Quantum Yield of Photosystem II and Efficiency of CO2 Fixation in Flaveria (Asteraceae) Species under Varying Light and CO2

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 369 ◽  
Author(s):  
JP Krall ◽  
GE Edwards ◽  
MSB Ku

The quantum yields of electron transport from photosystem II (PSII) (Φe, determined from chlorophyll a fluorescence), and CO2 assimilation (ΦCO2, photosynthetic rate/light intensity) were measured simultaneously in vivo with representative species of Flaveria which show a progression in development between C3 and C4 photosynthesis and in reduction of photorespiration. These were F. pringlei (C3), F. sonorensis (C3-C4, but lacking a C4 cycle), F. floridana (C3-C4, with partially functional C4 cycle), F. brownii (C4-like) and F. bidentis (C4). The level of PSII activity with varying CI under 210 mbar O2 was very similar in all species. However, the progressive development of C4 characteristics among the species produced an increased efficiency in utilisation of PSII derived energy for CO2 assimilation under 210 mbar O2, due to reduced photorespiratory losses at low CO2 levels. In all species, when photorespiration was limited by low O2 (20 mbar), there was a linear or near linear relationship between the quantum yield of PSII v. the quantum yield of CO2 fixation with varying intercellular levels of CO2 (Ci) indicating that CO2 fixation in this case is linked to PSII activity. When switching from 20 to 210 mbar O2 at atmosphere levels of CO2, there was a similar decrease in the efficiency in utilising PSII activity for CO2 assimilation at different light intensities, but the degree of sensitivity to O2 progressively decreased among the species concomitant with the development of C4 photosynthesis. These results may help explain why there is an advantage to evolution of C4 photosynthesis in environments where Ci becomes limiting.

1990 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 579 ◽  
Author(s):  
JP Krall ◽  
GE Edwards

The quantum yields of non-cyclic electron transport from photosystem II (determined from chlorophyll a fluorescence) and carbon dioxide assimilation were measured in vivo in representative species of the three subgroups of C4 plants (NADP-malic enzyme, NAD-malic enzyme and PEP-carboxykinase) over a series of intercellular CO2 concentrations (CI) at both 21% and 2% O2. The CO2 assimilation rate was independent of O2 concentration over the entire range of Ci (up to 500 μbar) in all three C4 subgroups. The quantum yield of PS II electron transport was similar, or only slightly greater, in 21% v. 2% O2 at all Ci values. In contrast, in the C3 species wheat there was a large O2 dependent increase in PS II quantum yield at low CO2, which reflects a high level of photorespiration. In the C4 plants, the relationship of the quantum yield of PS II electron transport to the quantum yield of CO2 fixation is linear suggesting that photochemical use of energy absorbed by PS II is tightly linked to CO2 fixation in C4 plants. This relationship is nearly identical in all three subgroups and may allow estimates of photosynthetic rates of C4 plants based on measurements of PS II photochemical efficiency. The results suggest that in C4 plants both the photoreduction of O2 and photorespiration are low, even at very limiting CO2 concentrations.


1993 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Oberhuber ◽  
Zi-Yu Dai ◽  
Gerald E. Edwards

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 267 ◽  
Author(s):  
JP Krall ◽  
GE Edwards

The partitioning of light energy absorbed by photosystem (PS) II in the C4 species maize was investigated under various photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD), temperatures, and intercellular CO2 concentrations. The relationship between the quantum yield of PSII electron transport (�e) and the quantum yield of CO2 assimilation (ΦCO2) was generally found to be linear, with similar slopes. This indicates that PSII electron transport is tightly coupled to CO2 assimilation such that measurements of �e may be used to estimate photosynthetic rates in maize. Coefficients of quenching of PSII chlorophyll fluorescence indicated that, under excessive PPFD or when CO2 assimilation was decreased due to suboptimal or supraoptimal temperature or low Ci, the energy in excess of that needed to drive the reduced rate of PSII electron transport was dissipated via a mechanism known to be correlated to the trans-thylakoid proton gradient (high energy quenching, qE) and a mechanism believed to arise in the PSII antenna chlorophyll (qN(slow)). At suboptimal temperature the energy dissipation was principally at the antenna level and qE was low, while at supraoptimal temperature the reverse was true. The results are discussed relative to coupling of PSII activity to CO2 fixation and mechanisms of energy dissipation in this C4 species.


1981 ◽  
Vol 36 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 840-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno P. Kremer

Abstract Photosynthesis, D ark Fixation, β-Carboxylation, C 4-M etabolism , Brown Algae Marine brown macroalgae including Macrocystis integrifolia, Nereocystis luetkeana, Lessoniop-sis littoralis, Laminaria saccharina, Fucus serratus and some further representatives of the Laminariales and Fucales (Phaeophyta) have been investigated with respect to their remarkably high potential for β-carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate supplem enting photosynthetic CO2 fixation. Kinetic tracer studies indicate that 14C-labelling of C4 acids such as aspartate and malate is not restricted to dark periods, but also occurs during photosynthesis. Rates of carbon fixation into C4 compounds are approxim ately equal in the light and in the dark. Distribution of 14C between C 1 and C4 atoms of aspartate suggests carbon flow from early occurring photosynthates such as 3-phosphoglycerate to C4 compounds including aspartate and malate. In brown macro­ algae dark carbon fixation via β-carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate is therefore assumed to be quantitatively and qualitatively integrated into photosynthetic CO2 assimilation thus yielding appreciable 14C-labelling of C4 dicarboxylic acids. The underlying reactions and conversions are basically different from C4 photosynthesis and should preferably be term ed as C4 metabolism.


1990 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
RT Furbank ◽  
CLD Jenkins ◽  
MD Hatch

The relationship between overcycling of the C4 acid cycle in C4 photosynthesis (due to CO2 leakage) and the quantum yield of photosynthesis is considered. From a comparison of theoretical and measured quantum yields we suggest that the high efficiency of light utilisation by most C4 plants can only be explained by the mandatory involvement of both the Q-cycle and cyclic or pseudocyclic electron transport in the proton partitioning process. The existence of the Q-cycle mechanism may have been a prerequisite for the evolution of the C4 pathway.


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