Electron Transport-Dependent Chlorophyll-a Fluorescence Quenching by O(2) in Various Algae and Higher Plants

A comparison of chlorophyll-a fluorescence in brown algae (Macrocystis integrifolia, Fucus vesiculosis), green algae (Scenedesmus obliquus, Ulva sp.) and higher plants (bean, corn) show differences in the relative fluorescence intensities and induction time courses which characterize each type of plant. These differences are not reflected in either the maximum fluorescence emission in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (F(max)) or the nonvariable fluorescence (F(o)). Constancy of F(o) and F(max) suggests functional similarities of photosystem II and associated antennae pigments in the various classes of plants. The time course differences are observed only in the absence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea and appear, therefore, to be electron transport dependent. During induction, the peak in fluorescence (F(p)) is much lower in all of the algae studied than in the higher plants. Exogenous O(2) strongly quenches F(p) in all plants studied and our data indicate that the low F(p) in the algae can be partially accounted for by endogenous O(2) quenching.