Phototransformation of monovinyl and divinyl protochlorophyllide by NADPH:Protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase of barley expressed in Escherichia coli

The chlorophyll precursors monovinyl protochlorophyllide (MV-PChlide) and divinyl protochlorophyllide (DV-PChlide) were extracted from mutant C-2A' of the unicellular green alga Scenedesmus obliquus which accumulates both protochlorophyllide derivatives in the dark. The two pigments were characterized by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy and by plasma desorption mass spectrometry. The molecular masses of MV-PChlide and DV-PChlide were determined as 612 and 610 atomic mass units (amu) respectively. Both MV-PChlide and DV-PChlide were accepted as substrates and photoconverted to chlorophyllides in vitro by NADPH:protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase of barley expressed in Escherichia coli.