The effect of inhibitors on the electron flow triggering photo-phobic reactions in Cyanophyceae

1. Since photo-phobic reactions in the blue green alga Phormidium uncinatum seem to be triggered by changes of electron flow rates into or out of an electron pool situated in the electron transport chain between photo-system II and I, the effect of inhibitors affecting the electron transport chain has been studied. 2. Dose response curves of the phobic reaction have been measured by varying the trap energy in double beam light trap experiments with constant pairs of monochromatic light. From these dose response curves the effects of the inhibitors on both types of phobic reactions, i.e. exit reactions and entrance reactions, have been calculated. 3. Dibromothymoquinone (DBMIB) inhibits the electron transport between the electron pool and photosystem I by preventing the reoxidation of plastoquinone. The phobic entrance reaction, which results in an emptying of the light trap, is triggered by changes in the electron flow out of the pool; thus it is more effected by DBMIB than the exit reaction, which is mediated by the electron transport into the pool. 4. The phobic exit reaction, which results in accumulations in the light trap, is triggered by changes in the electron flow into the electron pool via photosystem II. 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) inhibits the electron transport near photosystem II; thus it affects the exit reaction more than the entrance reaction.