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. 1981 Sep;68(3):567–570. doi: 10.1104/pp.68.3.567

Changes in Chlorophyll a and b Content in Dark-Incubated Cotyledons Excised from Illuminated Seedlings

THE EFFECT OF CALCIUM

Ayumi Tanaka 1, Hideo Tsuji 1
PMCID: PMC425940  PMID: 16661958

Abstract

Cucumber seedlings were illuminated for various time periods, cotyledons excised, placed in the dark, and changes in chlorophyll a and b content monitored. During the dark periods, chlorophyll b content decreased while chlorophyll a did not. When the illumination time was lengthened, the percentage of chlorophyll b decomposition from initial levels decreased. Ca2+ at 50 millimolar prevented the decrease in chlorophyll b and caused a decrease in chlorophyll a. The effect of Ca2+ decreased with increased illumination time. Cycloheximide and chloramphenicol inhibited chlorophyll b decrease, but did not induce chlorophyll a decrease.

When Ca2+ was applied to cotyledons, excised from 4 hour illuminated seedlings and preincubated with water in the dark until chlorophyll b content had decreased to a low level, chlorophyll b began to accumulate in the dark. Cycloheximide and chloramphenicol had no such effect. Ca2+ also induced an accumulation of chlorophyll b in cotyledons excised from seedlings treated with periodic light (2 minutes light followed by 98 minutes dark) during dark incubation. Our results indicate that there is unstable chlorophyll present in the early phase of greening, and that Ca2+ induces chlorophyll b synthesis from chlorophyll a in the dark.

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Selected References

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

  1. KUPKE D. W., HUNTINGTON J. L. Chlorophyll a appearance in the dark in higher plants: analytical notes. Science. 1963 Apr 5;140(3562):49–51. doi: 10.1126/science.140.3562.49. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
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