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The 17‐Propionate Function of (Bacterio)chlorophylls: Biological Implication of Their Long Esterifying Chains in Photosynthetic Systems †

2006; Wiley; Volume: 83; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1562/2006-02-27-ir-819

1751-1097

Hitoshi Tamiaki, Reiko Shibata, Tadashi Mizoguchi,

Photoreceptor and optogenetics research

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.