Immobilized chloroplast membranes: kinetic aspects of their continuous use in batch and chemostat

Monitoring electron transfer by photoacoustic spectroscopy in native and immobilized thylakoid membranes

Photoacoustic spectroscopy was used to monitor photo synthetic electron transfer in native and immobilized thylakoid membranes. The photoacoustic parameter phi(r)' (the percentage of absorbed energy that is stored in photo chemical intermediates) and i(50) (the half-saturation modulated light intensity) were directly correlated to electron transfer rates. As previously shown, thylakoids immobilized in an albumin-glutaraldehyde matrix were more resistant to aging. The inhibitory effects of the immobilization procedure and of aging at 4 degrees C were detected as a decrease in i(50) values. In analogy with enzyme kinetic analysis, the effect could be characterized as a competitive type of inhibition. Photoacoustic measurements are performed in conditions similar to a working bioreactor cell with regards to the sample preparation.

Modulation by a high citrate concentration of kinetic parameters and of functional stability of two immobilized thylakoid systems

This article deals with aspects of the reciprocal interaction between the activity of chloroplast membranes and their microenvironment. The artificial matrices used in the present work to immobilize thylakoids (albumin-glutaraldehyde matrix, polyurethane foam) can be regarded as weak ion exchangers. Thus, the distribution of the solute between the matrix surface and the external solution should, at least in part, be governed by a Donnan equilibrium. The influence of a high ionic strength medium (750mM potassium citrate) on the kinetic parameters (K(p1) V(m)) and on the stability of the photosynthetic activity of immobilized chloroplast membranes has been studied. The results show similarities in behavior of the two supports studied in that, for both, a high concentration of salt (citrate) increases the apparent affinity for ferricyanide and allows a better transformation of this electron acceptor in CSTR experiments.