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Characterization of the non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence that occurs during the active accumulation of inorganic carbon in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC 7942

Photosynthesis Research volume 49, pages 251–262 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

Previous work has shown that the maximum fluorescence yield from PS 2 of Synechococcus PCC 7942 occurs when the cells are at the CO2 compensation point. The addition of inorganic carbon (Ci), as CO2 or HCO3 −, causes a lowering of the fluorescence yield due to both photochemical (qp) and non-photochemical (qN) quenching. In this paper, we characterize the qN that is induced by Ci addition to cells grown at high light intensities (500 μmol photons m−2 s−1). The Ci-induced qN was considerably greater in these cells than in cells grown at low light intensities (50 μmol photons m−2 s−1), when assayed at a white light (WL) intensity of 250 μmol photons m−2 s−1. In high-light grown cells we measured qN values as high as 70%, while in low-light grown cells the qN was about 16%. The qN was relieved when cells regained the CO2 compensation point, when cells were illuminated by supplemental far-red light (FRL) absorbed mainly by PS 1, or when cells were illuminated with increased WL intensities. These characteristics indicate that the qN was not a form of energy quenching (qE). Supplemental FRL illumination caused significant enhancement of photosynthetic O2 evolution that could be correlated with the changes in qp and qN. The increases in qp induced by Ci addition represent increases in the effective quantum yield of PS 2 due to increased levels of oxidized QA. The increase in qN induced by Ci represents a decrease in PS 2 activity related to decreases in the potential quantum yield. The lack of diagnostic changes in the 77 K fluorescence emission spectrum argue against qN being related to classical state transitions, in which the decrease in potential quantum yield of PS 2 is due either to a decrease in absorption cross-section or by increased ‘spill-over’ of excitation energy to PS 1. Both the Ci-induced qp (t 0.5<0.5 s) and qN (t 0.5≃1.6 s) were rapidly relieved by the addition of DCMU. The two time constants give further support for two separate quenching mechanisms. We have thus characterized a novel form of qN in cyanobacteria, not related to state transitions or energy quenching, which is induced by the addition of Ci to cells at the CO2-compensation point.

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Abbreviations

BTP-:

1,3-bis[tris(hydroxymethyl)-methylaminopropane]

Chl-:

chlorophyll

Ci-:

inorganic carbon (CO2+HCO3 −+CO3 2−)

DCMU-:

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

F-:

chlorophyll fluorescence measured at any time in the absence of a saturating flash

Fo-:

chlorophyll fluorescence with only the weak modulated measuring beam on

FM'-:

chlorophyll fluorescence during a saturating flash

FM-:

maximum chlorophyll fluorescence, measured in the presence of WL and FRL at the CO2-compensation point or in the presence of DCMU

FV-:

variable fluorescence (= FM'−F0)

FRL-:

supplemental illumination with far red light

MB-:

modulated measuring beam of the PAM fluorometer

MV-:

methyl viologen

PAM-:

pulse amplitude modulation

PFD-:

incident photon flux density

PS 1, 2-:

Photosystems 1 and 2

QA-:

primary electron-accepting plastoquinione of PS 2

qN-:

non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence

qp-:

photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence; rubisco-ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

SF-:

saturating flash (600 ms duration)

WL-:

white light illumination

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, P.O. Box 5000, B2G 2W5, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada

    Anthony G. Miller

  2. Department of Botany, Erindale College, University of Toronto, L5L 1C6, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

    George S. Espie

  3. Department of Biology, Brock University, L2S 2A1, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada

    Doug Bruce

Authors
  1. Anthony G. Miller
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  2. George S. Espie
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  3. Doug Bruce
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Miller, A.G., Espie, G.S. & Bruce, D. Characterization of the non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence that occurs during the active accumulation of inorganic carbon in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC 7942. Photosynth Res 49, 251–262 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00034786

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00034786

Key words

  • active HCO3 − transport
  • chlorophyll fluorescence
  • cyanobacterium
  • non-photochemical quenching
  • PS 2 activity