High-light induced superoxide radical formation in cytochrome b₆f complex from Bryopsis corticulans as detected by EPR spectroscopy

Abstract

The generation of superoxide radical (O₂·⁻) in Cyt b₆f of Bryopsis corticulans under high light illumination was studied using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. This could be evidenced by the addition of SOD which specifically reacted with O₂·⁻. The generation of O₂·⁻ was lost in the absence of oxygen and was found to be suppressed in the presence of NaN₃ and be scavenged by extraneous antioxidants such as ascorbate, β-carotene and glutathione which could also scavenged ¹O₂*. These results indicated that O₂·⁻ which produced under high light illumination in Cyt b₆f of B. corticulans might rise from a reaction which ¹O₂* could participated in. Also the photo-protection mechanism to Cyt b₆f complex by antioxidants which might contain in thylakoid was speculated.