Question

Assume a thylakoid which is somehow punctured so that the interior of the thylakoid is no longer separated from the stroma. This damage will have the most direct effect on which of the following processes?

• A. Splitting of water
• B. Absorption of light energy by chlorophyll
• C. Flow of electrons from photosystem II to photosystem I
• D. Synthesis of ATP

Answer 1

The correct option is D Synthesis of ATP

The thylakoid membranes have pigment system, electron transport proteins as well as the ATP synthases. When the transfer of electron down the transport proteins occurs, many H${}^{+}$ are transported into the thylakoid lumen from the stroma. This high concentration of H${}^{+}$ is then used by the ATP synthases to make ATP by transferring these H${}^{+}$ out of the thylakoid lumen in the stroma. The punctured thylakoid will not have an intact thylakoid lumen, so the concentration of the H${}^{+}$ ins will not be developed. As a result, ATP synthase will not function and so ATP will not be synthesized.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Synthesis of ATP'