The mechanism of hydrogen photoproduction by several algae : II. The contribution of photosystem II.

The contribution of PS II to H2 photoproduction by several unicellular green algae was measured both when O2 evolution and photophosphorylation were unimpaired and also when these processes had been eliminated by Cl-CCP. As judged by the effects of DCMU, a PS II contribution was found under both sets of experimental conditions for several strains of Chlorella, Ankistrodesmus and Scenedesmus. However, H2 photoproduction by Chlamydomonas moewusii was insensitive to DCMU and thus was entirely due to PS I. With cells treated with Cl-CCP, the relative amount of PS II contribution varied from zero in autotrophically grown Chlamydomonas reinhardii, to ≈ 20% in photoheterotrophically grown and ≈ 50% in autotrophically grown cells of Ankistrodesmus braunii, Chlorella fusca, Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus. The dehydrogenation of reduced H-donors by PS II of Scenedesmus treated with Cl-CCP showed the same biphasic kinetics previously described for H2 photoproduction by PS I of this alga.