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Kinetics of in vivo bacteriochlorophyll fluorescence yield and the state of photosynthetic apparatus of purple bacteria

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Abstract

The light-induced electron transport in purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides was studied in vivo by means of kinetic difference absorption spectroscopy and kinetics of bacteriochlorophyll fluorescence yield. Measurements of redox state of the oxidised primary donor and cytochrome c and the membrane potential revealed a complex pattern of changes of the electron flow. Effects of the membrane potential on the fluorescence yield were also analysed, and a model for the fluorescence induction curve is presented. The data indicate substantial positive effect of the membrane potential on the fluorescence emission in vivo. Moreover, light-induced changes in light scattering were observed, which suggests occurrence of structural changes on the level of the photosynthetic membrane.

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Abbreviations

A:

Absorbance

BChl:

Bacteriochlorophyll

FCCP:

Carbonylcyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenyl hydrazone

LHI, LHII:

Light-harvesting complex I, II

P870 :

Primary donor of the bacterial reaction centre

PSII:

Photosystem II

QA :

First quinone electron acceptor

QB :

Second quinone electron acceptor

RC:

Reaction centre

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Acknowledgements

The work was supported by grants GACR 206/06/0364, GAAV A608170603 and institutional support AV0Z50510513, MSM6007665808 and MSM6007665801.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Centre of AVCR, v.v.i, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Branisovska 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

    David Bina, Radek Litvin & Frantisek Vacha

  2. Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

    David Bina, Radek Litvin & Frantisek Vacha

  3. Institute of Physical Biology, University of South Bohemia, Zamek 136, 373 33, Nove Hrady, Czech Republic

    Frantisek Vacha

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  1. David Bina
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Correspondence to Frantisek Vacha.

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Bina, D., Litvin, R. & Vacha, F. Kinetics of in vivo bacteriochlorophyll fluorescence yield and the state of photosynthetic apparatus of purple bacteria. Photosynth Res 99, 115–125 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-009-9408-4

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