Acclimation of Tomato Leaves to Changes in Light Intensity; Effects on the Function of the Thylakoid Membrane

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Abstract
When young tomato plants grown in high light (400 μmol quanta m−2s−1PAR) were transferred to low light (100 μmol quanta m−2s−1PAR), non-cyclic electron transport capacity was decreased and the rate of dark re-oxidation of Q−, the first quinone electron acceptor of photosystem II, was decreased within 1–2 d. In contrast, the amount of coupling factor CF1, assayed by its ATPase activity, decreased more gradually over several days. The total chlorophyll content per unit leaf area remained relatively constant, although the chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio declined. When young tomato plants grown in low light were transferred to high light, the ATPase activity of isolated thylakoids increased markedly within 1 d of transfer. This increase occurred more rapidly than changes in chlorophyll content per leaf area. In addition, in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence induction curves indicate that forward electron transfer from Q− occurred more readily. The functional implications of these changes are discussed.

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