Prev. Article Next Article Table of Contents

Article

A Structure-Activity Investigation of Photosynthetic Electron Transport. An Interdisciplinary Experiment for the First-Year Laboratory

Your current credentials do not allow retrieval of the full text.

Purchase the full-text

PDF/HTML,
figures/images,
references and tables,
(where available)

Kerry K. Karukstis , Gerald R. Van Hecke , Katherine A. Roth and Matthew A. Burden

Department of Chemistry, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711

J. Chem. Educ., 2002, 79 (8), p 985

DOI: 10.1021/ed079p985

Publication Date (Web): August 1, 2002

Abstract

This experiment features an investigative approach designed for the introductory science or engineering major and integrates concepts in the fields of chemistry, biology, and physics. Derived from faculty research interests, it gives students an opportunity to formulate and test hypotheses and illustrates the connection between molecular structure and macroscopic properties. Students use absorption spectroscopy to monitor the rate of the initial steps of photosynthesis. These light-activated steps involve the rapid transfer of electrons between specialized molecules in the plant cell organelles (chloroplasts) responsible for photosynthesis. Students then test the effectiveness of various substituted quinones as model herbicide inhibitors of photosynthetic electron transport. On the basis of their rankings of electron transport inhibition for the initial set of quinones, students then test and refine their hypothesis of the ideal quinone structure that will lead to the most effective inhibition of electron transport. With the use of a molecular modeling program, the tested quinones are examined to visualize the structural aspects that promote and hinder electron transport inhibition and to propose a model of the herbicide binding region in chloroplasts.

Keywords (Audience):

First-Year Undergraduate / General

Keywords (Domain):

Curriculum

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Inquiry-Based / Discovery Learning

Keywords (Subject):

Biophysical Chemistry

View: Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links

Citing Articles

Citation data is made available by participants in CrossRef's Cited-by Linking service. For a more comprehensive list of citations to this article, users are encouraged to perform a search in SciFinder.

This article has been cited by 1 ACS Journal articles (1 most recent appear below).

Synthesis and Physical Properties of Liquid Crystals: An Interdisciplinary Experiment
Gerald R. Van Hecke , Kerry K. Karukstis , Hanhan Li , Hansford C. Hendargo , Andrew J. Cosand and Marja M. Fox
Journal of Chemical Education2005 82 (9), 1349
- Synthesis and Physical Properties of Liquid Crystals: An Interdisciplinary Experiment
  Gerald R. Van Hecke , Kerry K. Karukstis , Hanhan Li , Hansford C. Hendargo , Andrew J. Cosand and Marja M. Fox
  Journal of Chemical Education2005 82 (9), 1349
  This experiment features an investigative approach designed for the introductory science or engineering major and integrates concepts in the fields of chemistry, biology, and physics. Derived from faculty research interests, this novel experiment gives ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links