Ultraviolet-B Induced Damage to Photosystem II in Intact Filaments of Spirulina platensis

Abstract

Abstract When Spirulina platensis filaments were exposed to 0.75 mW.m -2 .s -1 of ultraviolet-B radiation (the ultraviolet-B radiation under clear sky condition is ~1.0 mW.m -2 .s -1 ), an inhibition in photosystem II activity was observed, the inhibition being 90% after 90 min exposure. Upon exposure to ultraviolet-B, the room temperature emission characteristics of Spirulina cells were altered when excited with light primarily absorbed by chlorophyll a or phycobilisomes. When the cells were exposed for 3 h the emission at 685 nm (F 685 ), when excited at 440 nm (primarily chlorophyll a absorption), was enhanced compared to 715 nm (F 715 ) band of photosystem I suggesting a decrease in energy transfer from photosystem II to photosys­ tem I. Similarly, when the cells were excited at 580 nm (primarily the phycobilisomes), the ratio of emission intensity at 685 nm (F 685 ) to that of 655 nm (F 655 ) was decreased in the exposed cells. This change in emission characteristics seems to be linked with the uncoupling of the energy transfer from allophycocyanin to chlorophyll a of photosystem II. A small shift in emission peak positions was also indicated when excited either at 440 nm or 580 nm. Analysis of the fast induction of chlorophyll a transients in the presence and absence of 10 μm 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-l,l-dimethylurea (DCMU) indicated that ultraviolet-B expo­ sure initially affects Qᴀ, the primary stable acceptor of photosystem II, and then the plastoquinone (PQ) pool. Our results on the loss in photosystem Il-catalyzed Hill activity with p-benzoquinone or dichlorobenzoquinone as electron acceptors also supports the contention that ultraviolet-B, even at low dose, initially alters the Qᴀ of photosystem II and subsequently PQ pool. The analysis of functional pool size of Spirulina suggests a substantial decrease in the functional pool size after 2 h UV-B exposure. These results indicate that in Spirulina low intensity of ultraviolet-B initially damages the reaction centre of photosystem II.