[Photosynthetic activity in the absence of CPl and CP2 pigmentary complexes (author's transl)].

Various photochemical activities were tested on chloroplasts of Zea mays that received 4 s of light every 4 h during the culture period. Photosystem I and Photosystem II were functioning, as well as the photosynthetic electron transport. These chloroplasts exhibited upon sodium dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis neither Complex 1 (Mr 70 000) generally associated with Photosystem I nor Complex 2 Mr 25 000) generally associated with Photosystem II. Chlorophyll is indeed attached to polypeptides of molecular weight 21 000 and 29 000. These results lead us to question the functional role of chloroplast protein-pigment complexes observed by sodium dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis.