The effect of cations and membrane permeability modifying agents on the dark kinetics of the photoelectric response in isolated chloroplasts

Abstract

The kinetics of the photoelectric response induced by saturating light pulses were studied in isolated chloroplasts of Peperomia metallica as a function of K+- and Mg2+-concentrations in the medium in the absence and presence of ionophores for K+ and divalent cations. The dark decay of the potential generated in the light is found to be accelerated upon an increase in K+- or Mg2+-concentrations in the presence of valinomycin and A23187. An acceleration of the decay phase in the flash-induced response is also observed immediately after preillumination of the chloroplast. It is concluded that the dark kinetics of the potential decay after short and long light exposures are controlled by two different processes with rate constants of about 20 and 0.2s-1, respectively.