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Non-photochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching and structural rearrangements induced by low pH in intact cells of Chlorella fusca (Chlorophyceae) and Mantoniella squamata (Prasinophyceae)

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Abstract

We have used circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and chlorophyll fluorescence induction measurements in order to examine low-pH-induced changes in the chiral macro-organization of the chromophores and in the efficiency of non-photochemical quenching of the chlorophyll a fluorescence (NPQ) in intact, dark-adapted cells of Chlorella fusca (Chlorophyceae) and Mantoniella squamata (Prasinophyceae). We found that: (i) high proton concentrations enhanced the formation of chiral macrodomains of the complexes, i.e. the formation of large aggregates with long-range chiral order of pigment dipoles; this was largely independent of the low-pH-induced accumulation of de-epoxidized xanthophylls; (ii) lowering the pH led to NPQ; however, efficient energy dissipation, in the absence of excess light, could only be achieved if a substantial part of violaxanthin was converted to zeaxanthin and antheraxanthin in Chlorella and Mantoniella, respectively; (iii) the low-pH-induced changes in the chiral macro-organization of pigments were fully reversed by titrating the cells to neutral pH; (iv) at neutral pH, the presence of antheraxanthin or zeaxanthin did not bring about a sizeable NPQ. Hence, low-pH-induced NPQ in dark adapted algal cells appears to be associated both with the presence of de-epoxidized xanthophylls and structural changes in the chiral macrodomains. It is proposed that the macrodomains, by providing a suitable structure for long-distance migration of the excitation energy, in the presence of quenchers associated with de-epoxidized xanthophylls, facilitate significantly the dissipation of unused excitation energy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Botanik, Universität Leipzig, Johannisallee 21-23, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Reimund Goss

  2. Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, P.O. Box 521, H-6701, Szeged, Hungary

    Gyözö Garab

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  1. Reimund Goss
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Goss, R., Garab, G. Non-photochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching and structural rearrangements induced by low pH in intact cells of Chlorella fusca (Chlorophyceae) and Mantoniella squamata (Prasinophyceae) . Photosynthesis Research 67, 185–197 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010681511105

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