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Metabolism and Enzymology

The Relationship between Ribulose Bisphosphate Concentration, Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC) Transport and DIC-Limited Photosynthesis in the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus leopoliensis Grown at Different Concentrations of Inorganic Carbon ¹

Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6

To examine the factors which limit photosynthesis and their role in photosynthetic adaptation to growth at low dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), Synechococcus leopoliensis was grown at three concentrations (as signified by brackets) of DIC, high (1000-1800 micromolar), intermediate (200-300 micromolar), and low (10-20 micromolar). In all cell types photosynthesis varied from being ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP)-saturated at low external [DIC] to RuBP-limited at high external [DIC]. The maximum rate of photosynthesis (P_max) was achieved when the internal concentration of RuBP fell below the active site density of RuBP carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). At rates of photosynthesis below P_max, photosynthetic capacity was limited by the ability of the cell to transport inorganic carbon and to supply CO₂ to Rubisco. Adaptation to low DIC was reflected by a decrease in the [DIC] required to half-saturate photosynthesis. Simultaneous mass-spectrometric measurement of rates of photosynthesis and DIC transport showed that the initial slope of the photosynthesis versus [DIC] curve is identical to the initial slope of the DIC transport versus [DIC] curve. This provided evidence that the enhanced capacity for DIC transport which occurs upon adaptation to low [DIC] was responsible for the increase in the initial slope of the photosynthesis versus [DIC] curve and therefore the decrease in the half saturation constant of photosynthesis with respect to DIC. Levels of RuBP and in vitro Rubisco activity varied only slightly between high and intermediate [DIC] grown cells but fell significantly (65-70%) in low [DIC] grown cells. Maximum rates of photosynthesis followed a similar pattern with P_max only slightly lower in intermediate [DIC] grown cells than in high [DIC] grown cells, but much lower in low [DIC] grown cells. The changing response of photosynthesis to [DIC] during adaptation to low DIC, may be explained by the interaction between DIC-transport limited and [RuBP]-limited photosynthesis.

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