Resolution of components of non-photochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching in barley leaves

Chlorophyll fluorescence--a practical guide

Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis has become one of the most powerful and widely used techniques available to plant physiologists and ecophysiologists. This review aims to provide an introduction for the novice into the methodology and applications of chlorophyll fluorescence. After a brief introduction into the theoretical background of the technique, the methodology and some of the technical pitfalls that can be encountered are explained. A selection of examples is then used to illustrate the types of information that fluorescence can provide.

The xanthophyll cycle modulates the kinetics of nonphotochemical energy dissipation in isolated light-harvesting complexes, intact chloroplasts, and leaves of spinach

We analyzed the kinetics of nonphotochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence (qN) in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaves, chloroplasts, and purified light-harvesting complexes. The characteristic biphasic pattern of fluorescence quenching in dark-adapted leaves, which was removed by preillumination, was evidence of light activation of qN, a process correlated with the de-epoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle carotenoids. Chloroplasts isolated from dark-adapted and light-activated leaves confirmed the nature of light activation: faster and greater quenching at a subsaturating transthylakoid pH gradient. The light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding complexes of photosystem II were isolated from dark-adapted and light-activated leaves. When isolated from light-activated leaves, these complexes showed an increase in the rate of quenching in vitro compared with samples prepared from dark-adapted leaves. In all cases, the quenching kinetics were fitted to a single component hyperbolic function. For leaves, chloroplasts, and light-harvesting complexes, the presence of zeaxanthin was associated with an increased rate constant for the induction of quenching. We discuss the significance of these observations in terms of the mechanism and control of qN.

Induction of acclimative proteolysis of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein of photosystem II in response to elevated light intensities

Most plants have the ability to respond to fluctuations in light to minimize damage to the photosynthetic apparatus. A proteolytic activity has been discovered that is involved in the degradation of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein of photosystem II (LHCII) when the antenna size of photosystem II is reduced upon acclimation of plants from low to high light intensities. This ATP-dependent proteolytic activity is of the serine or cysteine type and is associated with the outer membrane surface of the stroma-exposed thylakoid regions. The identity of the protease is not known, but it does not correspond to the recently identified chloroplast ATP-dependent proteases Clp and FtsH, which are homologs to bacterial enzymes. The acclimative response shows a delay of 2 d after transfer of the leaves to high light. This lag period was shown to be attributed to expression or activation of the responsible protease. Furthermore, the LHCII degradation was found to be regulated at the substrate level. The degradation process involves lateral migration of LHCII from the appressed to the nonappressed thylakoid regions, which is the location for the responsible protease. Phosphorylated LHCII was found to be a poor substrate for degradation in comparison with the unphosphorylated form of the protein. The relationship between LHCII degradation and other regulatory proteolytic processes in the thylakoid membrane, such as D1-protein degradation, is discussed.

DeltapH-dependent photosystem II fluorescence quenching induced by saturating, multiturnover pulses in red algae

We have previously shown that in the red alga Rhodella violacea, exposure to continuous low intensities of light 2 (green light) or near-saturating intensities of white light induces a DeltapH-dependent PSII fluorescence quenching. In this article we further characterize this fluorescence quenching by using white, saturating, multiturnover pulses. Even though the pulses are necessary to induce the DeltapH and the quenching, the development of the latter occurred in darkness and required several tens of seconds. In darkness or in the light in the presence of 2, 5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone, the dissipation of the quenching was very slow (more than 15 min) due to a low consumption of the DeltapH, which corresponds to an inactive ATP synthase. In contrast, under far-red illumination or in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1'-dimethylurea (only in light), the fluorescence quenching relaxed in a few seconds. The presence of N, N'-dicyclohexyl carbodiimide hindered this relaxation. We propose that the quenching relaxation is related to the consumption of DeltapH by ATP synthase, which remains active under conditions favoring pseudolinear and cyclic electron transfer.

Control of Photosystem II in spinach leaves by continuous light and by light pulses given in the dark

The light-induced induction of components of non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence which are distinguished by different rates of dark relaxation (qNf, rapidly relaxing and qNs, slowly relaxing or not relaxing at all in the presence brief saturating light pulses which interrupt darkness at low frequencies) was studied in leaves of spinach.After dark adaptation of the leaves, a fast relaxing component developed in low light only after a lag phase. Quenching increased towards a maximum with increasing photon flux density. This 'fast' component of quenching was identified as energy-dependent quenching qE. It required formation of an appreciable transthylakoid ΔpH and was insignificant when darkened spinach leaves received 1 s pulses of light every 30 s even though zeaxanthin was formed from violaxanthin under these conditions.Another quenching component termed qNs developed in low light without a lag phase. It was not dependent on a transthylakoid pH gradient, decayed exponentially with a long half time of relaxation and was about 20% of total quenching irrespective of light intensity. When darkened leaves were flashed at frequencies higher than 0.004 Hz with 1 s light pulses, this quenching also appeared. Its extent was very considerable, and it did not require formation of zeaxanthin. Relaxation was accelerated by far-red light, and this acceleration was abolished by NaF.We suggest that qNs is the result of a so-called state transition, in which LHC II moves after its phosphorylation from fluorescent PS II to nonfluorescent PS I. This state transition was capable of decreasing in darkened leaves the potential maximum quantum efficiency of electron flow through Photosystem II by about 20%.

