Effect of growth condition on enzymes of the citric acid cycle and the glyoxylate cycle in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris.

The enzymes of the citric acid and glyoxylate cycles as well as RuBP4 carboxylase were measured in cell-free extracts from Rhodopseudomonas palustris after growth under chemoheterotrophic, photoheterotrophic and photolithotrophic conditions. Although the citric acid cycle was found to be complete under all growth conditions, significant differences in certain enzyme activities occurred as a function of the different energy sources applied. The glyoxylate cycle also was complete under all growth conditions with highest isocitrate lyase activity seen after photoheterotrophic growth on acetate. Photo- and chemoheterotrophic growth on malate reduced the isocitrate lyase. The activity was not repressed further by photolithotrophic growth on thiosulfate. RuBP carboxylase activity, present under photolithotrophic conditions, was repressed by chemoheterotrophic growth but was not decreased by the presence of organic substrates during photoheterotrophic growth.

Involvement of Photosynthetic Carbon Reduction Cycle Intermediates in CO(2) Fixation and O(2) Evolution by Isolated Chloroplasts.

The photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle intermediates can be divided into three classes according to their effects on the rate of photosynthetic CO(2) evolution by whole spinach (Spinacia oleracea) chloroplasts and on their ability to affect reversal of certain inhibitors (nigericin, arsenate, arsenite, iodoacetate, antimycin A) of photosynthesis: class I (maximal): fructose 1, 6-diphosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, ribose-5-phosphate; class 2 (slight): glucose 6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, ribulose-1, 5-diphosphate; class 3 (variable): glycerate 3-phosphate. While class 1 compounds influence the photosynthetic rate, they do not lower the Michaelis constant of the chloroplast for bicarbonate or affect strongly other photosynthetic properties such as the isotopic distribution pattern. It was concluded that the class 1 compounds influence the chloroplast by not only supplying components to the carbon cycle but also by activating or stabilizing a structural component of the chloroplast.

Enhancement of photosynthesis by alternated light beams and a kinetic model.

Using the alga Chlorella and 2 light beams of defined wavelength, we have found that short period (1 sec) alternation gives all characteristics of enhancement of net oxygen evolution observed when the beams are superimposed. With increasing period of alternation (1-20 see) decay in enhancement is more rapid at higher intensities. We have developed a kinetic model for the current hypothesis of 2 photoacts operating in series and separated by electron transport reactions. The model is applicable at low light intensity such that rate is governed only by intensities and the fractions of reaction centers open for each photoact. Potentials and pool sizes of intermediates were taken from current estimates. Wavelength dependency of the 2 photoacts was taken from enhancement spectra for superimposed light beams. Analog computer treatment of the kinetic equations gave predictions of chromatic transients and alternated enhancement which are in reasonable but not complete agreement with experimental observations.