Distribution and nonphotochemical transformation of phytochrome in subcellular fractions from pisum epicotyls.

In etiolated pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) shoots about 3% of the total extractable phytochrome was found in the mitochondrial fraction and about 4.5% in the microsomal fraction, while over 70% was soluble in the 105,000g supernatant. The value of Delta(DeltaA) per milligram of protein was significantly higher in the 105,000g supernatant than in these particulate fractions. The percentage conversion of Pr to Pfr was approximately proportional to the total dose of red light in every subcellular fraction tested, unless the dose approached a saturation level. After a brief irradiation of intact shoots with red light at 26 C, each subcellular fraction showed different patterns of dark transformation in vivo at 26 C; that is, the amount of the particulate-bound phytochrome increased immediately after the irradiation, and a reversion of Pfr to Pr was indicated for the first 2 hr in the 12,000g supernatant, but not at all in the mitochondrial and microsomal fractions. The amounts of Pr in the mitochondrial and microsomal fractions did not change during the dark incubation, while those in the 12,000g supernatant increased with time. Similar results were obtained with apical shoot segments after exposure to red light at 0 C and a subsequent dark incubation on moist filter paper at 26 C.