Effect of supplementary UVB radiation on chlorophyll synthesis and accumulation of photosystems during chloroplast development in Spirodela oligorrhiza
1996
Marwood, C.A. | Greenberg, B.M.
Although the effects of ultraviolet B (UVB, 290-320 nm) radiation have been studied in plants extensively, little is known about the potential impacts on maturation chloroplasts. To address this problem, the effects of supplementary UVB on chloroplast development were examined in the aquatic higher plant Spirodela oligorrhiza. Dark-grown Spirodela-containing proplastids were exposed to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet A (UVA, 320-400 nm), plus supplementary UVB equivalent to 1% of PAR on a photon basis. The biosynthesis and assembly of chlorophyll (Chl) into reaction centers was followed for 4 days in situ by low temperature (77 K) Chl fluorescence. Impacts on chloroplast development were detected after only 1 h incubation in light with supplementary UVB. Fluorescence emission signals from Chl associated with the photosystem (PS) II antenna, PSII reaction centers and PSI reaction centers were detected at the same time with or without UVB, but the magnitude of PS fluorescence was diminished up to 60% in plants incubated in UVB. The Chl content was also lower in UVB-treated plants, but to a lesser degree than anticipated by low temperature fluorescence, suggesting lack of organization and/or association of Chl with PS. Electron transport, measured with room temperature fluorescence induction, was not consistently different in plants exposed to UVB. These results suggest that with UVB, fewer and/or smaller PS form during chloroplast development, but there is not a large inhibition of Chl synthesis or PSII activity.
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