Temperature dependence of the photosynthetic activities in the thylakoid membranes from the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans

Abstract

The photosynthetic electron transport and phosphorylation reactions were measured in the room temperature region in the thylakoid membranes prepared from the blue-green alga, Anacystis nidulans. The Arrhenius plot of the Hill reaction with 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol showed a distinct break of straight lines at 21°C in the membranes from cells grown at 38°C, and at 12°C in those from cells grown at 28°C. The Arrhenius plot of the Hill reaction with ferricyanide showed a break at 13°C in the membranes from cells grown at 38°C, and at 7°C in those from cells grown at 28°C. On the other hand, the Arrhenius plot of the System I reaction with methylviologen as an electron acceptor and 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol and ascorbate as an electron donor system was composed of a straight line in the membranes from cells grown at 28°C as well as at 38°C. The Arrhenius plot of the System II reaction measured by the ferricyanide reduction mediated by silicotungstate in the presence of 3-(3′,4′-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea also showed a break at 11°C in the membranes from cells grown at 38°C. The Arrhenius plot of the phosphorylation mediated by N-methylphenazonium methylsulfate showed a break at 21°C in the membranes from cells grown at 38°C and at 12°C in those from cells grown at 28°C. The Arrhenius plot of the phosphorylation mediated by the System I reaction showed a break at 24°C in the membranes from cells grown at 38°C. The characteristic features in the Arrhenius plots of the photosynthetic electron transport and phosphorylation reactions are discussed in terms of the transition of physical phase of the thylakoid membrane lipids.