On the effect of heavy water (D2O) on carbon isotope fractionation in photosynthesis

Abstract

Internal conductance to carbon dioxide is a key aspect of leaf photosynthesis although is still not well understood. It is thought that it comprises two components, namely, a gas phase component (diffusion from intercellular spaces to cell walls) and a liquid phase component (dissolution, diffusion in water, hydration equilibrium). Here we use heavy water (D2O), which is known to slow down CO2 hydration by a factor of nearly three. Using 12C/13C stable isotope techniques and Xanthium strumarium L. leaves, we show that the on-line carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C, or Δobs) associated with photosynthesis is not significantly decreased by heavy water, and that the internal conductance, estimated with relationships involving the deviation of Δ13C, decreased by 8–40% in 21% O2. It is concluded that in typical conditions, the CO2-hydration equilibrium does not exert an effect on CO2 assimilation larger than 9%. The carbon isotope discrimination associated with CO2 addition to ribulose-1,5,bisphosphate by Rubisco is slightly decreased by heavy water. This effect is proposed to originate from the use of solvent-derived proton/deuteron during the last step of the catalytic cycle of the enzyme (hydration/cleavage).