Fitting light saturation curves measured using modulated fluorometry.
A blue diode PAM (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) fluorometer was used to measure rapid Photosynthesis (P) versus Irradiance (E) curves (P vs. E curves) in Synechococcus (classical cyanobacteria), Prochlorothrix (prochlorophyta), Chlorella (chlorophyta), Rhodomonas (cryptophyta), Phaeodactylum (bacillariophyta) Acaryochloris (Chl d/a cyanobacteria) and Subterranean Clover (Trifolium subterraneum, Papilionaceae, Angiospermae). Effective quantum yield (Phi(PSII)) versus irradiance curves could be described by a simple exponential decay function (Phi(PSII) = Phi(PSII, maxe(-kE)) although Log/Log transformation was sometimes found to be necessary to obtain the best fits. Photosynthesis was measured as relative Electron Transport Rate (rETR) standardised on a chlorophyll basis. P versus E curves were fitted to the waiting-in-line function (an equation of the form P = P(max) x k x E x e(-kE)) allowing half-saturating and optimal irradiances (E(optimum)) to be estimated. The second differential of the equation shows that at twice optimal light intensities, there is a point of inflection in the P versus E curve. Photosynthesis is inhibited 26.4% at this point of inflection. The waiting-in-line model was found to be a very good descriptor of photosynthetic light saturation curves and superior to hyperbolic functions with an asymptotic saturation point (Michaelis-Menten, exponential saturation and hyperbolic tangent). The exponential constants (k) of the Phi(PSII) versus E and P versus E curves should be equal because rETR is directly proportional to Phi(PSII) x E. The conventionally calculated Non-Photochemical Quenching (NPQ) in Synechococcus was not significantly different to zero but NPQ versus E curves for the other algae could be fitted to an exponential saturation model. The kinetics of NPQ does not appear to be related to the kinetics of Phi(PSII) or rETR.
Ritchie
Raymond J
RJ
School of Biological Sciences A-08, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. rrit3143@usyd.edu.au
D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D004579:Electron Transport / Q000502:physiology*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000378:metabolism*; D005470:Fluorometry; D008027:Light; D008954:Models, Biological; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D029921:Trifolium / Q000378:metabolism*