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The Effect of Sulfur Re-Addition on H2 Photoproduction by Sulfur-Deprived Green Algae

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Abstract

Sulfur deprivation of algal cultures selectively and partially inactivates photosystem II (PSII)-catalyzed O2 evolution, induces anaerobiosis and hydrogenase expression, and results in sustained H2 photoproduction for several days. We show that re-addition of limiting amounts of sulfate (1–10 μM final concentration) to the cultures during the H2-production phase temporarily reactivates PSII photochemical and O2-evolution activity and re-establishes higher rates of electron transport through the photosynthetic electron transport chain. The reactivation of PSII occurs by de novo D1 protein synthesis, but does not result in the re-establishment of aerobic conditions in the reactor, detectable by dissolved-O2 sensors. However, concomitant H2 photoproduction is inhibited, possibly due to excessive intra-cellular levels of photosynthetically-evolved O2. The partial recovery of electron transport rates correlates with the re-oxidation of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool, as observed by pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) and fluorescence-induction measurements. These results show that the presence of a more oxidized PQ pool releases some of the down-regulation of electron transport caused by the anaerobic conditions.

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Abbreviations

Chl:

chlorophyll

D1:

the fast-turnover PSII reaction center protein

DCMU:

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

E h :

oxidation–reduction potential

F 0 :

the initial level of the Chl fluorescence yield detected in dark-adapted cells

F fin :

fluorescence yield measured after the decay from the flash-induced Fmax level

F i :

initial peak in the fluorescence induction curve

Fmax and Fm′:

maximum fluorescence levels following saturating illumination of dark and light-adapted samples, respectively

Ft andF t ′:

steady-state fluorescence yield in dark and light-adapted samples, respectively, prior to a flash

PAM:

pulse-amplitude modulated

PAR:

photosynthetically active radiation

PQ:

plastoquinone

PSII:

Photosystem II

QA and QB:

the primary and secondary quinone acceptors of PSII

r.u.:

relative units

TAP:

Tris–acetate–phosphate

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401, USA

    Sergey Kosourov, Valeriya Makarova, Alexander S. Fedorov, Michael Seibert & Maria L. Ghirardi

  2. Institute of Basic Biological Problems RAS, 142290, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia

    Sergey Kosourov & Anatoly Tsygankov

  3. Moscow State University, Vorobyevi Gori, 119899, Moscow, Russia

    Valeriya Makarova

Authors
  1. Sergey Kosourov
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  2. Valeriya Makarova
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  3. Alexander S. Fedorov
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  4. Anatoly Tsygankov
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  5. Michael Seibert
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  6. Maria L. Ghirardi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria L. Ghirardi.

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Kosourov, S., Makarova, V., Fedorov, A.S. et al. The Effect of Sulfur Re-Addition on H2 Photoproduction by Sulfur-Deprived Green Algae. Photosynth Res 85, 295–305 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-005-5105-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-005-5105-0

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