FEBS Letters 2012-07-30

Non-enzymatic conversion of chlorophyll-a into chlorophyll-d in vitro: a model oxidation pathway for chlorophyll-d biosynthesis.

Takanori Fukusumi, Kohei Matsuda, Tadashi Mizoguchi, Tomohiro Miyatake, Satoshi Ito, Tsukasa Ikeda, Hitoshi Tamiaki, Toru Oba

Index: FEBS Lett. 586(16) , 2338-41, (2012)

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Abstract

Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) was readily converted into Chl-d under mild conditions without any enzymes. Treatment of Chl-a dissolved in dry tetrahydrofuran (THF) with thiophenol and acetic acid at room temperature successfully produced Chl-d in 31% yield. During the acidic oxidation, removal of the central magnesium, pheophytinization, was sufficiently suppressed. This mild pathway can give insights into the yet unidentified Chl-d biosynthesis.Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.