Artificial Energy Conservation in Bacterial Photosynthetic Electron Transport

Abstract

Abstract In photosynthesis of chloroplasts and bacterial chromatophores an induced artificial electron flow bypass may restore the inhibition of electron flow and of coupled ATP formation by two possible mechanisms. An artificial transmembrane electron flow bypass will lead to artificial energy conservation, when the redox reaction cycle of the added mediator across the membrane acts as proton pump. In an artificial internal electron flow bypass an inhibited native energy conservation may be reactivated; here an electron flow bypass induced by the mediator in the inside space restores the native proton translocation. The inhibition and the restoration of electron flow by antimycin, dibromothymoquinone and valinomycin is compared.