Inhibition of energy-transducing functions of chloroplast membranes by lipophilic iron chelators

Photooxidation of the high-potential iron-sulfur center in chloroplasts

The high-potential iron-sulfur center associated with the g = 1.89-1.90 electron paramagnetic resonance signal in spinach chloroplasts is fully reduced in the dark. It is photooxidized in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea and reduced after illumination with red actinic light in the absence of inhibitors. The light-induced redox changes of the high-potential iron-sulfur center are shown to correlate with those of plastocyanin detected at g = 2.05. Demonstration of light-induced redox changes in the high-potential iron-sulfur center provides support for a functional role of this component in the chloroplast electron transport chain.

A cytochrome f/b6 complex of five polypeptides with plastoquinol-plastocyanin-oxidoreductase activity from spinach chloroplasts

The isolation of a cytochrome f/b6 complex from spinach chloroplasts, with high yield and purity is reported. The complex consists of five polypeptides with a molecular mass of 34, 33, 23.5, 20 and 17.5 kDa, and contains one cytochrome f, two cytochromes b6 and the Rieske Fe-S center with two non-heme irons. It does not contain plastocyanin and is almost completely devoid of chlorophyll and carotenoids, but lipid and detergent are present. It is lacking cytochrome b-559, although three of the five polypeptides seem to carry heme groups. The preparation has plastoquinol-plastocyanin oxidoreductase activity with plastoquinol-1 and plastoquinol-9, which is sensitive to 2,5-dibromomethylisopropyl-p-benzoquinone, to 2-iodo-6-isopropyl-3-methyl-2',4',4'-trinitrodiphenyl ether, to 5-n-undecyl-6-hydroxy-4,7-dioxobenzothiazole, and to bathophenanthroline. Characteristics of this activity with respect to substrate concentrations, pH, detergent effect and other parameters are described.