Efficiency of hydrogen photoproduction by chloroplast-bacterial hydrogenase systems.

A comparative study of H(2) photoproduction by chloroplasts and solubilized chlorophyll was performed in the presence of hydrogenase preparations of Clostridium butyricum. The photoproduction of H(2) by chloroplasts in the absence of exogenous electron donors, and with irreversibly oxidized dithiothreitol and cysteine, is thought to be limited by a cyclic transport of electrons wherein methylviologen short-circuits the electron transport in photosystem I. The efficiency of H(2) photoproduction by chloroplasts with ascorbate and NADPH is limited by a back reaction between light-reduced methylviologen and the oxidized electron donors. The use of a combination of electron donors (dithiothreitol and ascorbate), providing anaerobiosis without damage to chloroplasts, makes it possible to avoid consumption of reduced methylviologen for the reduction of oxidized electron donors and to exclude the short-circuiting of electron transfer. Under these conditions, photoproduction of H(2) was observed to occur with a rate of 350 to 400 micromoles H(2) per milligram chlorophyll per hour. In this case, the full electron-transferring capability of photosystem I (measured by irreversible photoreduction of methyl red or O(2)) is used to produce H(2).

[Conditions for effective hydrogen photoevolution by chloroplasts in the presence of bacterial hydrogenase]. / Issledovanie uslovii éffketivnogo fotovydeleniia vodoroda khloroplastami v prisutstvii bakterial'noi gidrogenazy.

The hydrogen photoevolution was studied to compare the efficiency of chloroplasts or solubilized chlorophyll in the presence of hydrogenase from Clostridium butyricum and methylviologen which links the electron transfer from photosystems to the exogenous enzyme. The hydrogen evolution by chloroplasts in the absence of exogeneous electron donors (or in the presence of irreversibly oxidized dithiotreitol or cysteine) is probably limited by cyclic electron flow shot-circuiting the photosystem 1. Efficiency of hydrogen photoproduction when ascorbate or NADP.H are used as electron donors is probably limited by reverse reaction of photoreduced methylviologen with the oxidized electron donor. The combination of both dithiotreitol and ascorbate prevents the shot-circuiting of photosystem 1 by methylviologen; in this case the maximum efficiency of hydrogen photoevolution was achieved up to 400 mumol H2 per 1 mg chlorophyll per hour.

[Methylviologen photoreduction by chloroplasts]. / Issledovanie uslovii fotovosstanovleniia metilviologena khloroplastami.

The condition of methylviologen photoreduction by chloroplasts was investigated. Argon bubbling through the suspension of chloroplasts or degasing in vacuum caused inhibition of methylviologen reduction probably due to the denaturation of chloroplast membranes at the water/air boundary. Adding glycerol or bovine serum albumine or removing oxygen from chloroplast suspension with the aid of the oxygen absorbing-systems preserved the activity of chloroplasts. Methylviologen photoreduction is inhibited by DCMU (10(-7) M) and Tris-buffer treatment and is activated by uncouples. The pH-dependence is similar to that of the Hill reaction. Triton X-100 (0.007%), ethyl ether (2%) and heating up to 42 degrees activated the Hill reaction but inhibited methylviologen reduction. Water molecule probably acts as an initial electron donor in this reaction. It is proposed that the steady level of methylviologen photoreduction is determined by a relationship between the rate of methylviologen electron acceptance and cyclic electron flow short-circuiting photosystem I.

[Light activation of NADH and NADPH]. / Svetovaia aktivatsiia NADH i NADPH.

Illumination of NADH and NADPH by UV-light in the absence of oxygen resulted in the reduction of ferredoxin or methyl-viologen to cation-radical and under prolonged illumination to dihydrodipyridyl. The reaction may by accompanied by triplet and singlet exitation of NADH. It was shown that hematoporphyrin in aqueous solution photosensitized the reaction of NADH oxidation by ferredoxin and methylviologen to the visible region of the spectrum. Under light excitation the redox potentials of NADH and NADPH were increased up to the level exceeding the potential of hydrogen electrode. Illumination of NADH and NADPH by UV-light in the presence of bacterial hydrogenase resulted in hydrogen evolution. The reaction of hydrogen evolution could be sensitised towards the visible region of the spectrum by chlorophyll or chloroplasts.

[Light-induced production and consumption of oxygen by chloroplasts: activation and inhibition]. / Vzaimosviaz' fotovydeleniia i fotopogloshcheniia kisloroda khloroplastami: Aktivatsiia i ingibirovanie.

Light-induced production and consumption of oxygen by pea chloroplasts are activated at certain concentrations of the solvents (diethyl ester, methyl alcohol, dimethylsulfoxide) and detergent Triton X-100. At higher concentrations of the compounds studied both reactions are inhibited. The uncouplers (methylamine and carbonyl cyanide-3-chlorophenylhydrazone) activate these processes. The agents studied have a similar effect on the processes of light-induced production and consumption of oxygen, which are limited by a common link bound to the phosphorylation site in photosystem I. The effects observed suggest that the inhibition may be due to inhibition of photosystem II, whereas the activation may be largely due to an action on photosystem I.