[Effect of dehydration on functioning of photosystems of higher plants]

Abstract

The functional activity of both photosystems of higher plants and their thermoresistance in conditions of dehydratation of chloroplasts or subchloroplast fragments were studied. It is shown that dehydratation of the sample does not change the P700 amount capable to photooxidation. At 20 degrees in the time course of dark reduction of photooxidized P700 P(700+) in films two phases differing in rate were found. The relative contribution of each phase depends on the illumination duration. Since dehydratation blocks electron transfer between photosystems, the double phase dark reduction of P700+ in films reflects the electron flow from various components of potosystem 1 acceptor part. Dehydratation has little effect on properties of photosystem 1 acceptor part, because at low temperature the time courses of P700+ dark reduction in films and chloroplast or subchloroplast suspensions are similar. In contrast with potosystem 1, the functioning of photosystem 2, studied by light induced increase of fluorescence yield of chloroplasts, is blocked abruptly by water removal, but it could be partly restored by rehydratation of dried chloroplasts. The water removal increases the thermostability of both photosystems, however in suspension of the studied samples and also in their films photosystem 1 is more thermostable in comparison with photosystem 2.