Skip to main content
Log in

Some theoretical considerations relating to the meaning and measurement of chloroplast reducing potential

  • Published:
The bulletin of mathematical biophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The meaning of “chloroplast reducing potential” is examined in order to find out whether determinations of it might not allow one to circumscribe possible mechanisms of photosynthesis. One can define a physical situation where a measure of “chloroplast reducing potential” could allow one to draw an important conclusion about the mechanism of photosynthesis. However, in order to achieve this, it is necessary to make very severe assumptions and to suppose that some very serious experimental difficulties can be overcome.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature

  • Clendenning, K. A. and H. C. Ehrmantraut. 1950. “Photosynthesis and Hill Reactions by Whole Chlorella Cells in Continuous and Flashing Light.”Arch. Biochem.,29, 387–403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrmantraut, H. C. and E. Rabinowitch. 1952. “Kinetics of Hill Reaction.”Arch. Biochem. Biophys.,38, 67–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerretson, F. C. 1950. “Manganese in Relation to Photosynthesis II. Redox Potentials of Illuminated Crude Chloroplast Suspensions.”Plant and Soil,II, 159–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, R. 1937. “Oxygen Evolved by Isolated Chloroplasts.”Nature,139, 881–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • — 1939. “Oxygen Produced by Isolated Chloroplasts.”Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond.,B 127, 192–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • — 1951a. “Oxidoreduction in Chloroplasts.”Adv. in Enz.,XII, 1–39, New York: Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  • — 1951b. “Reduction by Chloroplasts.”Symp. Soc. Exp. Biol.,V, 222–31. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • — and R. Scarisbrick. 1940a. “Production of Oxygen by Illuminated Chloroplasts.”Nature,146, 61–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • ——. 1940b. “The Reduction of Ferric Oxalate by Isolated Chloroplasts.”Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond.,B,129, 238–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holt, A. S. and C. S. French. 1948. “Isotopic Analysis of the Oxygen Evolved by Illuminated Chloroplasts in Normal Water and in Water enriched with O18.”Arch. Biochem.,19, 429–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horwitz, L. 1952. “Investigation on Hill Reactions of Isolated Chloroplasts and Whole Cells and Their Relation to Photosynthesis.” Thesis. University of Minnesota.

  • Lipman, F. 1946. “Metabolic Process Patterns.”Currents in Biochemical Research, pp. 137–48. (Ed. D. E. Green.) New York: Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacDougall, F. H. 1939.Thermodynamics and Chemistry. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macdowall, F. D. H. 1949. “The Effects of Some inhibitors of Photosynthesis upon the Photochemical Reduction of a Dye by Isolated Chloroplasts.”Pl. Physiol.,24, 462–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — 1952. “The Reducing Potential of Illuminated Chloroplasts.”Science,116, 398–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruben, S. 1943. “Photosynthesis and Phosphorylation.”Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc.,65, 279–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spikes J. D. 1952. “Stoichiometry of the Photolysis of Water by Illuminated Chloroplast Fragments.”Arch. Biochem. Biophys.,35, 101–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —, R. Lumry, H. Eyring, and R. E. Wayrynen. 1950. “Potential Changes in Suspensions of Chloroplasts on Illumination.”Arch. Biochem.,28, 48–67.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Horwitz, L. Some theoretical considerations relating to the meaning and measurement of chloroplast reducing potential. Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics 16, 45–53 (1954). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02481811

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02481811

Keywords

Navigation