Two new yellow rice chlorophyll (Chl) b-less (lack) mutants VG28-1 and VG30-5 differ from the other known Chl b-less mutants with larger amounts of soluble protein and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase small sub-unit and smaller amounts of Chl a. We investigated the altered features of Chl-protein complexes and excitation energy distribution in these two mutants, as compared with wild type (WT) rice cv. Zhonghua 11 by using native mild green gel electrophoresis and SDS-PAGE, and 77 K Chl fluorescence in the presence of Mg2+. WT rice revealed five pigment-protein bands and fourteen polypeptides in thylakoid membranes. Two Chl b-less mutants showed only CPI and CPa pigment bands, and contained no 25 and 26 kDa polypeptides, reduced amounts of the 21 kDa polypeptide, but increased quantities of 32, 33, 56, 66, and 19 kDa polypeptides. The enhanced absorption of CPI and CPa and the higher Chl fluorescence emission ratio of F685/F720 were also observed in these mutants. This suggested that the reduction or loss of the antenna LHC1 and LHC2 was compensated by an increment in core component and the capacity to harvest photon energy of photosystem (PS) 1 and PS2, as well as in the fraction of excitation energy distributed to PS2 in the two mutants. 77 K Chl fluorescence spectra of thylakoid membranes showed that the PS1 fluorescence emission was shifted from 730 nm in WT rice to 720 nm in the mutants. The regulation of Mg2+ to excitation energy distribution between the two photosystems was complicated. 10 mM Mg2+ did not affect noticeably the F685/F730 emission ratio of WT thylakoid membranes, but increased the ratio of F685/F720 in the two mutants due to a reduced emission at 685 nm as compared to that at 720 nm. and Zhu-Fang Lin ... [et al.].
Two yellow rice mutants VG28-1 and VG30-5 were obtained during the tissue culture process from a rice plant (cv. Zhonghua No.11 japonica) with inserted maize Ds transposon element. Absorption spectra and pigment composition showed that two mutants had no chlorophyll (Chl) b and lower Chl a content in comparison to the wild type (WT). Net photosynthetic rate (PN), total electron transport rate (JF), photochemical quenching (qp), quantum yield of PS2 dependent non-cyclic electron transport (ΦPS2), fraction of Prate, and leaf area were lower but Fv/Fm and apparent quantum yield (AQY) remained at similar levels as in the WT plant. Xanthophyll cycle pool size (V+A+Z) on a Chl basis, and de-epoxidation state were enhanced in the mutants. The mutants had larger amounts of soluble protein and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO), especially the small subunit of RuBPCO, than WT. The characteristics of two rice mutants differed somewhat from the other common Chl b-less mutants originating from mutagenic agent treatments. and Zhi-Fang Li ... [et al.].