In mesophyll cells of the aquatic angiosperm Vallisneria gigantea Graebner, red, blue, or blue plus far-red light induced a typical membrane hyperpolarization, whereas far-red light alone had little effect. Both N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, a potent inhibitor of H+-ATPase, and carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, an uncoupler, produced a considerable membrane depolarization in the dark-adapted cells and a complete suppression of the light-induced hyperpolarization. Although 3-(3',4'-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), an inhibitor of photosynthetic electron transport, did not affect the membrane potential in darkness, it completely inhibited the light-induced membrane hyperpolarization. In vivo illumination of the leaves with red light caused a substantial decrease in the Km for ATP, not only of the vanadate-sensitive ATP-hydrolyzing activity in leaf homogenate, but also of the ATP-dependent H+-transporting activity in plasma membrane (PM) vesicles isolated from the leaves by aqueous polymer two-phase partitioning methods. The effects of red light were negated by the presence of DCMU during illumination. In vivo illumination with far-red light had no effect on the Km for ATP of H+-transporting activity. These results strongly suggest that an electrogenic component in the membrane potential of the mesophyll cell is generated by the PM H+-ATPase, and that photosynthesis-dependent modulation of the enzymatic activity of the PM H+-ATPase is involved in the light-induced membrane hyperpolarization.