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. 1970 Oct;46(4):543–549. doi: 10.1104/pp.46.4.543

Porphyrin Biosynthesis in Cell-free Homogenates from Higher Plants 1

Constantin A Rebeiz a,2, Mounir Abou Haidar a, Moustapha Yaghi a, Paul A Castelfranco b
PMCID: PMC396633  PMID: 16657503

Abstract

The porphyrin and phorbin biosynthetic activity of etiolated cucumber (Cucumis sativus, L.) cotyledons was compared to that of cotyledonary homogenates. Etiolated cotyledons incubated with δ-aminolevulinic acid accumulate protoporphyrin, coproporphyrin, small amounts of Mg protoporphyrin monoester, and trace amounts of uroporphyrin. They also incorporate 4-14C-δ-aminolevulinic acid into free porphyrins, protochlorophyllide, protochlorophyllide phytyl ester, and Mg protoporphyrin monoester. Homogenates incubated with δ-aminolevulinic acid likewise accumulate coproporphyrin, uroporphyrin, Mg coproporphyrin, and trace amounts of protoporphyrin. They also incorporate 4-14C-δ-aminolevulinic acid into Mg protoporphyrin monoester, Mg coproporphyrin, and free porphyrins. However, the capacity to synthesize protochlorophyllide and protochlorophyllide phytyl ester is lost and the endogenous protochlorophylls gradually disappear. Mg protoporphyrin monoester represents the terminal biosynthetic step in this cell-free system.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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