Dynamic mechanical responses of Arabidopsis thylakoid membranes during PSII-specific illumination.

ABSTRACT: Remodeling of thylakoid membranes in response to illumination is an important process for the regulation of photosynthesis. We investigated the thylakoid network from Arabidopsis thaliana using atomic force microscopy to capture dynamic changes in height, elasticity, and viscosity of isolated thylakoid membranes caused by changes in illumination. We also correlated the mechanical response of the thylakoid network with membrane ultrastructure using electron microscopy. We find that the elasticity of the thylakoid membranes increases immediately upon PSII-specific illumination, followed by a delayed height change. Direct visualization by electron microscopy confirms that there is a significant change in the packing repeat distance of the membrane stacks in response to illumination. Although

SUBMITTER: Clausen CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4017268 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature