Abstract
It has been recently suggested that compensatory changes in Photosystem II (PS II) electron turnover rates can protect photosynthesis from photoinhibition [Behrenfeld et al. (1998) Photosynth Res 58: 259–268]. We have further explored this feature of PS II using a rate electrode for simultaneous measurements of the steady-state rate of oxygen evolution and the oxygen flash yield depending on the background irradiance in both control and photoinhibited algal cells of Chlorella Böhm. Theoretical simulations based on the two-electron gate model agree qualitatively with experimental data if we assume an increase of the electron turnover rate in the remaining functional PS II centers of the photoinhibited sample. Our results confirm the hypothesis that the compensatory effect enables cells to maintain the maximal rates of photosynthesis even in the presence of moderate photoinhibition (decrease of up to 50% in the number of functional centers) and that the effect originates from the inner capacity of electron transport through PS II. The origin of the compensatory effect is briefly discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson JM, Park YI and Chow WS (1997) Photoinactivation and photoprotection of Photosystem II in nature. Physiol Plant 100: 214-223
Anderson JM, Park YI and Soon WS (1998) Unifying model for the photoinactivation of Photosystem II in vivo under steady-state photosynthesis. Photosynth Res 56: 1-13
Andree S, Weis E and Krieger A (1998) Heterogeneity and photoinhibition of Photosystem II studied with thermoluminescence. Plant Physiol 116: 1053-1061
Aro EM, Virgin I and Andersson B (1993) Photoinhibition of Photosystem II-inactivation, protein damage and turnover. Biochim Biophys Acta 1143: 113-134
Baker NR and Bowyer JR (1994) Photoinhibition of Photosynthesis: fromMolecular Mechanisms to the Field. Bios Scientific, Oxford
Bartoš J, Berková E and Šetlík I (1975) A versatile chamber for gas exchange measurements in suspensions of algae and chloroplasts. Photosynthetica 9: 395-406
Behrenfeld MJ, Prášil O, Kolber ZS, Babin M and Falkowski PG (1998) Compensatory changes in Photosystem II electron turnover rates protect photosynthesis from photoinhibition. Photosynth Res 58: 259-268
Briantais JM, Cornic G and Hodges M (1988) The modification of chlorophyll fluorescence of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by photoinhibition and chloramphenicol addition suggests a from of Photosystem II less susceptible to degradation. FEBS Lett 236: 226-230
Cleland RE (1998) Voltammetric measurement of the plastoquinone redox state in isolated thylakoids. Photosynth Res 58: 183-192
Crofts AR and Wraight CA (1983) The electrochemical domain of photosynthesis. Biochim Biophys Acta 726: 149-185
Crofts AR, Baroli I, Kramer D and Taoka S (1993) Kinetics of electron-transfer between Qa and Qb in wild type and herbicide resistant mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Z Naturforsch 48c: 259-266
Dietz KJ and Heber U (1984a) Rate limiting factors in leaf photosynthesis. I. Carbon fluxes in the Calvin cycle. Biochim Biophys Acta 767: 432-443
Dietz KJ and Heber U (1984b) Rate limiting factors in leaf photosynthesis. II. Electron transport. Biochim Biophys Acta 767: 443-450
Falk S, Leverenz JW, Samuelsson G and Oquist O (1992) Changes in Photosystem II fluorescence in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii exposed to increasing levels of irradiance in relationship to the photosynthetic response to light. Photosynth Res 31: 31-40
Falkowski PG (1992) Molecular Ecology of phytoplankton photosynthesis. In: Falkowski PG and Wood AD (eds) Primary Productivity of Biochemical Cycles in The Sea, pp 47-67. Plenum Press, New York
Falkowski PG and Raven JA (1997) Aquatic Photosynthesis. Blackwell, Boston
Gorkom HJ and Gast P (1996) Measurement of photosynthetic oxygen evolution. In: Amesz and Hoff J (eds) Biophysical Techniques in Photosynthesis, pp 391-405. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Haxo FT and Blinks LR (1950) Photosynthetic action spectra of marine algae. J Gen Physiol 33: 389-422
Heber U, Neimanis S and Dietz KJ (1988) Fractional control of photosynthesis by the Qb protein, the cytochrome b 6 f complex and other components of the photosynthetic apparatus. Planta 173: 267-274
Henley WJ (1993) Measurement and interpretation of photosynthetic light-response curves in algae in the context of photoinhibition and diel changes. J Phycol 29: 729-739
Herron HA and Mauzerall D (1971) The development of photosynthesis in a greening mutant of Chlorella and an analysis of the light saturation curve. Plant Physiol 50: 141-148
Hsu B-D (1992a) The active Photosystem II centers can make a significant contribution to the initial fluorescence rise from F0 to Fi. Plant Sci 81: 169-174
Hsu B-D (1992b) A theoretical study on the fluorescence induction curve of spinach thylakoids in the absence of DCMU. Biochim Biophys Acta 1140: 30-36
Joliot P, Lavergne J and Beal D (1992) Plastoquinone compartmentation in chloroplasts. 1. Evidence for domains with different rates of photo-reduction. Biochim Biophys Acta 1101: 1-12
Kirchhoff H, Horstmann S and Weis E (2000) Control of the photosynthetic electron transport by PQ diffusion microdomains in thylakoids of higher plants. Biochim Biophys Acta 1459: 148-168
Kirk JTO (1993) Light &; Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems Photosynthesis. Cambridge University Press, Oxford
