title: Breakdown of thylakoid pigments by soluble proteins of developing chloroplasts.
abstract: In the presence of Triton X-100 (TX-100) or imazalil, plastidic pigments were degraded by a soluble enzyme extracted from developing chloroplasts. This bleaching was not photochemical and required oxygen; it was not inhibited by superoxide dismutase or catalase, but was strongly inhibited by benzoquinone, quinol, phenazine methosulphate and, more weakly, by other reagents. Synthetic intermediates of chlorophyll biosynthesis, e.g. Mg(II)-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester, was also degraded. This reaction was compared with the bleaching catalysed by soybean (Glycine max) lipoxygenase. The plastidic system required TX-100 and was inhibited by unsaturated fatty acids, whereas lipoxygenase required a polyunsaturated fatty acid and was inhibited by TX-100. The bleaching capability of the stromal extract decreased with age if the seedlings were placed in the greenhouse to allow further development of the chloroplasts. A direct relationship was observed between the promotion of pigment bleaching by TX-100 and the inhibition of the in vitro synthesis of divinylprotochlorophyllide. This bleaching reaction is discussed on the basis of interference by TX-100 with the normal O2-requiring anabolic processes of developing chloroplasts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of California, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Whyte
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Castelfranco
mesh_terms: D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D003902:Detergents; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D008084:Lipoxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D017830:Octoxynol; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003902:Detergents; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D002734:Chlorophyll; C033434:protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D017830:Octoxynol; D008084:Lipoxygenase