Spin Label Studies in <i>Chlamydomonas</i>

Abstract

When spin label is added to Chlamydomonas the organism is apparently unaffected, but the paramagnetic resonance signal of the spin label decreases. Irradiation with visible light greatly accelerates this decrease, which is partially reversible. If the cells are grown in the presence of the spin label and washed well, no spin label signal is detectable. However, such cells can no longer catalyze the destruction of added spin label in the light. This finding sug- gests that the molecule is bound to a specific site, which undergoes a change in conformation with illumination.