Photoinhibition of photosystem I in a pea mutant with altered LHCII organization

Comparative analysis of in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence imaging revealed that photosystem II (PSII) photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) of leaves of the Costata 2/133 pea mutant with altered pigment composition and decreased level of oligomerization of the light harvesting chlorophyll a/b-protein complexes (LHCII) of PSII (Dobrikova et al., 2000; Ivanov et al., 2005) did not differ from that of WT. In contrast, photosystem I (PSI) activity of the Costata 2/133 mutant measured by the far-red (FR) light inducible P700 (P700(+)) signal exhibited 39% lower steady state level of P700(+), a 2.2-fold higher intersystem electron pool size (e(-)/P700) and higher rate of P700(+) re-reduction, which indicate an increased capacity for PSI cyclic electron transfer (CET) in the Costata 2/133 mutant than WT. The mutant also exhibited a limited capacity for state transitions. The lower level of oxidizable P700 (P700(+)) is consistent with a lower amount of PSI related chlorophyll protein complexes and lower abundance of the PsaA/PsaB heterodimer, PsaD and Lhca1 polypeptides in Costata 2/133 mutant. Exposure of WT and the Costata 2/133 mutant to high light stress resulted in a comparable photoinhibition of PSII measured in vivo, although the decrease of Fv/Fm was modestly higher in the mutant plants. However, under the same photoinhibitory conditions PSI photochemistry (P700(+)) measured as ΔA820-860 was inhibited to a greater extent (50%) in the Costata 2/133 mutant than in the WT (22%). This was accompanied by a 50% faster re-reduction rate of P700(+) in the dark indicating a higher capacity for CET around PSI in high light treated mutant leaves. The role of chloroplast thylakoid organization on the stability of the PSI complex and its susceptibility to high light stress is discussed.

Oxygen-evolving activity of thylakoids from barley plants cultivated on different concentrations of jasmonic Acid

The kinetics characteristics of oxygen evolution in thylakoids prepared from barley (Horeum vulgare) seedlings grown in the presence of different jasmonic acid (JA) concentrations were studied. In comparison to control preparations, 100 micromolar JA-treated samples show an inhibition of the Hill activity (46%) and of O(2)-flash yields to above 70%. A damping in the oscillations of O(2) yields, induced by a flash train, increases with increasing growth regulator concentration. After these treatments, the value of the total number of oxygen-evolving centers (S(0) + S(1)), estimated according to the Kok scheme, shows a considerable decrease. In 100 micromolar JA-treated preparations, the turnover half-time of S(1)-states increases and the stability of the S(2)- and S(3)-states decreases.

Effect of abscisic acid on the photosynthetic oxygen evolution in barley chloroplasts

In vivo effect of abscisic acid (ABA) on photosynthetic oxygen evolution was investigated in barley chloroplasts. The most important kinetic parameters of O2-producing reactions were changed. The results show inhibition of the O2-flash yields at ABA concentrations of 10 μmol/l and 100 μmol/l and an increase in the degree of damping of the oscillations. ABA has a marked effect on the distribution of the oxygenevolving centers in S0 and S1 states and on sum of the centers (S0+S1) estimated according to the Kok model. In addition, the amplitude and the shape of the initial oxygen burst under continuous illumination are also significantly altered. At a concentration of 100 μmol/l, ABA strongly inhibits Hill reaction activity measured by DCPIP reduction. The results cannot be explained by the hypothesis of socalled "stomata effect". On the other hand, no effects were observed on the investigated parameters in experiments involving ABA applied in vitro to isolated chloroplasts. It is hypothesized that ABA disrupts the granal chloroplasts structure and raises the degree of participation of the cooperative mechanism of O2-evolution connected with the functioning of PS IIβ centers in the stroma situated thylakoids.