EXCITATION OF CHLOROPLASTS IN Euglena gracilis IN THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT

Abstract— Challenging Euglena gracilis —a unicellular microorganism that contains chloroplasts—with phenylacetaldehyde induces malondialdehyde formation, sustained red emission and Hill activity. In chloroplasts, phenylacetaldehyde appears to undergo peroxidase catalyzed oxidation to formic acid and triplet benzaldehyde; the latter or, less likely, a precursor thereof promotes lipid peroxidation. Triplet benzaldehyde and/or the excited species formed in lipid peroxidation transfer energy to the chlorophylls. This explanation also applies to spinach chloroplasts preparations, thus accounting for the previous unexplained observation that phenylacetaldehyde induced sustained red emission and Hill activity. A homogeneous picture is now available regarding the intracellular generation of excited states and concomitant excitation of built-in structures.