A THEORETICAL-STUDY ON THE FLUORESCENCE INDUCTION CURVE OF SPINACH THYLAKOIDS IN THE ABSENCE OF DCMU

Recent progress in studying Photosystem II (PS II) makes it possible to describe quantitatively each step of the electron transport in PS II centers. Based on the current reaction scheme, the fluorescence induction curve originating from PS II of isolated thylakoids is numerically simulated and compared with the experimental curve. The effects of changing the values of various electron transport parameters on the shape of the simulating curve are also studied. I find that it is impossible to fit the experimental curve without making additional assumption. I propose that the number of plastoquinone molecules functionally connected to each PS II center is likely to be heterogeneous. The hypothesis is also tried on the fluorescence induction curves measured at various light intensities and in the presence of various amounts of DCMU.