title: Terminal steps of bacteriochlorophyll a phytol formation in purple photosynthetic bacteria.
abstract: Four chemically different bacteriochlorophylls (Bchls) a esterified with geranylgeraniol, dihydrogeranylgeraniol, tetrahydrogeranylgeraniol, and phytol have been detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography in cell extracts from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides and Chromatium vinosum. Bchl a containing phytol is the principal component, and the other three Bchls a comprise about 4% of the total Bchls a in stationary-phase cells of R. sphaeroides and C. vinosum. The high levels of the minor pigments occur in the beginning of Bchl a phytol formation, indicating that they are not degradation products, but intermediates of Bchl a phytol formation.
mesh_terms: D001429:Bacteriochlorophylls / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D002844:Chromatium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004951:Esterification; D010836:Phytol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012242:Rhodobacter sphaeroides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001429:Bacteriochlorophylls; D004224:Diterpenes; D002734:Chlorophyll; D010836:Phytol; C017338:geranylgeraniol