The Chl a Carboxylic Biosynthetic Routes: Conversion of Chlide a to Chl a - Chlorophyll Biosynthesis and Technological Applications - page 260

have observed that within 10 s the nascent DV Chlide a is rapidly esterified to DV
Chl a . In the ensuing 30 s a decrease in DV Chl a is accompanied by a stochiometric
rise in MV Chl a (Adra and Rebeiz 1998 ). Recently this reaction has also been
reported in rice (Wang et al. 2010 ). The nature of the long chain fatty acid (LCFA)
of the nascent DV Chl a at position 7 of the macrocycle is unknown. This route is
also most probably functional in DDV-LDV-LDDV plants growing under
photoperiodic conditions, at the onset of illumination, during the first few dark
cycles of the photoperiod when t-LW-Pchlide a accumulation is substantial
(Cohen et al. 1977 ; Cohen and Rebeiz 1978 ).

10.1.5.2 Biosynthesis of DV Chlorophyll via Route 1 in the Nec 7 Corn

Mutant and in Picoplankton of the Euphotic Zone of the World
Tropical and Temperate Oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea

a

The major fate of DV Chlide a resides in its conversion to MV Chlide a and MV
Chl a (vide supra). However under certain circumstances, DV Chlide a is massively
converted to DV Chl a by esterification. For example in the Nec 7 corn mutant
(Bazzaz 1981 ), the major fate of DV Chlide a is its conversion to DV Chl a (Rebeiz
et al. 1983 , 2003 ). So is the case in the prochlorophyte picoplankton of the sub-
tropical waters of the North Atlantic as well as in the picoplankton of the euphotic
zone of the world tropical and temperate oceans, and the Mediterranean sea, where
DV Chl a and b are the predominant Chl species (Chisholm et al. 1988 , 1992 ;
Goerike and Repeta 1992 ; Veldhuis and Kraay 1990 ). The nature of the LCFA at
position 7 of the macrocycle and the details of esterification are unknown.

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