Properties of inactive Photosystem II centers

A fraction (usually in the range of 10-25%) of PS II centers is unable to transfer electrons from the primary quinone acceptor QA to the secondary acceptor QB. These centers are inactive with respect to O2 evolution since their reopening after photochemical charge separation to the S2OA (-) state involves predominantly a back reaction to S1QA in the few seconds time range (slower phases are also occurring). Several properties of these centers are analyzed by fluorescence and absorption change experiments. The initial rise phase Fo-Fpl of fluorescence induction under weak illumination reflects both the closure of inactive centers and the modulation of the fluorescence yield by the S-states of the oxygen-evolving system: We estimate typical relative amplitudes of these contributions as, respectively, 65 and 35% of the Fo-Fpl amplitude. The half-rise time of this phase is significantly shorter than for the fluorescence induction in the presence of DCMU (in which all centers are involved). This finding is shown to be consistent with inactive centers sharing the same light-harvesting antenna as normal centers, a view which is also supported by comparing the dependence of the fluorescence yield on the amount of closed active or inactive centers estimated through absorption changes. It is argued that the exponential kinetics of the Fo-Fpl phase does not indicate absence of excitation energy transfer between the antennas of inactive and active centers. We show that the acceptor dichlorobenzoquinone does not restore electron transfer in inactive centers, in disagreement with previous suggestions. We confirm, however, the enhancement of steady-state electron flow caused by this quinone and suggest that it acts by relieving a blocking step involved in the reoxidation of a fraction of the plastoquinone pool. Part of the discrepancies between the present results and those from previous literature may arise from the confusion of inactive centers characterized on a single turnover basis and PS II centers that become blocked under steady-state conditions because of deficient reoxidation of their secondary acceptors.