The effect of temperature on the rate of electron transfer through photosystems I and II (PSI and PSII) was investigated in leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Measurements of PSI and PSII photochemistry were made in 21% O2 and in 2% O2, to limit electron transport to O2 in the Mehler reaction. Measurements were made in the presence of saturating CO2 concentrations to suppress photorespiration. It was observed that the O2 dependency of PSII electron transport is highly temperature dependent. At 10 degrees C, the quantum yield of PSII (phi PSII) was insensitive to O2 concentration, indicating that there was no Mehler reaction operating. At high temperatures (> 25 degrees C) a substantial reduction in phi PSII was observed when the O2 concentration was reduced. However, under the same conditions, there was no effect of O2 concentration on the delta pH-dependent process of non-photochemical quenching. The rate of electron transport through PSI was also found to be independent of O2 concentration across the temperature range. We conclude that the Mehler reaction is not important in maintaining a thylakoid proton gradient that is capable of controlling PSII activity, and present evidence that cyclic electron transport around PSI acts to maintain membrane energisation at low temperature.

The regulation of electron transport between photosystems II and I was investigated in the plant Silene dioica L. by means of measurement of the kinetics of reduction of P(700) following a light-to-dark transition. It was found that, in this species, the rate constant for P(700) reduction is sensitive to light intensity and to the availability of CO(2). The results indicated that at 25 degrees C the rate of electron transport is down-regulated by approximately 40-50% relative to the maximum rate achievable in saturating CO(2) and that this down-regulation can be explained by regulation of the electron transport chain itself. Measurements of the temperature sensitivity of this rate constant indicated that there is a switch in the rate-limiting step that controls electron transport at around 20 degrees C: at higher temperatures, CO(2) availability is limiting; at lower temperatures some other process regulates electron transport, possibly a diffusion step within the electron transport chain itself. Regulation of electron transport also occurred in response to drought stress and sucrose feeding. Measurements of non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence did not support the idea that electron transport is regulated by the pH gradient across the thylakoid membrane, and the possibility is discussed that the redox potential of a stromal component may regulate electron transport.Keywords: DeltapH. Electron transport. Photosynthesis. Photosynthetic control. Redox regulation. Silene (photosynthesis)