Register      Login
Functional Plant Biology Functional Plant Biology Society
Plant function and evolutionary biology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Optimising the linear electron transport rate measured by chlorophyll a fluorescence to empirically match the gross rate of oxygen evolution in white light: towards improved estimation of the cyclic electron flux around photosystem I in leaves

Meng-Meng Zhang A B , Da-Yong Fan B , Guang-Yu Sun A C and Wah Soon Chow B C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150040, China.

B Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia.

C Corresponding authors. Email: fred.chow@anu.edu.au; sungy@vip.sina.com

Functional Plant Biology 45(11) 1138-1148 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP18039
Submitted: 14 February 2018  Accepted: 25 May 2018   Published: 3 July 2018

Abstract

The cyclic electron flux (CEF) around photosystem I (PSI) was discovered in isolated chloroplasts more than six decades ago, but its quantification has been hampered by the absence of net formation of a product or net consumption of a substrate. We estimated in vivo CEF in leaves as the difference (ΔFlux) between the total electron flux through PSI (ETR1) measured by a near infrared signal, and the linear electron flux through both photosystems by optimised measurement of chlorophyll a fluorescence (LEFfl). Chlorophyll fluorescence was excited by modulated green light from a light-emitting diode at an optimal average irradiance, and the fluorescence was detected at wavelengths >710 nm. In this way, LEFfl matched the gross rate of oxygen evolution multiplied by 4 (LEFO2) in broad-spectrum white actinic irradiance up to half (spinach, poplar and rice) or one third (cotton) of full sunlight irradiance. This technique of estimating CEF can be applied to leaves attached to a plant.

Additional keywords: light partitioning, P700, photochemical quenching, photosystem II.


References

Arnon DI, Whatley FR, Allen MB (1955) Vitamin K as a cofactor of photosynthetic phosphorylation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 16, 607–608.
Vitamin K as a cofactor of photosynthetic phosphorylation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Asada K (2000) The water–water cycle as alternative photon and electron sinks. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 355, 1419–1431.
The water–water cycle as alternative photon and electron sinks.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Edwards GE, Baker NR (1993) Can CO2 assimilation in maize leaves be predicted accurately from chlorophyll fluorescence analysis? Photosynthesis Research 37, 89–102.
Can CO2 assimilation in maize leaves be predicted accurately from chlorophyll fluorescence analysis?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Evans JR (2009) Potential errors in electron transport rates calculated from chlorophyll fluorescence as revealed by a multilayer model. Plant & Cell Physiology 50, 698–706.
Potential errors in electron transport rates calculated from chlorophyll fluorescence as revealed by a multilayer model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Evans JR, Morgan PB, von Caemmerer S (2017) Light quality affects chloroplast electron transport rates estimated from Chl fluorescence measurements. Plant & Cell Physiology 58, 1652–1660.
Light quality affects chloroplast electron transport rates estimated from Chl fluorescence measurements.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Fan DY, Fitzpatrick D, Oguchi R, Ma W, Kou J, Chow WS (2016) Obstacles in the quantification of the cyclic electron flux around photosystem I in leaves of C3 plants. Photosynthesis Research 129, 239–251.
Obstacles in the quantification of the cyclic electron flux around photosystem I in leaves of C3 plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Genty B, Briantais J-M, Baker NR (1989) The relationship between the quantum yield of photosynthetic electron transport and quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 990, 87–92.
The relationship between the quantum yield of photosynthetic electron transport and quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Golding AJ, Finazzi G, Johnson GN (2004) Reduction of the thylakoid electron transport chain by stromal reductants – evidence for activation of cyclic electron transport upon dark adaptation or under drought. Planta 220, 356–363.
Reduction of the thylakoid electron transport chain by stromal reductants – evidence for activation of cyclic electron transport upon dark adaptation or under drought.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Klughammer C, Schreiber U (1994) An improved method, using saturating light pulses, for the determination of photosystem I quantum yield via P700+-absorbance changes at 830 nm. Planta 192, 261–268.
An improved method, using saturating light pulses, for the determination of photosystem I quantum yield via P700+-absorbance changes at 830 nm.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Klughammer C, Schreiber U (2007) Saturation pulse method for assessment of energy conversion in PS I. Available at http://www.walz.com/downloads/pan/PAN07002.pdf [Accessed 9 June 2018]

