Inhibition of the water splitting system by sodium chloride stress in the green alga Chlorella vulgari

The effect of sodium chloride on the photosynthetic electron transport chain was investigated in the freshwater green alga Chlorella vulgaris. It was found that the rate of oxygen evolution under steady state and flash light conditions diminished by increasing salt concentrations. Salt treatment of cells also decreased the fluorescence and delayed luminescence yields. However, the fluorescence yield was almost completely restored by the addition of an artificial electron donor to the NaCl-treated cells. The oscillation pattern of the thermoluminescence B band as a function of flash number indicated that the S2 S3 transition of the water splitting system is inhibited by NaCl treatment.