Kitajama M and Butler WL (1975) Quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence and primary photochemistry in chloroplasts by dibromothymoquinone. Biochim Biophys Acta 376: 105-115
Kok B (1956) On the inhibition of photosynthesis by intense light. Biochim Biophys Acta 21: 234-244
Komenda J, Masojídek J, Prášil O and B?cek J (1992) Two mechanisms of Photosystem 2 photoinactivation: do they exist in vivo? Photosynthetica 27: 99-108
Kyle DJ, Osmond CB and Arntzen CJ (1987) Photoinhibition. Elsevier Science, Oxford
Laisk A and Oja V (2000) Electron transport through Photosystem II in leaves during light pulses: acceptor resistance increases with nonphotochemical excitation quenching. Biochim Biophys Acta 1460: 255-267
Lavergne J, Bouchaud JP and Joliot P (1992) Plastoquinone compartmentation in chloroplasts. 2. Theoretical aspects. Biochim Biophys Acta 1101: 13-22
Lazár D (1999) Chlorophyll a fluorescence induction. Biochim Biophys Acta 1412: 1-28
Lazár D, Nauš J, Matoušková M and Flašarová M (1997) Mathematical modeling of changes in chlorophyll fluorescence induction caused by herbicides. Pestic Biochem Physiol 57: 200-210
Leverenz JW (1994). Factors determining the nature of the light dosage response curve of leaves. In: Baker NR and Bowyer JR (eds) Photoinhibition of Photosynthesis: from Molecular Mechanisms to the Field, pp 221-251. Bios Scientific, Oxford
Leverenz JW, Falk S, Pilström CM and Samuelsson G (1990) The effects of photoinhibition on the photosynthetic light-response curve of green plant cells (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii). Planta 182: 161-168
Ley AC and Mauzerall DC (1982) Absolute absorption crosssections for Photosystem II and the minimum quantum requirement for photosynthesis in Chlorella vulgaris. Biochim Biophys Acta 680: 95-106
Lichtenthaler HK and Wellburn AR (1983) Determinations of total carotenoids and chlorophylls a and b of leaf extracts in deferent solvents. Biochem Soc Transactions 11: 591-592
Long SP, Humphries S and Falkowski PG (1994) Photoinhibition of photosynthesis in nature. An Rev Plant Phys Plant Mol Bio 45: 633-662
Marshall HL, Geider RJ and Flynn KJ (2000) A mechanistic model of photoinhibition. N Phytol 145: 347-359
Mendes P (1993) GEPASI: a software package for modeling the dynamics, steady-states and control of biochemical and other systems. Comput Appl Biosci 9: 563-571
Mendes P (1997) Biochemistry by numbers: simulation of biochemical pathways with Gepasi 3. Trends Biochem Sci 22: 361-363
Myers J and Graham J-R (1971) The photosynthetic unit of Chlorella measured by repetitive short flashes. Plant Physiol 48: 282-286
Neale PJ and Melis A (1991) Dynamics of Photosystem II heterogeneity during photoinhibition depletion of PS II beta from non-appressed thylakoids during strong irradiance exposure of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Biochim Biophys Acta 1056: 195-203
Osmond CB (1994) What is photoinhibition-some insights from comparisons of shade and sun plants. In: Baker NR and Bowyer JR (eds) Photoinhibition of Photosynthesis: from Molecular Mechanisms to the Field, pp 1-24. Bios Scientific, Oxford
Park YI, Chow WS and Anderson JM (1995) Light inactivation of functional Photosystem II in leaves of peas grown in moderate light depends on photon exposure. Planta 196: 401-411
Park YI, Chow WS and Anderson JM (1997) Antenna size dependency of photoinactivation of Photosystem II in light-acclimated pea leaves. Plant Physiol 115: 151-157
Prášil O, Adir N and Ohad I (1992) Dynamics of Photosystem II: mechanism of photoinhibition and recovery processes. In: Barber J (ed) The Photosystems: Structure, Function and Molecular Biology, Vol 11, pp 295-348. Elsevier Science, Oxford
Renger G and Schulze A (1985) Quantitative analysis of fluorescence induction curves in isolated spinach chloroplasts. Photobiochem Photobiophys 9: 79-87
Sakshaug E, Bricaud A, Dandonneau Y, Falkowski PG, Kiefer DA, Legendre L, Morel A, Parlslow J and Takahashi M (1997) Parameters of photosynthesis: definitions, theory and interpretation of results. J Plankton Res 19: 1637-1670
Šetlík I, Šetlíková E, Masojídek J, Zachleder V, Kalina T and Mader P (1981) The effect of translation and transcription inhibitors on the development of the photosynthetic apparatus in cell cycles of Scenedesmus quadricauda. In: Akoyunoglou G (ed) Photosynthesis, pp 481-490. Balaban Philadelphia
Stitt M (1986) Limitation of photosynthesis by carbon metabolism, I. Evidence for excess electron transport capacity in leaves carrying out photosynthesis in saturating light and CO2. Plant Physiol 81: 1115-1122
Sukenik A, Bennett J and Falkowski P (1987) Light-saturated photosynthesis-limitation by electron transport or carbon fixation. Biochim Biophys Acta 891: 205-215
Tomek P, Lazár D, Ilík P and Nauš J (2001) On the intermediate steps between the O and P steps in chlorophyll it a fluorescence rise measured at different intensities of exciting light. Aust J Plant Physiol 28: 1151-1160
Trtílek M, Kramer DM, Koblíek M and Nedbal L (1997) Dualmodulation LED kinetic fluorometer. J Lumin 72-4: 597-599
Wang RT and Myers J (1976) On the distribution of excitation energy to two photoreactions of photosynthesis. Photochem Photobiol 23: 405-410
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kaňa, R., Lazár, D., Prášil, O. et al. Experimental and theoretical studies on the excess capacity of Photosystem II. Photosynthesis Research 72, 271–284 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019894720789
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019894720789