Chloroplast biogenesis. Identification of chlorophyllide a (E458f674) as a divinyl chlorophyllide a.

The chemical identification of chlorophyllide (E458F674) (Belanger, F. C., and Rebeiz, C. A. (1980) Plant Sci. Lett. 18, 343-350) has been confirmed by chemical derivatization coupled to spectrofluorometric, spectrophotometric, and chromatographic analysis. Chlorophyllide (E458F674) and its demetallated analog were converted by catalytic hydrogenation into mesochlorophyllide a and mesopheophorbide a. Furthermore, methyl chlorophyllide (E458F674) was converted by partial hydrogenation into a mixture of monovinyl chlorophyllide a isomers and the latter into mesochlorophyllide a by further hydrogenation. On the other hand, chemical oxidation of methyl chlorophyllide (E458F674) converted it into methyl divinyl protochlorophyllide. Chlorophyllide (E458F674) was detected in several plant species and is proposed to be an important intermediate of the chlorophyll a biosynthetic pathway.