SHORT‐TERM RESPONSE OF THE DIADINOXANTHIN CYCLE AND FLUORESCENCE YIELD TO HIGH IRRADIANCE IN CHAETOCEROS MUELLERI (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE)1

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe relationship between the diadinoxanthin cycle and changes in fluorescence yield in the diatom Chaetoceros muelleri Lemm. (clone CH10, Amorient Aquafarm, Inc., Hawaii) was investigated. High‐light‐induced changes in fluorescence yield and xanthophyll de‐epoxidation occurred very rapidly (first order rate constant 1.60 min−1). The observed light‐induced changes in diatoxanthin and diadinoxanthin concentration were consistent with a two‐pool scheme for diadinoxanthin, one of which does not undergo de‐epoxidation. Changes in xanthophyll concentration correlated with changes in in vivo absorbance indicating that diadinoxanthin cycle activity in vivo can be monitored spectrophotometrically. However, changes in cell absorbance were small relative to total optical absorption cross section. Increases in the concentration of diatoxanthin were linearly correlated with increases in the rate constant for thermal de‐excitation in the antenna of photosystem II (PSII). Antenna quenching produced or mediated by diatoxanthin may, thus, protect the PSII reaction center in diatoms. Changes in the maximum fluorescence yield suggested that changes in the reaction center also contributed to nonphotochemical quenching of fluorescence. Thus, reaction center quenching affected the relationship between antenna quenching and changes in photochemical efficiency producing the effect of a decrease in fluorescence yield without a decrease in photochemical efficiency.