The Esterification of Chlorophyllide a in Greening Bean Leaves

Abstract

Abstract The accumulation of esterfied chlorophyll a (Chl a) in etiolated bean leaves was determined during a dark period of 60 minutes after 1 minute irradiation with white light. The separation of the pigments esterified with geranylgeraniol (GG), dihydrogeranylgeraniol (DHGG), tetrahydrogeranylgeraniol (THGG) and phytol (P) was performed by HPLC. The last step for chlorophyll a biosynthesis is confirmed to be an esterification of chlorophyllide a to ChlGG followed by a stepwise hydrogenation of the pigment-bounded alcohols to ChlDHGG and ChlTHGG and finally to Chl a.