Two regimens of electrogenic cyclic redox chain operation in chromatophores of non-sulfur purple bacteria. A study using antimycin A

Cytochrome b50 as a proton carrier in the photosynthetic redox chain of purple bacteria

Recent data on the proton-translocating activity of b cytochromes in chromatophores of purple bacteria and their arrangement in the photosynthetic redox chain are discussed. These data appear to support the concept of the b50 and b-90 cytochrome doublet spanning the membrane. Current schemes of H+ transport by b cytochromes are considered, and the scheme of H+ translocation by cytochrome b50 taking up H+ at the outer side of the membrane and a quinone delivering them from this cytochrome to the inner space of the chromatophore is favored as the most probable in the light of recent findings. This scheme is applicable both to Crofts' linear model of the redox chain and to Mitchell's Q cycle. Kinetic discrepancies between H+ uptake and cytochrome b50 reduction at high ambient redox potentials are interpreted in terms of a special, cytochrome b50-independent, yet Rieske FeS-protein-dependent mode of H+ transport.

The influence of the ionic conductance on the relation between electron transport and proton-motive force in intact cells of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata

1. The dependence of membrane potential (delta psi) on the rate of respiration in darkened intact cell suspensions of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata was distinctly non-linear: severe inhibition of respiration with either rotenone or KCN led to only a small drop in delta psi. 2. In the presence of 0.3 microMs carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone [CF3OPhzC(CN)2] the dependence of delta psi on respiratory rate became linear. Consequently, and particularly at lower concentrations of CF3OPhzC(CN)2, there was a pronounced, synergistic depression of the respiratory delta psi with CF3OPhzC(CN)2 and either rotenone or KCN. 3. Antimycin A, at a concentration which strongly inhibited the photosynthetic electron transport chain, only slightly lowered the light-induced delta psi in anaerobic cell suspensions. Antimycin and CF3OPhzC(CN)2 synergistically lowered delta psi generated by illumination. 4. The light-induced delta psi in anaerobic cells was only about 1.5-times larger than the respiratory-induced delta psi in darkened cells. Nevertheless it required approximately 16-times more CF3OPhzC(CN)2 to collapse the photosynthetic delta psi than the respiratory delta psi. 5. These results are discussed with reference to the ionic current/delta psi relation described in [J.B. Jackson (1982) FEBS Lett. 139, 139-143]. The unifying feature is that the intrinsic conductance of the cell membrane is strongly dependent on delta psi but the conductance due to CF3OPhzC(CN)2 is independent of delta psi.

The dibromothymoquinone effect on membrane potential generation in Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores

2,5-Dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl benzoquinone (DBMIB) inhibits the light-dependent membrane potential generation in Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores. The inhibition is relieved by electron donors and is obviously due to oxidation of the photosynthetic electron transfer chain components. In addition, high DBMIB concentrations elicit another effect probably caused by disruption of quinone functions in chromatophores. However, in quinone-depleted chromatophores and proteoliposomes containing the P-870 reaction center and light-harvesting antenna complexes, DBMIB stimulates membrane potential generation in the light, probably restoring some of the quinone-dependent processes in the membrane. DBMIB inhibits the inorganic pyrophosphate- and ATP-induced membrane potential generation in chromatophores.