Co-Authors:
Admon, A., Biochemistry Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Shahak, Y., Biochemistry Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Avron, M., Biochemistry Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Abstract:
Utilizing oxonol VI as a transmembrane electric potential indicating dye, chloroplasts are shown to develop rapid transient light-induced and ATP-induced potentials. Following the large transient signal smaller steady-state potentials are maintained with either driving system. The ATP-induced potential in the dark depends upon preactivation of the light-triggered ATPase of the chloroplasts, and is inhibited by uncouplers, ionophores such as valinomycin, and energy-transfer inhibitors such as tentoxin, Dio-9 or DCCD. Nigericin increased the signal of both the light- and the ATP-induced reactions. The fact that relatively large transient membrane potentials are induced by either a dark-to-light transition or ATP in the dark provides an explanation for previously observed phenomena such as early kinetics of photophosphorylation and the ATP-induced luminescence. © 1982.