REGULATION OF LIGHT HARVESTING IN GREEN PLANTS

When plants are exposed to light intensities in excess of those that can be utilized in photosynthetic electron transport, nonphotochemical dissipation of excitation energy is induced as a mechanism for photoprotection of photosystem II. The features of this process are reviewed, particularly with respect to the molecular mechanisms involved. It is shown how the dynamic properties of the proteins and pigments of the chlorophyll a/b light-harvesting complexes of photosystem II first enable the level of excitation energy to be sensed via the thylakoid proton gradient and subsequently allow excess energy to be dissipated as heat by formation of a nonphotochemical quencher. The nature of this quencher is discussed, together with a consideration of how the variation in capacity for energy dissipation depends on specific features of the composition of the light-harvesting system. Finally, the prospects for future progress in understanding the regulation of light harvesting are assessed.

The efficiency of electron transfer from QA (-) to the donor side of Photosystem II decreases during induction of photosynthesis: Evidences from chlorophyll fluorescence and photoacoustic techniques

The amplitudes ratio of the fast and slow phases (Afast/Aslow) in the kinetics of the dark relaxation of variable chlorophyll fluorescence (FV) was studied after various periods of illumination of dark-adapted primary barley leaves. Simultaneously, photosynthetic activity was monitored using the photoacoustic technique and the photochemical and non-photochemical fluorescence quenching parameters. The ratio Afast/Aslow changed with the preceding illumination time in a two-step manner. During the first stage of photosynthetic induction (0-20 s of illumination), characterized by a drop in O2-dependent photoacoustic signal following an initial spike and by a relatively stable small value of photochemical FV quenching, the ratio Afast/Aslow remained practically unaltered. During the second stage (20-60 s of illumination), when both the rate of O2 evolution and the photochemical FV quenching were found to be sharply developed, a marked increase in the above ratio was also observed. A linear correlation was found between the value of the photochemical quenching and the ratio Afast/Aslow during the second phase of photosynthetic induction. It is concluded that the slow phase appearing in the kinetics of FV dark relaxation is not due to the existence of Photosystem II reaction centres lacking the ability to reduce P700(+) with high rates, but is instead related to the limitation of electron release from Photosystem I during the initial stage of the induction period of photosynthesis. This limitation keeps the intersystem electron carriers in the reduced state and thus increases the probability of back electron transfer from QA (-) to the donor side of Photosystem II.

Measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence within leaves using a modified PAM Fluorometer with a fiber-optic microprobe

By using a fiber-optic microprobe in combination with a modified PAM Fluorometer, chlorophyll fluorescence yield was measured within leaves with spatial resolution of approximately 20 μm. The new system employs a miniature photomultiplier for detection of the pulse-modulated fluorescence signal received by the 20 μm fiber tip. The obtained signal/noise ratio qualifies for recordings of fluorescence induction kinetics (Kautsky effect), fluorescence quenching by the saturation pulse method and determination of quantum yield of energy conversion at Photosystem II at different sites within a leaf. Examples of the system performance and of practical applications are given. It is demonstrated that the fluorescence rise kinetics are distinctly faster when chloroplasts within the spongy mesophyll are illuminated as compared to palisade chloroplasts. Photoinhibition is shown to affect primarily the quantum yield of the palisade chloroplasts when excessive illumination is applied from the adaxial leaf side. The new system is envisaged to be used in combination with light measurements within leaves for an assessment of the specific contributions of different leaf regions to overall photosynthetic activity and for an integrative modelling of leaf photosynthesis.

Quantitative imaging of chlorophyll fluorescence

A computer-controlled video system is described where images of chlorophyll fluorescence from oat (Arena saliva L.) leaves are captured throughout an induction curve. The fluorescence parameters φ₁₁ and ΔF_m /F'_m which represent photosystem II photochemical efficiency and non-photochemical quenching respectively are calculated from images taken under actinic and saturating illumination. They are compared with the equivalent parameters determined from simultaneous measurements made with a non-imaging modulated fluorimeter. The leaves are imaged in the chamber of an infra-red gas analyser, allowing the relationship between the fluorescence parameters and CO₂ assimilation to be determined. Under a series of illumination conditions and partial pressures of CO₂ , the values of φ₁₁ determined by image analysis are in close agreement with those obtained by modulated fiuorimetry and are linearly related to CO₂ assimilation. The values of ΔF_m /F_m determined by image analysis are linearly related to those obtained by modulated fluorimetry but the absolute values differ between the two systems. The video system described can be used to examine quantitative changes in fluorescence parameters in a heterogeneous system.

