Light‐induced linear dichroism in photoreversibly photochromic sensor pigments. – V. Reinterpretation of the experiments on in vivo action dichroism of phytochrome

Experiments by several authors on the effects of polarized light on phytochromemediated responses in fern gametophytes and in the green alga Mougeotia have earlier been interpreted as showing that the transition moment of phytochrome in the Pr form is parallel to the plasmalemma, but perpendicular to the plasmalemma for the Pfr form of phytochrome. It is now shown that the experimental results can be interpreted differently, and that they are also consistent with a chromophore rotation of about 30° (instead of 90°), as found for immobilized phytochrome molecules in vitro. Thus there is no evidence for a rotation of the whole phytochrome protein. For the gametophyte of Adiantum it is calculated that the Pr transition moment is inclined 17° to the plasmalemma, and the Pfr transition moment ca 50°, corresponding to an in vivo chromophore rotation of ca 33°; however, these values are very approximate.