A simple model relating photoinhibitory fluorescence quenching in chloroplasts to a population of altered Photosystem II reaction centers.

A model is presented describing the relationship between chlorophyll fluorescence quenching and photoinhibition of Photosystem (PS) II-dependent electron transport in chloroplasts. The model is based on the hypothesis that excess light creates a population of inhibited PS II units in the thylakoids. Those units are supposed to posses photochemically inactive reaction centers which convert excitation energy to heat and thereby quench variable fluorescence. If predominant photoinhibition of PS IIα and cooperativity in energy transfer between inhibited and active units are presumed, a quasi-linear correlation between PS II activity and the ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence, FVFM, is obtained. However, the simulation does not result in an inherent linearity of the relationship between quantum yield of PS II and FVFM ratio. The model is used to fit experimental data on photoinhibited isolated chloroplasts. Results are discussed in view of current hypotheses of photoinhibition.