Some Effects of Hydrolytic Enzymes on Coupled and Uncoupled Electron Flow in Chloroplasts

Abstract

Digestion of spinach chloroplasts with pancreatic lipase or trypsin effectively uncoupled electron transport. Continued digestion led to inhibition of saturated rates of Hill reaction activity and a decrease in quantum yield. Irradiation with ultraviolet light decreased the quantum yield and inhibited Hill activity, but did not uncouple. Ascorbate-dichlorophenol-indophenol-mediated reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate was not appreciably inhibited by treatment with either of the enzymes or by ultraviolet irradiation.