Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electroluminescence

  • Minireview
  • Published:
Photosynthesis Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An overview is presented of research based on the observation by Arnold and Azzi (1971) (Photochem Photobiol 14: 233–240), that an electric field induces charge-recombination luminescence in a suspension of photosynthetic membrane vesicles. The ‘electroluminescence’ signals from Photosystems I and II are discussed in relation to the shape of the vesicles and the membrane potentials generated by the externally applied electric field. The use of the electroluminescence amplitude as a probe to study the kinetics and energetics of charge separation, and of its kinetics to monitor the electric-field induced charge recombination process are reviewed. Currently unresolved issues regarding the emission yield of electroluminescence are briefly discussed and the properties are summarized of the unexplained Photosystem II luminescence which is not sensitive to the membrane potential.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

DCMU:

3(3′,4′-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea

EL:

electroluminescence

PS I, II:

Photosystem I, II

TPB:

tetraphenylboron, an artificial electron donor for PS II

P:

primary electron donor

Si Yz P680 Pheo QA QB :

sequence of electron transfer components in PS II

plastocyanin P700 A0 A1 Fx FA (or FB):

sequence of electron transfer components in PS I

References

  • Arnold WA and Azzi JR (1971) The mechanism of delayed light production by photosynthetic organisms and a new effect of electric fields on chloroplasts. Photochem Photobiol 14: 233–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold WA and Azzi JR (1977) Two effects of electrical fields on chloroplasts. Plant Physiol 60: 449–451

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold WA and Sherwood HK (1957) Are chloroplasts semiconductors? Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 43: 105–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Babcock GT, Yerkes CT and Buttner WJ (1981) Static and dynamic electrostatic phenomena in chloroplast Photosystem II. In: Akoyunoglou G (ed) Photosynthesis, Vol I, pp 637–645. Balaban International Science Services, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • Barber J and Kraan GPB (1970) Salt-induced light emission from chloroplasts. Biochim Biophys Acta 197: 49–59

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bennoun P (1970) Reoxidation du quencher ‘Q’ en présence de 3(3′,4′-dichlorophenyl)-1,1 dimethylurée. Biochim Biophys Acta 216: 357–363

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brumfeld V, Miller IR and Korenstein R (1989) Electric field-induced lateral mobility of Photosystem I in the photosynthetic membrane. A study by electrophotoluminescence. Biophys J 56: 607–614

    Google Scholar 

  • Bulychev AA, Niyazova MM and Turovetsky VB (1986) Electroinduced changes of chlorophyll fluorescence in individual intact chloroplasts. Biochim Biophys Acta 850: 218–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole KS (1968) Membranes, lons and Impulses. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Crofts AR, Wraight CA and Fleischmann DE (1971) Energy conserrelation to delayed fluorescence. FEBS Lett 15: 89–100

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dau H and Sauer K (1991) Electric field effect on chlorophyll fluorescence and its relation to Photosystem II charge separation reactions studied by a salt-jump technique. Biochim Biophys Acta 1098: 49–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Dau H and Sauer K (1992) Electric field effect on the picosecond fluorescence of Photosystem II and its relation to the energetics and kinetics of primary charge separation. Biochim Biophys Acta 1102: 91–106

    Google Scholar 

  • De Grooth BG (1980) Optical and electrical studies on the organization of the photosynthetic membrane. Doctoral Thesis, Leiden University

  • De Grooth BG and van Gorkom HJ (1981) External electric field effects on prompt and delayed fluorescence in chloroplasts. Biochim Biophys Acta 635: 445–456

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Grooth BG, van Gorkom HJ and Meiburg RF (1980a) Electrochromic absorbance changes in spinach chloroplasts induced by an external electric field. Biochim Biophys Acta 589: 299–314

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Grooth BG, van Gorkom HJ and Meiburg RF (1980b) Generation of the 518 nm absorbance change in chloroplasts by an externally applied electrical field. FEBS Lett 113: 21–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duysens LNM (1958) The path of light energy in photosynthesis. In: The Photochemical Apparatus, its Structure and Function. Brookhaven Symp Biol 11: 10–25

  • Ellenson JL and Sauer K (1976) The electrophotoluminescence of chloroplasts. Photochem Photobiol 23: 113–123

