New Chlorophyll Chromophores Isolated From a Chlorophyll-Deficient Mutant of Maize

The isolation of new, spectroscopically distinct chlorophyll a and b chromophores from a chlorophyll-deficient mutant (ON 8147) of Zea mays L. is reported. The room temperature absorption spectra of the purified chlorophylls and their prepared demetalated (i.e. pheophytin) derivatives exhibit clear, red-shifted Soret absorption maxima compared to the chlorophylls and their pheophytin derivatives purified from wild-type maize leaves. In ether at 298 K, the Soret absorption peaks of chlorophyll a and b from the mutant are at 436 nm and 462 nm respectively compared to 428 nm and 452 nm in wild-type maize. The Soret absorption peaks of pheophytin a and b from the mutant are at 417 nm and 440 nm respectively compared to 408 nm and 433 nm in wild-type maize. The mutant and wild-type chromophores differ also in their chromatographic mobility on cellulose thin layers. Based on the Soret absorption (A) maxima in ether at 298 K, the mutant chlorophylls and their pheophytin derivatives are designated as (chlorophyll A 436 ), (chlorophyll b 1 A 462 ), (pheophytin ai A 417 ) and (pheophytin b 1 A 440 ).