The emission spectra of thermoluminescence from the photosynthetic apparatus

Emission spectra of two thermoluminescence (TL) components emitted from the photosynthetic apparatus were determined by the use of an imaging photon detector system. The following results were obtained: (i) The TL B-band emitted from whole thylakoids and PS II core complex showed the same emission spectrum peaking at about 690 nm (uncorrected for wavelength dependence of the photocathode) with a broad tailing in far-red region. This spectrum agrees with the reported emission spectrum of delayed luminescence, consistent with the view that the TL B-band arises from thermally stimulated recombination of charge pairs in PS II. (ii) The emission spectrum of TL Z-band was variant, depending on the PS I/PS II ratio in the sample. This was because the Z-band consists of two spectral components emitting at about 740 nm and 690 nm (also uncorrected for the wavelength dependence of the photocathode); the former originates exclusively from PS I and the latter from PS II. (iii) Light-harvesting chlorophyll protein complexes (LHCI and LHCII) emit the respective spectral components of Z-band more strongly than do their respective core complexes, indicating that reaction center photochemistry is not involved in energy storage for the Z-band. (iv) A methanol extract of thylakoids emitted only a weak Z-band at 690 nm, but the formation of a chlorophyll aggregate markedly enhanced the Z-band intensity, concomitant with a shift in emission maximum to 740 nm. The mechanism of energy storage for Z-band is discussed in relation to the local chlorophyll concentration.