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Emerson R and Arnold W (1932a) A separation of the reactions in photosynthesis by means of intermittent light. J Gen Physiol 15: 391–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emerson R and Arnold W (1932b) The photochemical reaction in photosynthesis. J Gen Physiol 16: 191–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farkas DL, Korenstein R and Malkin S (1980) Electroselection in the photosynthetic membrane: Polarized luminescence induced by an external electric field. FEBS Lett 120: 236–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farkas DL, Korenstein R and Malkin S (1982) Ionophore mediated ion transfer in a biological membrane: A study by electrophotoluminescence. In: Antolini R, Giozzi A and Gorio A (eds) Transport in Biomembranes: Model Systems and Reconstitution, pp 215–226. Raven Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Farkas DL, Korenstein R and Malkin S (1984a) Electrophotoluminescence and the electrical properties of the photosynthetic membrane. I. Initial kinetics and the charging capacitance of the membrane. Biophys J 45: 363–373

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farkas DL, Malkin S and Korenstein R (1984b) Electrophotoluminescence and the electrical properties of the photosynthetic membrane. II. Electric field-induced electrical breakdown of the photosynthetic membrane and its recovery. Biochim Biophys Acta 767: 507–514

    Google Scholar 

  • Franzen S and Boxer SG (1993) Temperature dependence of the electric field modulation of electron-transfer rates: Charge recombination in photosynthetic reaction centers. J Phys Chem 97: 6304–6318

    Google Scholar 

  • Franzen S, Goldstein RF and Boxer SG (1990) Electric field modulation of electron transfer reaction rates in isotropic systems: long-distance charge recombination in photosynthetic reaction centers. J Phys Chem 94: 5135–5149

    Google Scholar 

  • Gopher A, Blatt Y, Schonfeld M, Okamura MY, Feher G and Montal M (1985) The effect of an applied electric field on the charge recombination kinetics in reaction centers reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers. Biophys J 48: 311–320

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hecks B, Wulf K, Breton J, Leibl W and Trissl HW (1994) Primary charge separation in Photosystem I: A two-step electrogenic charge separation connected with P700+A0 − and P700+A1 - formation. Biochemistry 33: 8619–8625

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hemelrijk PW and van Gorkom HJ (1996a) Effect of the redox state of QB on electric-field induced charge recombination in Photosystem II. Photosynth Res. 48: 197–203 (this issue)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hemelrijk PW and van Gorkom HJ (1996b) Size-distributions of antenna and acceptor-pool of Photosystem II. Biochim Biophys Acta, (in press)

  • Junge W and Witt HT (1968) On the ion transport system of photosynthesis, investigations on a molecular level. Z Naturforsch 23b: 244–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Jursinic P, Govindjee and Wraight CA (1978) Membrane potential and microsecond to millisecond delayed light emission after a single excitation flash on isolated chloroplasts. Photochem Photobiol 27: 61–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Korenstein R, Farkas DL and Malkin S (1984) Reversible electric breakdown of swollen thylakoid membrane vesicles: Study by electrophotoluminescence. Bioelectrochem Bioenerg 13: 191–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krauss N, Hinrichs W, Witt I, Fromme P, Pritzkow W, Dauter Z, Betzel C, Wilson KS, Witt HT and Saenger W (1993) Three-dimensional structure of system I of photosynthesis at 6 Å resolution. Nature 361: 326–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lavorel J (1975) Luminescence. In: Govindjee, (ed) Bioenergetics of Photosynthesis, pp 223–317. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Leibl W, Breton J, Deprez J and Trissl HW (1989) Photoelectric study on the kinetics of trapping and charge stabilization in oriented PS II membranes. Photosynth Res 22: 257–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockhart DJ and Boxer SG (1988) Electric field modulation of the fluorescence from Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction centers. Chem Phys Lett 144: 243–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maxwell, JC (1891) A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism. Third ed, Vol 1, pp 435–449. Reprinted by Dover, New York

  • Meiburg RF, van Gorkom HJ and van Dorssen RJ (1983) Excitation trapping and charge separation in Photosystem II in the presence of an electric field. Biochim Biophys Acta 724: 352–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Meiburg RF, van Gorkom HJ and van Dorssen RJ (1984) Non-electrogenic charge recombination in Photosystem II as a source of sub-ms luminescence. Biochim Biophys Acta 765: 295–300

    Google Scholar 

  • Melis A and Homann PH (1976) Heterogeneity of the photochemical centers in system II of chloroplasts. Photochem Photobiol 23: 343–350

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miles CD and Jagendorf AT (1969) Ionic and pH transitions triggering chloroplast post-illumination luminescence. Arch Biochem Biophys 129: 711–719

