Chlorophyllide

Last updated
Chlorophyllide
Chlorophyllide a.svg
Chlorophyllide a
Names
IUPAC name
Magnesium (3S,4S,21R)-3-(2-carboxyethyl)-14-ethyl-21-(methoxycarbonyl)-4,8,13,18-tetramethyl-20-oxo-9-vinyl-23,25-didehydrophorbine-23,25-diide
Identifiers
  • Compounds
  • a: Chlorophyllide a
  • b: Chlorophyllide b
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChemSpider
PubChem CID
  • a:InChI=1S/C35H36N4O5.Mg/c1-8-19-15(3)22-12-24-17(5)21(10-11-28(40)41)32(38-24)30-31(35(43)44-7)34(42)29-18(6)25(39-33(29)30)14-27-20(9-2)16(4)23(37-27)13-26(19)36-22;/h8,12-14,17,21,31H,1,9-11H2,2-7H3,(H3,36,37,38,39,40,41,42);/q;+2/p-2/t17-,21-,31+;/m0./s1 Yes check.svgY[ EBI ]
    Key: ANWUQYTXRXCEMZ-NYABAGMLSA-L
  • b:InChI=1S/C35H34N4O6.Mg/c1-7-18-15(3)22-11-23-16(4)20(9-10-28(41)42)32(38-23)30-31(35(44)45-6)34(43)29-17(5)24(39-33(29)30)12-26-19(8-2)21(14-40)27(37-26)13-25(18)36-22;/h7,11-14,16,20,31H,1,8-10H2,2-6H3,(H3,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43);/q;+2/p-2/t16-,20-,31+;/m0./s1
    Key: QPDWBRHRBKXUNS-IEEIVXFASA-L
  • a:CCC1=C(C)C2=Cc3c(C=C)c(C)c4C=C5[C@@H](C)[C@H](CCC(O)=O)C6=[N+]5[Mg--]5(n34)n3c(=CC1=[N+]25)c(C)c1C(=O)[C@H](C(=O)OC)C6=c31
Properties
C35H34MgN4O5
Molar mass 614.973 g/mol
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Chlorophyllide a and Chlorophyllide b are the biosynthetic precursors of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b respectively. Their propionic acid groups are converted to phytyl esters by the enzyme chlorophyll synthase in the final step of the pathway. Thus the main interest in these chemical compounds has been in the study of chlorophyll biosynthesis in plants, algae and cyanobacteria. Chlorophyllide a is also an intermediate in the biosynthesis of bacteriochlorophylls. [1] [2]

Contents

Structures

Chlorophyllide a, (R=H). In chlorophyllide b, the methyl group show in the green box is replaced with a formyl group. C-3 position Chlorophyll a.svg
Chlorophyllide a, (R=H). In chlorophyllide b, the methyl group show in the green box is replaced with a formyl group.

Chlorophyllide a, is a carboxylic acid (R=H). In chlorophyllide b, the methyl group at position 13 (IUPAC numbering for chlorophyllide a) and highlighted in the green box, is replaced with a formyl group.

Biosynthesis steps up to formation of protoporphyrin IX

In the early steps of the biosynthesis, which starts from glutamic acid, a tetrapyrrole is created by the enzymes deaminase and cosynthetase which transform aminolevulinic acid via porphobilinogen and hydroxymethylbilane to uroporphyrinogen III. The latter is the first macrocyclic intermediate common to haem, sirohaem, cofactor F430, cobalamin and chlorophyll itself. [3] The next intermediates are coproporphyrinogen III and protoporphyrinogen IX, which is oxidised to the fully aromatic protoporphyrin IX. Insertion of iron into protoporphyrin IX in for example mammals gives haem, the oxygen-carrying cofactor in blood, but plants combine magnesium instead to give, after further transformations, chlorophyll for photosynthesis. [4]

Biosynthesis of chlorophyllides from protoporphyrin IX

Details of the late stages of the biosynthetic pathway to chlorophyll differ in the plants (for example Arabidopsis thaliana , Nicotiana tabacum and Triticum aestivum ) and bacteria (for example Rubrivivax gelatinosus and Synechocystis ) in which it has been studied. However, although the genes and enzymes vary, the chemical reactions involved are identical. [1] [5]

