Glutathione and ascorbic acid in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) chloroplasts. The effect of hydrogen peroxide and of Paraquat.

The stroma of spinach chloroplasts contains ascorbic acid and glutathione at millimolar concentrations. [Reduced glutathione]/[oxidized glutathione] and [ascorbate]/[dehydroascorbate] ratios are high under both light and dark conditions and no evidence for a role of oxidized glutathione or dehydroascorbate in the dark-deactivation of fructose bisphosphatase could be obtained. Addition of H2O2 to chloroplasts in the dark decreases the above ratios, an effect that is reversed on illumination. Addition of Paraquat to illuminated chloroplasts caused a rapid oxidation of reduced glutathione and ascorbate, and apparent loss of dehydroascorbate. Paraquat rapidly inactivated fructose bisphosphatase activity, as assayed under physiological conditions.