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neumann E, Schaffer-Ridder M, Wang Y and Hofschneider PH (1982) Gene transfer into mouse lyoma cells by electroporation in high electric fields. EMBO J 1: 841–845

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Popovic ZD, Kovacs GJ, Vincett PS, Allegria G and Dutton PL (1986) Electric field dependence of recombination kinetics in reaction centers of photosynthetic bacteria. Chem Phys 110: 227–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosemberg Y and Korenstein R (1990a) A novel method for measuring membrane conductance changes by a voltage-sensitive optical probe. FEBS Lett 263: 155–158

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosemberg Y and Korenstein R (1990b) Electroporation of the photosynthetic membrane. A study by intrinsic and external optical probes. Biophys J 58: 823–832

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosemberg Y, Rozen P, Malkin S and Korenstein R (1992) Spatial and temporal electroselection patterns in electric field stimulation of polarized luminescence from photosynthetic membrane vesicles. Biophys J 61: 1585–1594

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosemberg Y, Rotenberg M and Korenstein R (1994) Electroporation of the photosynthetic membrane: Structural changes in protein and lipid-protein domains. Biophys J 67: 1060–1066

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross RT and Calvin M (1967) Thermodynamics of light emission and free energy storage in photosynthesis. Biophys J 7: 595–614

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strehler B and Arnold WA (1951) Light production by green plants. J Gen Physiol 34: 809–820

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Symons M, Malkin S and Korenstein R (1984) External electric field effects on photosynthetic membrane vesicles. Kinetic characterization of two electrophotoluminescence phases in hypotonically swollen chloroplasts. Biochim Biophys Acta 767: 22–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Symons M, Korenstein R and Malkin S (1985) External electric-field effects on photosynthetic vesicles. The relationship of the rapid and slow phases of electrophotoluminescence in hypotonically swollen chloroplasts to PS I and PS II activity. Biochim Biophys Acta 806: 305–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Symons M, Malkin S and Farkas DL (1987) Electric-field-induced luminescence emission spectra of Photosystem I and Photosystem II from chloroplasts. Biochim Biophys Acta 894: 578–582

    Google Scholar 

  • Symons M, Malkin S, Korenstein R and Farkas DL (1988) The topological origin of the R and S phases of electric-field-induced luminescence in chloroplasts and blebs. J Photochem Photobiol B Biol 1: 295–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trissl HW and Leibl W (1989) Primary charge separation in Photosystem II involves two electrogenic steps. FEBS Lett 244: 85–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Gorkom HJ (1995) Current questions on optical properties and energy transfer in the reaction center of Photosystem II. In: Mathis P (ed) Photosynthesis: From Light to Biosphere, Vol I, pp 437–442. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Gorkom HJ and Meiburg RF (1982) Heterogeneous properties of Photosystem II luminesence. In: EBEC Reports, Vol 2, pp 227–228. L.B.T.M.-C.N.R.S., Villeurbanne

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Gorkom HJ, Meiburg RF and de Vos LJ (1986) Thermodynamics of the charge recombination in Photosystem II. Photosynth Res 9: 55–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Vos MH (1990) Electrogenic electron transport in photosynthetic systems. Doctoral thesis, Leiden University

  • Vos MH and van Gorkom HJ (1988) Thermodynamics of electron transport in Photosystem I studied by electric field-stimulated charge recombination. Biochim Biophys Acta 934: 293–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Vos MH and van Gorkom HJ (1990) Thermodynamical and structural information on photosynthetic systems obtained from electroluminescence kinetics. Biophys J 58: 1547–1555

    Google Scholar 

  • Vos MH, Klaassen HE and van Gorkom HJ (1989) Electron transport in Heliobacterium chlorum whole cells studied by electroluminescence and absorbance difference spectroscopy. Biochim Biophys Acta 973: 163–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Vos MH, van Gorkom HJ and van Leeuwen PJ (1991) An electroluminescence study of stabilization reactions in the oxygen-evolving complex of Photosystem II. Biochim Biophys Acta 1056: 27–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann U (1982) Electric field-mediated fusion and related electrical phenomena. Biochim Biophys Acta 694: 227–277

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biophysics, Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O.Box 9504, NL-2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Hans J. van Gorkom

Authors
  1. Hans J. van Gorkom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

van Gorkom, H.J. Electroluminescence. Photosynth Res 48, 107–116 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00041001

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00041001

Key words

Search

Navigation