title: The 17-propionate function of (bacterio)chlorophylls: biological implication of their long esterifying chains in photosynthetic systems.
abstract: Molecular structures of (bacterio)chlorophylls [= (B)Chls] in photosynthetic apparatus are surveyed, and a diversity of the ester groups of the 17-propionate substituent is particularly focused on in this review. In oxygenic photosynthetic species including green plants and algae, the ester of Chl molecules is limited to a phytyl group. Geranylgeranyl and farnesyl groups in addition to phytyl are observed in (B)Chl molecules inside photosynthetic proteins of anoxygenic bacteria. In main light-harvesting antennas of green bacteria (chlorosomes), a greater variety of ester groups including long straight chains are used in the composite BChl molecules. This diversity is ascribable to the fact that chlorosomal BChls self-aggregate to form a core part of chlorosomes without any specific interaction of oligopeptides. Biological significance of the long chains is discussed in photosynthetic apparatus, especially in chlorosomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Japan. tamiaki@se.ritsumei.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamiaki
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizoguchi
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D020130:Bacterial Chromatophores / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001429:Bacteriochlorophylls / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000378:metabolism; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D011422:Propionates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001429:Bacteriochlorophylls; D004952:Esters; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; D011422:Propionates; D010100:Oxygen