The Inhibition of Photosynthetic Light Reactions by Halogenated Naphthoquinones

Abstract

Abstract Halogenated naphthoquinones act as inhibitors of photosynthetic electron flow. I50 concentra­ tion for inhibition of methylviologen reduction were found to range between 2 × 10-5 m to 2 × 10-6 M. Comparing their effects on several partial reactions of electron flow, the inhibition site of the naphthoquinones was found to be at the reducing site of PS II. Studies of fluorescence transients in presence of halogenated naphthoquinones give further evidence for a site action similar to that of diuron and different to that of DBMIB. All naphthoquinones act as quenchers of chlorophyll fluorescence with pure chlorophyll a, and with much higher efficiency in green algae and chloroplasts. It is concluded, that the halogenated naphthoquinones act similar to PS II-inhibitors like diuron, but do not share a common binding site at the PS II-complex. Implications of a possible involvement of phylloquinone K 1 in photosynthetic electron transport are discussed. The synthesis of 2-chloro-as well as 2-bromo-3-isopropyl-1,4-naphthoquinone is described.