The carotenoid shift in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. The flash induced change

A mutant, Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides GIC, having only one major carotenoid, neurosporene, is described. The spectrum of the carotenoid shift in this mutant is analysed and it is concluded that only 7-11% of the pigment is involved under conditions of steady-state illumination and that this pigment undergoes a shift of 7 nm. The spectrum of the carotenoid shift under conditions of multi-flash illumination is examined for changes in shape concordant with a progressive red shift of the pigment with increasing membrane potential; the spectra of the fast change after each of three flashes does not agree well with predictions from a model involving a progressive shift of the pigment, the slow change shows qualitative agreement with such a model but the small size of the signal and the presence of more than one phase makes analysis of this phase more difficult. No separate pool of carotenoid, that might correspond to that postulated to participate in the carotenoid shift, could be identified by fourth derivative analysis of, or curve fitting to, the spectrum of the neurosporene.