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Selective photobleaching of PSI-related chlorophylls in heat-stressed pea chloroplasts

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Abstract

Measurements of electron transport activity point to the occurrence of major changes in the organisation of the photosynthetic apparatus of heat-stressed chloroplasts. One of the consequences of these changes is shown to be a greatly increased susceptibility of chlorophyll to photobleaching. Despite the fact that the threshold temperature for this photobleaching coincides closely with that for the inhibition of PSII activity, the bleached components were found to be specifically associated with PSI. This increased susceptibility of PSI pigments to photobleaching is shown to be a direct consequence of an interruption of the flow of reductants from PSII to PSI that would normally protect PSI from photooxidation.

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Abbreviations

PSI:

photosystem I

PSII:

photosystem II

chl a :

chlorophyll a

chl b :

chlorophyll b

LHCP:

chlorophyll a/b light-harvesting protein

CP1 :

P700-chlorophyll a protein

DCMU:

3-(3′4′ dichlorophenyl)-1′1′-dimethylurea

DCPIP:

dichlorophenolindophenol

Fecy:

potassium ferricyanide

MV:

methyl viologen

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Author notes

  1. Arindam Sen

    Present address: Department of Biophysics and Electron-optics, Roswell Memorial Institute, Buffalo, New York

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 290 Panama Street, 94305, Stanford, CA, USA

    W. Patrick Williams, Arindam Sen & David C. Fork

Authors
  1. W. Patrick Williams
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  2. Arindam Sen
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  3. David C. Fork
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Additional information

Biochemistry Department, King's College (KQC), University of London

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Williams, W.P., Sen, A. & Fork, D.C. Selective photobleaching of PSI-related chlorophylls in heat-stressed pea chloroplasts. Photosynth Res 10, 75–92 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00024187

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00024187

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