Kohzuma K, Cruz JA, Akashi K, Hoshiyasu S, Munekage YN, Yokota A, Kramer DM (2009) The long-term responses of the photosynthetic proton circuit to drought. Plant, Cell & Environment 32, 209–219.
The long-term responses of the photosynthetic proton circuit to drought.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kou J, Takahashi S, Oguchi R, Fan D-Y, Badger MR, Chow WS (2013) Estimation of the steady-state cyclic electron flux in white light, CO2-enriched air and other varied conditions. Functional Plant Biology 40, 1018–1028.
Estimation of the steady-state cyclic electron flux in white light, CO2-enriched air and other varied conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kou J, Takahashi S, Fan D-Y, Badger MR, Chow WS (2015) Partially dissecting the steady-state electron fluxes in photosystem I in wild-type and pgr5 and ndh mutants of Arabidopsis. Frontiers in Plant Science 6, 758
Partially dissecting the steady-state electron fluxes in photosystem I in wild-type and pgr5 and ndh mutants of Arabidopsis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Miyake C (2010) Alternative electron flows (water-water cycle and cyclic electron flow around PS I) in photosynthesis: molecular mechanisms and physiological functions. Plant & Cell Physiology 51, 1951–1963.
Alternative electron flows (water-water cycle and cyclic electron flow around PS I) in photosynthesis: molecular mechanisms and physiological functions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Oguchi R, Douwstra P, Fujita T, Chow WS, Terashima I (2011) Intra-leaf gradients of photoinhibition induced by different color lights: implications for the dual mechanisms of photoinhibition and for the application of conventional chlorophyll fluorometers. New Phytologist 191, 146–159.
Intra-leaf gradients of photoinhibition induced by different color lights: implications for the dual mechanisms of photoinhibition and for the application of conventional chlorophyll fluorometers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Öquist G, Chow WS (1992) On the relationship between the quantum yield of photosystem II electron transport, as determined by chlorophyll fluorescence and the quantum yield of CO2-dependent O2 evolution. Photosynthesis Research 33, 51–62.
On the relationship between the quantum yield of photosystem II electron transport, as determined by chlorophyll fluorescence and the quantum yield of CO2-dependent O2 evolution.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Oxborough K, Baker NR (1997) Resolving chlorophyll a fluorescence images of photosynthetic efficiency into photochemical and non-photochemical components-calculation of qP and F vʹ/F mʹ without measuring F oʹ. Photosynthesis Research 54, 135–142.
Resolving chlorophyll a fluorescence images of photosynthetic efficiency into photochemical and non-photochemical components-calculation of qP and F vʹ/F mʹ without measuring F oʹ.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Seaton GGR, Walker DA (1990) Chlorophyll fluorescence as a measure of photosynthetic carbon assimilation. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 242, 29–35.
Chlorophyll fluorescence as a measure of photosynthetic carbon assimilation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Shikanai T (2007) Cyclic electron transport around photosystem I: genetic approaches. Annual Review of Plant Biology 58, 199–217.
Cyclic electron transport around photosystem I: genetic approaches.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Terashima I, Fujita T, Inoue T, Chow WS, Oguchi R (2009) Green light drives leaf photosynthesis more efficiently than red light in strong white light: revisiting the enigmatic question of why leaves are green. Plant & Cell Physiology 50, 684–697.
Green light drives leaf photosynthesis more efficiently than red light in strong white light: revisiting the enigmatic question of why leaves are green.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Weis E, Berry JA (1987) Quantum efficiency of photosystem II in relation to ‘energy’-dependent quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 894, 198–208.
Quantum efficiency of photosystem II in relation to ‘energy’-dependent quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Yao H-S, Zhang Y-L, Yi X-P, Zhang X-J, Fan D-Y, Chow WS, Zhang W-F (2018) Diaheliotropic leaf movement enhances leaf photosynthetic capacity and photosynthetic use efficiency of light and photosynthetic nitrogen via optimizing nitrogen partitioning among photosynthetic components in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Plant Biology
Diaheliotropic leaf movement enhances leaf photosynthetic capacity and photosynthetic use efficiency of light and photosynthetic nitrogen via optimizing nitrogen partitioning among photosynthetic components in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Yi X-P, Zhang Y-L, Yao H-S, Han J-M, Chow WS, Fan D-Y, Zhang W-F (2018) Changes in activities of both photosystems and the regulatory effect of cyclic electron flow in field-grown cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) under water deficit. Journal of Plant Physiology 220, 74–82.
Changes in activities of both photosystems and the regulatory effect of cyclic electron flow in field-grown cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) under water deficit.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |