An unexpectedly branched biosynthetic pathway for bacteriochlorophyll b capable of absorbing near-infrared light
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: Chlorophyllous pigments are essential for photosynthesis. Bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) b has the characteristic C8-ethylidene group and therefore is the sole naturally occurring pigment having an absorption maximum at near-infrared light wavelength. Here we report that chlorophyllide a oxidoreductase (COR), a nitrogenase-like enzyme, showed distinct substrate recognition and catalytic reaction between BChl a- and b-producing proteobacteria. COR from BChl b-producing Blastochloris viridis synthesized the C8-ethylidene group from 8-vinyl-chlorophyllide a. In contrast, despite the highly conserved primary structures, COR from BChl a-producing Rhodobacter capsulatus catalyzes the C8-vinyl reduction as well as the previously known reaction of the C7 = C8 double bond reduction on 8-vinyl-chlorophyllide a. The present data indicate that the plasticity of the nitrogenase-like enzyme caused the branched pathways of BChls a and b biosynthesis, ultimately leading to ecologically different niches of BChl a- and b-based photosynthesis differentiated by more than 150 nm wavelength.
Source: Scientific Reports
DOI: 10.1038/srep01217
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
Awards: Bioinorganic Chemistry of Oxidoreductases having Unique Active Site Clusters, Analysis of a putative plant photoreceptor, LLP, G1661643697, Elucidation of thioredoxin mediated redox-regulation of nitrogenase activity in photosynthetic organisms, G1812686518, Dark-operative protochlorophyllide reductase and nitrogenase: common mechanism for reduction of stable multiple-bonds, G3434054357, The mechanism of construction and cyclization of tetrapyrrole in the heme biosynthetic pathway, 光依存型酵素の構造改変による新規光反応への機能変換, G5343238355, G5376472182, A variety of glycolipids in green photosynthetic bacteria: cyclopropane-ring formation in the acyl groups of glycolipids is crucial for acid and thermal resistance of antenna systems, Development of photoacitve supramolecular nano-devices based on natural photosynthesis, Mechanism for the signal transduction of CO-gas generated by heme oxygenase together with other proteins in the heme metabolism
OpenAlex ID: W2043913735