Skip to main content

Stoichiometric determination of pheophytin in photosystem II of oxygenic photosynthesis

Photosynthesis Research volume 9, pages 63–70 (1986)Cite this article

Abstract

Pheophytin and chlorophyll extracted from oxygen-evolving photosystem II particles, chloroplast thylakoids and cyanobacterial cells were separated by column chromatography with DEAE-Toyopearl, and quantitatively determined by spectrophotometry. The molecular ratio of chlorophyll a+b to pheophytin a was about 100 in spinach photosystem II particles and about 140 in spinach thylakoids. Using flash spectrophotometry of P680 and measurement of flash-induced oxygen yield, the molecular ratio of the chlorophyll to the photochemical reaction center II was determined to be about 200 in the photosystem II particles. These findings suggest that the stoichiometry in photosystem II particles is one reaction center II and two pheophytin a molecules per about 200 chlorophyll molecules. The same stoichiometry for pheophytin to the reaction center II was obtained in the cyanobacteria, Anacystis nidulans and Synechocystis PCC 6714. A quantitative determination of pheophytin a and the electron donor P700 in stroma thylakoids from pokeweed suggests that photosystem I does not contain pheophytin.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  1. Astier C, Joset-Espardellier F and Meyer I (1979) Areh Microbiol 120:93–96

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cogdell RJ, Brune DC and Clayton RC (1974) FEBS Lett 45:344–347

    Google Scholar 

  3. Conjeaud H, Mathis P and Paillotin G (1979) Biochim Biophys Acta 546:280–291

    Google Scholar 

  4. Herdman M, Delaney SF and Carr NG (1973) J Gen Microbiol 79:233–237

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hiyama T and Ke B (1972) Biochim Biophys Acta 267:160–171

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kawamura M, Mimuro M and Fujita Y (1979) Plant Cell Physiol 20:697–705

    Google Scholar 

  7. Klimov VV, Klevanik AV, Shuvalov VA and Krasnovsky AA (1977) FEBS Lett 82:183–186

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kratz WA and Myers J (1955) Amer J Bot 42:282–287

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kuwabara T and Murata N (1982) Plant Cell Physiol 23:533–539

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mackinney G (1941) J Biol Chem 140:315–322

    Google Scholar 

  11. Mathis P and Setif P (1981) Israel J Chem 21:316–320

    Google Scholar 

  12. Murata N and Miyao M (1985) Trends Biochem Sci 10:122–124

    Google Scholar 

  13. Murata N, Miyao M and Kuwabara T (1983) In Inoue Y et al, eds. The Oxygen Evolving System in Photosynthesis, pp. 223–228. Tokyo: Academic Press

    Google Scholar 

  14. Murata N, Miyao M, Omata T, Matsunami H and Kuwabara T (1984) Biochim Biophys Acta 765:363–369

    Google Scholar 

  15. Okamura MY, Isaacson RA and Feher G (1975) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 72: 3491–3495

    Google Scholar 

  16. Omata T and Murata N (1980) Photochem Photobiol 31:183–185

    Google Scholar 

  17. Omata T, Murata N and Satoh K (1984) Biochim Biophys Acta 765:403–405

    Google Scholar 

  18. Pulles MPJ, van Gorkom HJ and Willemsen JG (1976) Biochim Biophys Acta 449:536–540

    Google Scholar 

  19. Satoh K and Mathis P (1981). Photobiochem Photobiophys 2:189–198

    Google Scholar 

  20. Sesták Z (1971). In Sesták Z et al, eds. Plant Photosynthetic production, pp. 672–701. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff/Dr. W. Junk Publishers

    Google Scholar 

  21. Shuvalov VA and Klimov VV (1976). Biochim Biophys Acta 440:587–599

    Google Scholar 

  22. Suzuki K (1977). ‘Photosynthetic Organelles’ Special Issue of Plant Cell Physiol, pp. 415–425

  23. Van Best JA and Mathis P (1978) Biochim Biophys Acta 503:178–188

    Google Scholar 

  24. Van Gorkom HJ (1974) Biochim Biophys Acta 347:439–442

    Google Scholar 

  25. Vernon LP (1960) Anal Chem 32:1144–1150

    Google Scholar 

  26. Watanabe T, Hongu A, Honda K, Nakazato M, Konno M and Saitoh S (1984) Anal Chem 56:251–256

    Google Scholar 

  27. Watanabe T, Kebayashi M, Hongu A, Nakazato M, Hiyama T and Murata N (1985) FEBS Lett in press

  28. Watanabe T, Nakazato M, Mazaki H, Hongu A, Konno M, Saltoh S and Honda K (1985) Biochim Biophys Acta 807:110–117

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wilson JR, Nutting M-D and Bailey GF (1962) Anal Chem 34:1331–1332

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. National Institute for Basic Biology, 444, Okazaki, Japan

    N. Murata & Y. Fujita

  2. Yamamoto Nori Research Laboratory, 5-4-6 Oomori-Higashi, 143, Oota-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    S. Araki

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Saitama University, 338, Urawa, Japan

    K. Suzuki

  4. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Miyama, 274, Funabashi, Japan

    T. Kuwabara

  5. Service de Biophysique, Département de Biologie, Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Saclay, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    P. Mathis

Authors
  1. N. Murata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Araki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Y. Fujita
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. Suzuki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. T. Kuwabara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. P. Mathis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Dedicated to Prof. L.N.M. Duysens on the occasion of his retirement.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Murata, N., Araki, S., Fujita, Y. et al. Stoichiometric determination of pheophytin in photosystem II of oxygenic photosynthesis. Photosynth Res 9, 63–70 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00029732

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00029732

Key words

  • chlorophyll
  • pheophytin
  • photochemical reaction center II
  • photosystem II