even flashes to change to odd flashes. Furthermore, we demonstrate a correlation between the inhibitory activity of the halogenated acetates with their hydrophobicity (i.e., partition coefficient).


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document