Plant and Cell Physiology Advance Access originally published online on June 13, 2006
Plant and Cell Physiology 2006 47(7):972-983; doi:10.1093/pcp/pcj070
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Photosystem II Cycle and Alternative Electron Flow in Leaves
Tartu Ülikooli Molekulaar- ja Rakubioloogia Instituut, Riia tn. 23, Tartu, 51010, Estonia
* Corresponding author: E-mail, alaisk{at}ut.ee; Fax, +372 742 0286.
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were grown in the laboratory and leaves were taken from field-grown birch trees (Betula pendula Roth). Chlorophyll fluorescence, CO2 uptake and O2 evolution were measured and electron transport rates were calculated, JC from the CO2 uptake rate considering ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylation and oxygenation, JO from the O2 evolution rate, and JF from Chl fluorescence parameters. Mesophyll diffusion resistance, rmd, used for the calculation of JC, was determined such that the in vivo Rubisco kinetic curve with respect to the carboxylation site CO2 concentration became a rectangular hyperbola with Km(CO2) of 10 µM at 22.5°C. In sunflower, in the absence of external O2, JO = 1.07JC when absorbed photon flux density (PAD) was varied, showing that the O2-independent components of the alternative electron flow to acceptors other than CO2 made up 7% of JC. Under saturating light, JF, however, was 2030% faster than JC, and JF JC depended little on CO2 and O2 concentrations. The inter-relationship between JF JC and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) was variable, dependent on the CO2 concentration. We conclude that the relatively fast electron flow JF JC appearing at light saturation of photosynthesis contains a minor component coupled with proton translocation, serving for nitrite, oxaloacetate and oxygen reduction, and a major component that is mostly cyclic electron transport around PSII. The rate of the PSII cycle is sufficient to release the excess excitation pressure on PSII significantly. Although the O2-dependent Mehler-type alternative electron flow appeared to be under the detection threshold, its importance is discussed considering the documented enhancement of photosynthesis by oxygen.
(Received May 17, 2006; Accepted May 25, 2006)
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