Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Photosystem I cyclic electron transport: Measurement of ferredoxin-plastoquinone reductase activity

  • Research Articles
  • Published:
Photosynthesis Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Absorbance changes of ferredoxin measured at 463 nm in isolated thylakoids were shown to arise from the activity of the enzyme ferredoxin-plastoquinone reductase (FQR) in cyclic electron transport. Under anaerobic conditions in the presence of DCMU and an appropriate concentration of reduced ferredoxin, a light-induced absorbance decrease due to further reduction of Fd was assigned to the oxidation of the other components in the cyclic pathway, primarily plastoquinone. When the light was turned off, Fd was reoxidised and this gave a direct quantitative measurement of the rate of cyclic electron transport due to the activity of FQR. This activity was sensitive to the classical inhibitor of cyclic electron transport, antimycin, and also to J820 and DBMIB. Antimycin had no effect on Fd reduction although this was inhibited by stigmatellin. This provides further evidence that there is a quinone reduction site outside the cytochrome bf complex. The effect of inhibitors of ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase and experiments involving the modification of ferredoxin suggest that there may be some role for the reductase as a component of FQR. Contrary to expectations, NADPH2 inhibited FQR activity; ATP and ADP had no effect.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AQS:

9,10-anthraquinone-2-sulphonate

DBMIB:

2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone

DCMU:

3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea

dimaleimide:

N,N-p-phenylenedimaleimide

EDC:

N-(dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide

Fd:

ferredoxin

FNR:

Fd-NADP+ oxidoreductase

FQR:

Fd-PQ reductase

GME:

glycine methyl ester

J820:

tetrabromo-4-hydroxypyridine

PC:

plastocyanin

PMS:

N-methylphenazinium methyl sulphate

PS:

Photosystems I and II

PQ:

plastoquinone

Q:

quinone

Qr and Qo :

sites of quinone reduction and oxidation, respectively

sulpho-DSPD:

disulphodisalicylidenepropane-1,2-diamine

References

  • Arnon DI (1949) Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts. Polyphenoloxidase in Beta vulgaris. Plant Physiol 24: 1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnon DI and Chain R (1975) Regulation of ferredoxin-catalysed photosynthetic phosphorylations. Proc Natl Acad Sci 72: 4961–4965

    Google Scholar 

  • Bendall DS (1982) Photosynthetic cytochromes of oxygenic organisms. Biochim Biophys Acta 683: 119–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Böhme H (1977) On the role of ferredoxin and ferredoxin-NADP reductase in cyclic electron transport of spinach chloroplasts. Eur J Biochem 72: 283–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Davenport HE (1960) A protein from leaves catalysing the reduction of metmyoglobin and triphosphopyridine nucleotide by illuminated chloroplasts. Biochem J 77: 471–477

    Google Scholar 

  • Davenport HE and Hill R (1960) A protein from leaves catalysing the reduction of haem-protein compounds by illuminated chloroplasts. Biochem J 74: 493–501

    Google Scholar 

  • Davenport HE, Hill R and Whatley FR (1952) A natural factor catalyzing reduction of methaemoglobin by isolated chloroplasts. Proc Roy Soc B 139: 346–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies EC and Bendall DS (1987) The antimycin-binding site of thylakoid membranes from chloroplasts. In: Biggins J (ed) Progress in Photosynthesis Research, Vol II, pp II.7.485-II.7.488. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Fewson CA, Black CC and Gibbs M (1963) Further studies on the photochemical production of reduced triphosphopyridine nucleotide and adenosine triphosphate by fragmented spinach chloroplasts. Plant Physiol 38: 680–685

    Google Scholar 

  • Forti G and Zanetti G (1969) The electron pathway of cyclic photophosphorylation. In: Metzner H (ed) Progress in Photosynthesis Research (1st International Conference on Photosynthesis Research), Vol III, pp 1213–1216. Tübingen, Germany

  • Furbank RT and Horton P (1987) Regulation of photosynthesis in isolated barley protoplasts: The contribution of cyclic photophosphorylation. Biochim Biophys Acta 894: 332–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Golbeck JH (1987) Structure, function and organization of the Photosystem I reaction center complex. Biochim Biophys Acta 895: 167–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartung A and Trebst A (1985) New inhibitors of the cytochrome b 6 /f-complex in ferredoxin catalysed cyclic photophosphorylation. Physiol Veg 23: 635–648

    Google Scholar 

  • Heber U, Egneus H, Hanck U, Jensen M and Köster S (1987) Regulation of photosynthetic electron transport and photophosphorylation in intact chloroplasts and leaves of Spinacia oleracea L. Planta 143: 41–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill R (1937) Oxygen evolution by isolated chloroplasts. Nature 139: 881–882

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill R (1939) Oxygen produced by isolated chloroplasts. Proc Roy Soc B 127: 192–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill R and Scarisbrick R (1940) The reduction of ferric oxalate by isolated chloroplasts. Proc Roy Soc B 129: 238–255

