Isolation of PS II reaction centre and its relationship to the minor chlorophyll-protein complexes

Evidence is presented for the identification of the chlorophyll- protein complex CPa-1 (CP 47) as the reaction centre of photosystem II (PS II). We have developed a simple, rapid method using octyl glucoside solubilization to obtain preparations from spinach and barley that are highly enriched in PS II reaction centre activity (measured as the light-driven reduction of diphenylcarbazide by 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol). These preparations contain only the two minor chlorophyll-protein complexes CPa-1 and CPa-2. During centrifugation on a sucrose density gradient, there is a partial separation of the two CPa complexes from each other, and a complete separation from other chlorophyll-protein complexes. The PS II activity comigrates with CPa-1 but not CPa-2, strongly suggesting that the former is the reaction centre complex of PS II. Reaction centre preparations are sensitive to the herbicide 3(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), but only at much higher concentrations than those required to inhibit intact thylakoid membranes. A model of PS II incorporating our current knowledge of the chlorophyll-protein complexes is presented. It is proposed that CPa-2 and the chlorophyll a + b complex CP 29 may function as internal antenna complexes surrounding the reaction centre, with the addition of variable amounts of the major chlorophyll a + b light-harvesting complex.