The Light Induced Protochlorophyll–Chlorophyll a‐Transformation and the Succeeding Interconversions of the Different Forms of Chlorophyll

Curve resolution into Gaussian components of the absorption spectra during the varying stages of the Shibata shift in dark grown, irradiated leaves of barley indicates that the chlorophyll a forms formed after irradiation consist of the same main components which have been reported to be present in all hitherto investigated plant materials (peak values in the red region 662, 670, 677 and 683 nm, respectively) but in varying proportions. The spectra during the Shibata shift proper can be satisfied by a mixture of two single components gradually changing their proportions, although a four component system gives a still better fit to the measured absorption curves. It is also shown that curves taken before and after the shift and added together in the appropriate proportions will match the absorption spectrum measured with peak at the isosbestic point (after ca. 15 min at room temperature).