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U.S. Department of Energy
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Biological solar energy conversion: approaches to overcome yield, stability and product limitations. Progress report No. 5, 1 April-30 September 1977

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6195319
Studies of factors causing loss of function in isolated chloroplasts were continued. The effects of linolenic acid on electron transport reactions in isolated spinach chloroplasts were investigated. Mass spectrometer studies indicated that the O/sub 2/ cycle was half-saturated at approximately 8% O/sub 2/. During the course of CO/sub 2/ depletion, O/sub 2/ uptake did not immediately reflect the observed CO/sub 2/ uptake, indicating that another internal bound form of CO/sub 2/ was used. In another series of studies, NO/sub 3/(-) suppressed O/sub 2/ uptake (compared to NH/sub 4/(+)) at light intensities ranging from compensation to saturation. A spectrophotometer was assembled to measure fast absorption changes in the U.V. and visible. Comparative studies of chloroplasts prepared from spinach leaves and bundlesheath and mesophyll tissue of corn were continued. Measurements indicated that the size of the light-harvesting pigment unit is about the same in the three tissues; and the P700/chl ratio of bundle-sheath chloroplasts is twice that of the other two tissues.
Research Organization:
Martin Marietta Labs., Baltimore, MD (USA)
OSTI ID:
6195319
Report Number(s):
PB-286487
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English