Regulation and possible function of the violaxanthin cycle

This paper discusses biochemical and regulatory aspects of the violaxanthin cycle as well as its possible role in photoprotection. The violaxanthin cycle responds to environmental conditions in the short-term and long-term by adjusting rates of pigment conversions and pool sizes of cycle pigments, respectively. Experimental evidence indicating a relationship between zeaxanthin formation and non-photochemical energy dissipation is reviewed. Zeaxanthin-associated energy dissipation appears to be dependent on transthylakoid ΔpH. The involvement of light-harvesting complex II in this quenching process is indicated by several studies. The current hypotheses on the underlying mechanism of zeaxanthin-dependent quenching are alterations of membrane properties, including conformational changes of the light-harvesting complex II, and singlet-singlet energy transfer from chlorophyll to zeaxanthin.

Thermoluminescence as a probe of Photosystem II in intact leaves: Non-photochemical fluorescence quenching in peas grown in an intermittent light regime

We have measured thermoluminescence (TL) and chlorophyll fluorescence from leaves of peas grown under an intermittent light regime (IML) and followed changes in those leaves during greening. IML peas show low variable fluorescence and a certain capacity for reversible non-photochemical quenching. It has been suggested that reversible quenching may be caused by pH-dependent release of Ca(2+) from Photosystem II (PS II) (Krieger and Weis (1992) Photosynthetica 27: 89-98). Under conditions in which reversible non-photochemical quenching occurs, a TL band at around 50 °C is observed, in the presence of DCMU, in IML leaves. A band in this temperature range has previously been observed in PS II depleted of Ca(2+) (Ono and Inoue (1989) Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 973: 443-449). The 50 °C band disappears upon dark adaptation. In mature leaves, no significant band is seen at 50 °C. It is concluded that, in IML leaves, reversible quenching may be related to the release of Ca(2+) from Photosystem II. However, it seems that in the mature system, under most conditions, such release does not contribute significantly to quenching.

Light-harvesting chlorophyll a-b complex requirement for regulation of Photosystem II photochemistry by non-photochemical quenching

Recently, it has been suggested (Horton et al. 1992) that aggregation of the light-harvesting a-b complex (LHC II) in vitro reflects the processes which occur in vivo during fluorescence induction and related to the major non-photochemical quenching (qE). Therefore the requirement of this chlorophyll a-b containing protein complex to produce qN was investigated by comparison of two barley mutants either lacking (chlorina f2) or depressed (chlorina(104)) in LHC II to the wild-type and pea leaves submitted to intermittent light (IL) and during their greening in continuous light.It was observed that qN was photoinduced in the absence of LHC II, i.e. in IL grown pea leaves and the barley mutants. Nevertheless, in these leaves qN had no (IL, peas) or little (barley mutants) inhibitory effect on the photochemical efficiency of QA reduction measured by flash dosage response curves of the chlorophyll fluorescence yield increase induced by a single turn-over flashDuring greening in continuous light of IL pea leaves, an inhibitory effect on QA photoreduction associated to qN developed as Photosystem II antenna size increased with LHC II synthesis. Utilizing data from the literature on connectivity between PS II units versus antenna size, the following hypothesis is put forward to explain the results summarized above. qN can occur in the core antenna or Reaction Center of a fraction of PS II units and these units will not exhibit variable fluorescence. Other PS II units are quenched indirectly through PS II-PS II exciton transfer which develops as the proportion of connected PS II units increases through LHC II synthesis.

Spectroscopy of non-photochemical and photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence in leaves; evidence for a role of the light harvesting complex of Photosystem II in the regulation of energy dissipation

Dissipation of absorbed excitation energy as heat, measured by its effect on the quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence, is induced under conditions of excess light in order to protect the photosynthetic apparatus of plants from light-dependent damage. The spectral characteristics of this quenching have been compared to that due to photochemistry in the Photosystem II reaction centre using leaves of Guzmania monostachia. This was achieved by making measurements at 77K when fluorescence emission bands from each type of chlorophyll protein complex can be distinguished. It was demonstrated that photochemistry and non-photochemical dissipation preferentially quench different emission bands and therefore occur by dissimilar mechanisms at separate sites. It was found that photochemistry was associated with a preferential quenching of emission at 688 nm whereas the spectrum for rapidly reversible non-photochemical quenching had maxima at 683 nm and 698 nm, suggesting selective quenching of the bands originating from the light harvesting complexes of Photosystem II. Further evidence that this was occurring in the light harvesting system was obtained from the fluorescence excitation spectra recorded in the quenched and relaxed states.

