Effect of nitrite and nitrate on chlorophyll fluorescence in green algae

✍ Scribed by Erich Kessler; Walter G. Zumft

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 336 KB
• Volume: 111
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0032-0935
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00386733

✦ Synopsis

The influence of nitrite and nitrate on chlorophyll fluorescence, a very sensitive indicator for the redox state of the primary accepter of photosystem IX of photosynthesis, was studied in green algae (several species of Chlorella, and Ankistrodesmu8 braunii). In phosphate solution under an atmosphere of nitrogen (i.e., in the absence of O 3 and C02, and without nitrite or nitrate), fluorescence shows a pronounced induction and then rises to a high steady-state level. In the presence of nitrite, however, fluorescence decreases after a rather short induction peak to a much lower steady-state. Nitrate, on the other hand, does not have any influence on either induction or steady-state of fluorescence. These results clearly demonstrate that nitrite reduction in the light is very closely coupled to the photosynthetic electron transport system, whereas nitrate is not reduced photosynthetically in rive.