Insertion of magnesium

Magnesium is inserted into protoporphyrin IX Protoporphyrin magnesium insertion.svg
Magnesium is inserted into protoporphyrin IX

Chlorophyll is characterised by having a magnesium ion coordinated within a ligand called a chlorin. The metal is inserted into protoporphyrin IX by the enzyme magnesium chelatase [1] which catalyzes the reaction EC 6.6.1.1

protoporphyrin IX + Mg2+
+ ATP + H
2
O
ADP + phosphate + Mg-protoporphyrin IX + 2 H+

Esterification of the ring C propionate group

The next step towards the chlorophyllides is the formation of a methyl (CH3) ester on one of the propionate groups, which is catalysed by the enzyme Magnesium protoporphyrin IX methyltransferase [6] in the methylation reaction EC 2.1.1.11

Mg-protoporphyrin IX + S-adenosylmethionine Mg-protoporphyrin IX 13-methyl ester + S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine

From porphyrin to chlorin

The chlorin ring system forms as the esterified propionate sidechain is cyclised on to the main porphyrin ring to form divinylprotochlorophyllide Oxidative cyclase to chlorin.svg
The chlorin ring system forms as the esterified propionate sidechain is cyclised on to the main porphyrin ring to form divinylprotochlorophyllide

The chlorin ring system features a five-membered carbon ring E is created when one of the propionate groups of the porphyrin is cyclised to the carbon atom linking the original pyrrole rings C and D. A series of chemical steps catalysed by the enzyme Magnesium-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester (oxidative) cyclase [7] gives the overall reaction EC 1.14.13.81

Mg-protoporphyrin IX 13-monomethyl ester + 3 NADPH + 3 H+ + 3 O2 divinylprotochlorophyllide + 3 NADP+ + 5 H2O

In barley the electrons are provided by reduced ferredoxin, which can obtain them from photosystem I or, in the dark, from Ferredoxin—NADP(+) reductase: the cyclase protein is named XanL and is encoded by the Xantha-l gene. [8] In anaerobic organisms such as Rhodobacter sphaeroides the same overall transformation occurs but the oxygen incorporated into magnesium-protoporphyrin IX 13-monomethyl ester comes from water in the reaction EC 1.21.98.3. [9]

Reduction steps to chlorophyllide a

Two further transformations are required to produce chlorophyllide a. Both are reduction reactions: one converts a vinyl group to an ethyl group and the second adds two atoms of hydrogen to the pyrrole ring D, although the overall aromaticity of the macrocycle is retained. These reactions proceed independently and in some organisms the sequence is reversed. [1] The enzyme divinyl chlorophyllide a 8-vinyl-reductase [10] converts 3,8-divinylprotochlorophyllide to protochlorophyllide in reaction EC 1.3.1.75

3,8-divinylprotochlorophyllide + NADPH + H+ protochlorophyllide + NADP+
The reduction of ring D of protochlorophyllide completes the biosynthesis of chlorophyllide a Chlorophillide synthesis.svg
The reduction of ring D of protochlorophyllide completes the biosynthesis of chlorophyllide a

This is followed by the reaction EC 1.3.1.33 in which the pyrrole ring D is reduced by the enzyme protochlorophyllide reductase [11]

protochlorophyllide + NADPH + H+ chlorophyllide a + NADP+

This reaction is light-dependent but there is an alternative enzyme, Ferredoxin:protochlorophyllide reductase (ATP-dependent), [12] that uses reduced ferredoxin as its cofactor and is not dependent on light; it performs the a similar reaction EC 1.3.7.7 but with the alternative substrate 3,8-divinylprotochlorophyllide

3,8-divinylprotochlorophyllide + reduced ferredoxin + 2 ATP + 2 H2O 3,8-divinylchlorophyllide a + oxidized ferredoxin + 2 ADP + 2 phosphate

In the organisms which use this alternative sequence of reduction steps, the process is completed by the reaction EC 1.3.7.13 catalysed by an enzyme which can take a variety of substrates and perform the required vinyl-group reduction, for example in this case

3,8-divinylchlorophyllide a + 2 reduced ferredoxin + 2 H+ chlorophyllide a + 2 oxidized ferredoxin

