Abstract: | Abstract— In isolated spinach chloroplasts, the reduction of cytochrome b-559 by System II and its oxidation by System I can be observed when electron acceptor concentration limits System I activity and when one of a particular class of uncoupling agents is present. This class includes CCCP, desaspidin, Triton X-100 and antimycinA; but not simple amines or atebrin. The effect of the uncoupler is to speed the cytochrome b-559 oxidation rate. In addition, the rate of the off-response of the light-induced P518 absorbance change is increased. To explain these findings, an electron transfer scheme is proposed having two distinct pathways between System II and System I. |