Depending on experimental conditions we have found that photo-inhibitory treatment of photosystem II (PSII) core complexes, isolated from wheat, can generate two fragments of about 23-24 kDa that contain either the C-terminal or N-terminal regions of the D1-protein. A 24 kDa C-terminal fragment appears when the water splitting reaction is not functional and an electron acceptor is present. This 'donor'-side inhibition also generates an N-terminal fragment of about 10 kDa and is suggested to be due to the cleavage of a peptide bond in the region connecting transmembrane segments I and II of the D1-protein. In contrast, an N-terminal 23 kDa D1-protein fragment is detected when the water splitting reactions of the isolated complex are active, and occurs in the absence of an added electron acceptor. This 'acceptor'-side photo-inhibition also generates a C-terminal fragment of about 10 kDa.