title: Light gradients in spherical photosynthetic vesicles.
abstract: Light-gradient photovoltage measurements were performed on EDTA-treated thylakoids and on osmotically swollen thylakoids (blebs), both of spherical symmetry but of different sizes. In the case of EDTA vesicles, a negative polarity (due to the normal light gradient) was observed in the blue range of the absorption spectrum, and a positive polarity, corresponding to an inverse light gradient, was observed at lambda = 530 and lambda = 682 nm. The sign of the photovoltage polarity measured in large blebs (swollen thylakoids) is the same as that obtained for whole chloroplasts, although differences in the amplitudes are observed. An approach based on the use of polar coordinates was adapted for a theoretical description of these membrane systems of spherical symmetry. The light intensity distribution and the photovoltage in such systems were calculated. Fits to the photovoltage amplitudes, measured as a function of light wavelength, made it possible to derive the values of the dielectric constant of the protein, epsilons = 3, and the refractive index of the photosynthetic membrane for light propagating perpendicular and parallel to the membrane surface, nt = 1.42 and nn = 1.60, respectively. The latter two values determine the birefringence of the biological membrane, Deltan = nn - nt = 0.18.
authors.affiliation: INRA, 75338 Paris, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paillotin
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Leibl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gapiński
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breton
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dobek
mesh_terms: D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004492:Edetic Acid; D004563:Electrochemistry; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008027:Light; D008954:Models, Biological; D018462:Photobiology; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D018724:Spinacia oleracea
chemical_list: D004492:Edetic Acid