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosler JP and Yocum CF (1985a) Evidence for two cyclic photophosphorylation reactions concurrent with ferredoxin catalysed non-cyclic electron transport. Biochim Biophys Acta 808: 21–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosler JP and Yocum CF (1985b) Heparin inhibition of ferredoxin-NADP reductase in chloroplast thylakoid membranes. Arch Biochem Biophys 236: 473–478

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosler JP and Yocum CF (1987) Regulation of cyclic photophosphorylation during ferredoxin-mediated electron transport. Plant Physiol. 83: 965–969

    Google Scholar 

  • Huber SC and Edwards (1977) The importance of reducing conditions for the inhibitory action of DBMIB, antimycin A and EDAC on cyclic photophosphorylation. FEBS Lett 79: 207–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Knaff DB and Hirasawa M (1991) Ferredoxin-dependent chloroplast enzymes. Biochim Biophys Acta 1056: 93–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Leegood RC, Crowther D, Walker DA and Hind G (1983) Energetics of photosynthesis in Zea Mays. I. Studies of the flash-induced electrochromic shift and fluorescence induction in bundle sheath cells. Biochim Biophys Acta 722: 116–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills JD, Crowther D, Slovacek RE, Hind G and McCarty RE (1979) Electron transport pathways in spinach chloroplasts. Reduction of the primary acceptor of Photosystem II by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate in the dark. Biochim Biophys Acta 547: 127–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell P (1975) The protonmotive Q cycle: A general formulation. FEBS Lett 59: 137–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Mortenson LE, Valentine RC and Carnahan JE (1962) An electron transport factor from Clostridium pasteuriantum. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 7: 448–452

    Google Scholar 

  • Moss DA and Bendall DS (1984) Cyclic electron transport in chloroplasts. The Q-cycle and the site of action of antimycin. Biochim Biophys Acta 767: 389–395

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson N and Neumann J (1972) Isolation of a cytochrome b 6 -f particle from chloroplasts. J Biol Chem 247: 1817–1824

    Google Scholar 

  • Oettmeier W, Godde D, Kunze B and Höfle G (1985) Stigmatellin. A dual type inhibitor of photosynthetic electron transport. Biochim Biophys Acta 807: 216–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Patel P, Bendall DS and Ridley SM (1986) Site of action of a halogenated 4-hydroxypyridine on ferredoxin-catalysed cyclic photophosphorylation. FEBS Lett 206: 249–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Rich PR (1984) Electron and proton transfers through quinones and cytochrome bc complexes. Biochim Biophys Acta 768: 53–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Rich PR (1988) A critical examination of the supposed variable stoichiometry of the chloroplast cytochrome bf complex. Biochim Biophys Acta 932: 33–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson HH and Yocum CF (1980) Cyclic photophosphorylation reactions catalyzed by ferredoxin, methyl viologen and anthraquinone sulfonate. Use of photochemical reactions to optimize redox poising. Biochim Biophys Acta 590: 97–106

    Google Scholar 

  • San Pietro A and Lang HM (1958) Photosynthetic pyridine nucleotide reductase. I. Partial purification and properties. J Biol Chem 231: 211–229

    Google Scholar 

  • Scheller HV and Möller BL (1990) Photosystem I polypeptides. Physiol Plant 78: 484–494

    Google Scholar 

  • Shahak Y, Crowther D and Hind G (1981) The involvement of ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase in cyclic electron transport in chloroplasts. Biochim Biophys Acta 636: 234–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Tagawa K and Arnon DI (1962) Ferredoxins as electron carriers in photosynthesis and in biological production and consumption of hydrogen gas. Nature 195: 537–543

    Google Scholar 

  • Tagawa K, Tsujimoto HY and Arnon DI (1963) Role of chloroplast ferredoxin in the energy conversion process of photosynthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci 49: 567–572

    Google Scholar 

  • Vieira B and Davis DJ (1986) Interaction of ferredoxin with ferredoxin: NADP reductase: Effects of chemical modification of ferredoxin. Arch Biochem Biophys 247: 140–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Woo KC (1983) Evidence for cyclic photophosphorylation during 14CO2 fixation in intact chloroplasts. Plant Physiol. 72: 313–320

    Google Scholar 

  • Zweig G and Avron M (1965) Dependence of photophosphorylation by isolated chloroplasts on the oxidation-reduction state of N-methylphenazinium methyl sulphate (phenazine methosulphate). Nature 208: 190–191

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QW, Cambridge, UK

    Robyn E. Cleland & Derek S. Bendall

Authors
  1. Robyn E. Cleland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Derek S. Bendall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cleland, R.E., Bendall, D.S. Photosystem I cyclic electron transport: Measurement of ferredoxin-plastoquinone reductase activity. Photosynth Res 34, 409–418 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00029815

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00029815

Key words

Search

Navigation