ABSTRACT
Catechol(o-dihydroxybenzene) at low concentrations (20-100 microM) stimulates FeCN-dependent O2 evolution of spheroplasts isolated from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus both in the presence and absence of DBMIB, an inhibitor of electron flow from PSII to PSI, the stimulation being two-fold with saturating concentration of (60 microM) catechol. Catechol thus appears to mediate the acceptance of electrons at the reducing side of PSII. Similarly it may act on the component of electron donor to PSII and caused the photoreduction of FeCN when O2 evolution capacity of spheroplasts is damaged by heat treatment. Analysis of the temperature effect on FeCN-supported O2 evolution by spheroplasts suggests that catechol shifts the temperature maxima to a lower temperature and thereby hastens the decay of O2 evolution capacity by heat as compared to the normal spheroplasts. Catechol also induces a change in the magnitude of activation energy for ferricyanide Hill activity of spheroplasts and lowers the transition temperature. These results suggest that lipophilic catechol brings about an alteration in membrane fluidity in cyanobacterial spheroplasts. Catechol is involved in a thermotropic destabilization of the membrane of the cyanobacterium. However, Al3+ was found to stabilize the membrane and raise the phase transition temperature. Further increase in temperature caused a gradual decline in the rate of O2 evolution.