From chlorophyllide a to chlorophyllide b

Chlorophyllide a oxygenase is the enzyme that converts chlorophyllide a to chlorophyllide b [13] by catalysing the overall reaction EC 1.3.7.13

chlorophyllide a + 2 O2 + 2 NADPH + 2 H+ chlorophyllide b + 3 H2O + 2 NADP+

Use in the biosynthesis of chlorophylls

Chlorophyll a, b, and d Chlorophyll a b d.svg
Chlorophyll a, b, and d

Chlorophyll synthase [14] completes the biosynthesis of chlorophyll a by catalysing the reaction EC 2.5.1.62

chlorophyllide a + phytyl diphosphate chlorophyll a + diphosphate

This forms an ester of the carboxylic acid group in chlorophyllide a with the 20-carbon diterpene alcohol phytol. Chlorophyll b is made by the same enzyme acting on chlorophyllide b. The same is known for chlorophyll d and f, both made from corresponding chlorophyllides ultimately made from chlorophyllide a. [15]

Use in the biosynthesis of bacteriochlorophylls

Bacteriochlorophylls are the light harvesting pigments found in photosynthetic bacteria: they do not produce oxygen as a side-product. There are many such structures but all are biosynthetically related by being derived from chlorophyllide a. [1] [16]

BChl a: bacteriochlorin ring and sidechains

Bacteriochlorophyllide a (R=H). Earlier intermediates have a vinyl group or 1-hydroxyethyl group in place of the acetyl group shown. Bacteriochlorophyllide a.svg
Bacteriochlorophyllide a (R=H). Earlier intermediates have a vinyl group or 1-hydroxyethyl group in place of the acetyl group shown.

Bacteriochlorophyll a is a typical example; its biosynthesis has been studied in Rhodobacter capsulatus and Rhodobacter sphaeroides . The first step is the reduction (with trans stereochemistry) of the pyrrole ring B, giving the characteristic 18-electron aromatic system of many bacteriochlorophylls. This is carried out by the enzyme chlorophyllide a reductase, which catalyses the reaction EC 1.3.7.15.

chlorophyllide a + 2 reduced ferredoxin + ATP + H2O + 2 H+ 3-deacetyl 3-vinylbacteriochlorophyllide a + 2 oxidized ferredoxin + ADP + phosphate

The next two steps convert the vinyl group first into a 1-hydroxyethyl group and then into the acetyl group of bacteriochlorophyllide a. The reactions are catalysed by chlorophyllide a 31-hydratase (EC 4.2.1.165) and bacteriochlorophyllide a dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.396) as follows: [2] [17]

3-deacetyl 3-vinylbacteriochlorophyllide a + H2O 3-deacetyl 3-(1-hydroxyethyl)bacteriochlorophyllide a
3-deacetyl 3-(1-hydroxyethyl)bacteriochlorophyllide a + NAD+ bacteriochlorophyllide a + NADH + H+

These three enzyme-catalysed reactions can occur in different sequences to produce bacteriochlorophyllide a ready for esterification to the final pigments for photosynthesis. The phytyl ester of bacteriochlorophyll a is not attached directly: rather, the initial intermediate is the ester with R=geranylgeranyl (from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate) which is then subject to additional steps as three of the sidechain's alkene bonds are reduced. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlorophyll</span> Green pigments found in plants, algae and bacteria

Chlorophyll is any of several related green pigments found in cyanobacteria and in the chloroplasts of algae and plants. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρός, khloros and φύλλον, phyllon ("leaf"). Chlorophyll allow plants to absorb energy from light.

Chlorophyll <i>a</i> Chemical compound

Chlorophyll a is a specific form of chlorophyll used in oxygenic photosynthesis. It absorbs most energy from wavelengths of violet-blue and orange-red light, and it is a poor absorber of green and near-green portions of the spectrum. Chlorophyll does not reflect light but chlorophyll-containing tissues appear green because green light is diffusively reflected by structures like cell walls. This photosynthetic pigment is essential for photosynthesis in eukaryotes, cyanobacteria and prochlorophytes because of its role as primary electron donor in the electron transport chain. Chlorophyll a also transfers resonance energy in the antenna complex, ending in the reaction center where specific chlorophylls P680 and P700 are located.

