Flash induced fluorescence kinetics in chloroplasts in the 20 microseconds-100 s time range in the presence of 3(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea. Effects of hydroxylamine.

Flash induced variations of the fluorescence yield have been studied at 2 degrees C over a long time range (at 1 microseconds and from 20 microseconds to 3 min) in chloroplasts in the presence of 3(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) with or without addition of hydroxylamine. 1. In the presence of DCMU, a polyphasic rise is observed. A first fast rise (less than 1 microseconds) is ascribed to the transfer of the positive charge from the primary Photosystem II donor Chl to a secondary donor Y. Two hypotheses are proposed to interpret the existence of the subsequent slower increase (t1/2 approximately equal to 70 microseconds) which then follows the initial fast rise. 2. The effects or various hydroxylamine concentrations have been studied with a sufficient incubation time to inactivate the secondary donors Y and Z. This inactivation leads to a complete inhibition of the ability to emit oxygen. Under these conditions, the initial fast rise (less than 1 microseconds) is inhibited as shown by den Haan, G.A., Duysens, L. N. M. and Egberts, D. J. N. (1974) Biochim. Biophs. Acta 368, 409-421, and the oxidized Chl+ is reduced by an auxiliary donor D. The slow fluorescence rise observed after destruction of Y and Z has a similar kinetic behaviour to that observed in the presence of DCMU only and is polyphasic. In the presence of 10 mM hydroxylamine, the constant rate of the back reaction k1 between Chl+ and the primary acceptor Q- is estimated to be approx. (135 microseconds)-1 while the transfer of the positive charge from Chl+ to D has a rate constant k2 of approx. (105 microseconds)-1. 3. In the presence of hydroxylamine concentrations higher than 10 mM, there appears a rise in the 1-20 microseconds range ascribed to a direct reduction of oxidized Chl+ by hydroxylamine. 4. In chloroplasts treated with 10 mM hydroxylamine for 15 min and washed afterwards, the rate constant k3 of the back reaction between D+ and Q- is estimated to be approx. (100 ms)-1 which leads to a value of about 700 for the equilibrium constant between Chl and D. Hydroxylamine added under these conditions is able to reduce D+. The rate constant k4 of this reduction is estimated to be (350 ms)-1 in 0.1 mM hydroxylamine.