Theoretical assessment of alternative mechanisms for non-photochemical quenching of PS II fluorescence in barley leaves

The components of non-photochemical chlorophyll fluorescence quenching (qN) in barley leaves have been quantified by a combination of relaxation kinetics analysis and 77 K fluorescence measurements (Walters RG and Horton P 1991). Analysis of the behaviour of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and oxygen evolution at low light (when only state transitions - measured as qNt - are present) and at high light (when only photoinhibition - measured as qNi - is increasing) showed that the parameter qNt represents quenching processes located in the antenna and that qNi measures quenching processes located in the reaction centre but which operate significantly only when those centres are closed. The theoretical predictions of a variety of models describing possible mechanisms for high-energy-state quenching, measured as the residual quenching, qNe, were then tested against the experimental data for both fluorescence quenching and quantum yield of oxygen evolution. Only one model was found to agree with these data, one in which antennae exist in two states, efficient in either energy transfer or energy dissipation, and in which those photosynthetic units in a dissipative state are unable to exchange energy with non-dissipative units.

Low-temperature limitations of photosynthesis in three tropical Vigna species: A chlorophyll fluorescence study

The temperature-dependence of photosynthesis and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence quenching components was studied between 0 and 45°C in three tropical, chilling-sensitive Vigna species and in chilling-tolerant pea. Photosynthesis of the Vigna spp. was approx. 20% more reduced by temperatures between 7 and 30°C than in pea. The latter revealed significant changes in Chl fluorescence parameters at much lower temperature than the Vigna spp. Below 15°C, the reduction state of QA increased quickly in pea, while in Vigna already below 30°C, an increase of reduced QA was obtained. The analysis of different components of non-photochemical Chl fluorescence quenching (qN) revealed, that in pea photoinhibitory quenching (qI) occurred below 13°C. Below ca. 7°C, a sudden breakdown of both qP and the fast relaxing component of qN was observed in pea.In Vigna, susceptibility of LHC II phosphorylation or limitation of electron flow by damage to PS I, the PS II reaction centre or the water-splitting system were not responsible for the chilling-sensitivity of photosynthesis between 5 and 30°C. Instead, photosynthesis was gradually limited by an inefficient use of reduction equivalents. This, in turn may increase susceptibilty to photoinhibition, which occurred below 20°C in Vigna. The combined study of qP and of the different components of qN allowed the demonstration of the subsequent occurrence of different limiting processes with decreasing temperature in the chilling-sensitive Vigna species.

On the significance of photoinhibition of photosynthesis in the field and its generality among species

Photoinhibition was examined in naturally exposed willow leaves in the field. In the afternoon on clear and warm days, the quantum yield of electron transport, derived from gas exchange data, was decreased by 28%. Besides this photoinhibition, decreases in the photosynthetic capacity and in the stomatal conductance were also observed. Of these three limitations of carbon assimilation, photoinhibition was the major one at limiting light only.To investigate the generality of photoinhibition, shade- and sun-acclimated leaves of fourteen different species were compared in a laboratory study. Photoinhibition was quantified by fluorescence measurements following exposure to moderate and high light for 30 min. The extent of photoinhibition was inversely related to the photochemical quenching, qp, during exposure (the proportion of open PS II traps). This relationship was the same independent of the species, the light-acclimation state of the leaf and the light intensity. However, sun- and shade-acclimated leaves occupied opposite sides of the relationship: the sun-leaves showed lower photoinhibition and higher qp. The sun-leaves were also more competent than shade-leaves by showing faster recovery from a given level of photoinhibition.

Mechanisms for controlling balance between light input and utilisation in the salt tolerant alga Dunaliella C9AA

The yield of photosynthetic O2 evolution was measured in cultures of Dunaliella C9AA over a range of light intensities, and a range of low temperatures at constant light intensity. Changes in the rate of charge separation at Photosystem I (PS I) and Photosystem II (PS II) were estimated by the parameters ΦPS I and ΦPS II . ΦPS I is calculated on the basis of the proportion of centres in the correct redox state for charge separation to occur, as measured spectrophotometrically. ΦPS II is calculated using chlorophyll fluorescence to estimate the proportion of centres in the correct redox state, and also to estimate limitations in excitation delivery to reaction centres. With both increasing light intensity and decreasing temperature it was found that O2 evolution decreased more than predicted by either ΦPS I or ΦPS II. The results are interpreted as evidence of non-assimilatory electron flow; either linear whole chain, or cyclic around each photosystem.