The redox-controlled light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein kinase. Deactivation by substituted quinones.

The deactivation of the redox-controlled light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein kinase of Acetabularia acetabulum and pea thylakoids was studied. Substituted benzoquinone, naphthoquinone, and anthraquinone analogs including mono-, di-, and trihalogenated and/or alkylated quinones, which are known to inhibit the cytochrome b6/f activity, deactivate the kinase in the dark, and prevent its activation in the light. Analogs halogenated at positions 2- or 3- are the most effective deactivators. Increasing the size of the alkyl side chain and/or the number of rings lowers the deactivation effect. The activated state of the pea kinase decays with a t1/2 of 15 min, while the Acetabularia enzyme retains its active state for at least 2 h. The midpoint potential for Acetabularia kinase activity in the dark is 120 +/- 10 mV and is compatible with the involvement of plastoquinone in the kinase activation via reduction of the cytochrome complex. Deactivation of kinase by the analogs inhibiting cytochrome b6/f complex activity and the kinase copurification with the cytochrome b6/f fraction obtained from the Acetabularia thylakoid further support this conclusion. These results indicate that the process of kinase activation/deactivation includes the binding of plastoquinol or quinone analogs by the cytochrome complex and its interaction with the kinase. We propose that the latter process may constitute the rate-limiting step controlling the kinase activation/deactivation kinetics.