Chlorophyll <i>b</i> Chemical compound

Chlorophyll b is a form of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll b helps in photosynthesis by absorbing light energy. It is more soluble than chlorophyll a in polar solvents because of its carbonyl group. Its color is green, and it primarily absorbs blue light.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnesium protoporphyrin IX methyltransferase</span>

In enzymology, a magnesium protoporphyrin IX methyltransferase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Divinyl chlorophyllide a 8-vinyl-reductase</span> Class of enzymes

In enzymology, divinyl chlorophyllide a 8-vinyl-reductase (EC 1.3.1.75) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protochlorophyllide reductase</span>

In enzymology, protochlorophyllide reductases (POR) are enzymes that catalyze the conversion from protochlorophyllide to chlorophyllide a. They are oxidoreductases participating in the biosynthetic pathway to chlorophylls.

In enzymology, a trans-2-enoyl-CoA reductase (NADPH) (EC 1.3.1.38) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

A glutamyl-tRNA reductase (EC 1.2.1.70) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnesium chelatase</span> Enzyme

Magnesium-chelatase is a three-component enzyme (EC 6.6.1.1) that catalyses the insertion of Mg2+ into protoporphyrin IX. This is the first unique step in the synthesis of chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll. As a result, it is thought that Mg-chelatase has an important role in channeling intermediates into the (bacterio)chlorophyll branch in response to conditions suitable for photosynthetic growth:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protochlorophyllide</span> Chemical compound

Protochlorophyllide, or monovinyl protochlorophyllide, is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of chlorophyll a. It lacks the phytol side-chain of chlorophyll and the reduced pyrrole in ring D. Protochlorophyllide is highly fluorescent; mutants that accumulate it glow red if irradiated with blue light. In angiosperms, the later steps which convert protochlorophyllide to chlorophyll are light-dependent, and such plants are pale (chlorotic) if grown in the darkness. Gymnosperms, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria have another, light-independent enzyme and grow green in the darkness as well.

Chlorophyll(ide) b reductase (EC 1.1.1.294), chlorophyll b reductase, Chl b reductase) is an enzyme with systematic name 71-hydroxychlorophyllide-a:NAD(P)+ oxidoreductase. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

Methylecgonone reductase (EC 1.1.1.334, MecgoR (gene name)) is an enzyme with systematic name ecgonine methyl ester:NADP+ oxidoreductase. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate reductase (EC 1.3.1.83, geranylgeranyl reductase, CHL P) is an enzyme with systematic name geranylgeranyl-diphosphate:NADP+ oxidoreductase. This enzyme catalises the following chemical reaction

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlorophyllide-a oxygenase</span> Class of enzymes

Chlorophyllide-a oxygenase (EC 1.14.13.122), chlorophyllide a oxygenase, chlorophyll-b synthase, CAO) is an enzyme with systematic name chlorophyllide-a:oxygen 7-oxidoreductase. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reactions

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnesium-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester (oxidative) cyclase</span> Class of enzymes

Magnesium-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester (oxidative) cyclase, is an enzyme with systematic name magnesium-protoporphyrin-IX 13-monomethyl ester, ferredoxin:oxygen oxidoreductase (hydroxylating). In plants this enzyme catalyses the following overall chemical reaction

Epi-isozizaene 5-monooxygenase (EC 1.14.13.106, CYP170A1) is an enzyme with systematic name (+)-epi-isozizaene,NADPH:oxygen oxidoreductase (5-hydroxylating). This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

Spheroidene monooxygenase (EC 1.14.15.9, CrtA, acyclic carotenoid 2-ketolase, spirilloxantin monooxygenase, 2-oxo-spirilloxanthin monooxygenase) is an enzyme with systematic name spheroidene, reduced-ferredoxin:oxygen oxidoreductase (spheroiden-2-one-forming). This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

7-Hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a reductase (EC 1.17.7.2, HCAR) is an enzyme with systematic name 71-hydroxychlorophyll a:ferredoxin oxidoreductase. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

Adrenodoxin-NADP+ reductase (EC 1.18.1.6, adrenodoxin reductase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-adrenodoxin reductase, ADR, NADPH:adrenal ferredoxin oxidoreductase) is an enzyme with systematic name adrendoxin:NADP+ oxidoreductase. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlorophyllide a reductase</span> Enzyme

Chlorophyllide a reductase (EC 1.3.7.15), also known as COR, is an enzyme with systematic name bacteriochlorophyllide-a:ferredoxin 7,8-oxidoreductase. It catalyses the following chemical reaction

References

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