Chlorophyll Catabolism in Higher Plants
Summary
Chlorophyll catabolism in higher plants is a highly regulated biochemical pathway that safeguards cells during senescence, fruit ripening and environmental stress. The process begins with the demetallation of chlorophyll a to form pheophytin a, followed by dephytylation to yield pheophorbide a. A dedicated oxygenase cleaves the macrocycle of pheophorbide a, generating a red chlorophyll catabolite (RCC), which is then reduced to a primary fluorescent catabolite (pFCC). Subsequent enzymatic transformations give rise to a diverse family of phyllobilins, including nonfluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (NCCs), 1-formyl-19-oxobilins and 1,19-dioxobilins. These linear tetrapyrroles accumulate in vacuoles and senescent tissues, where they serve a detoxification role by quenching photoexcitable intermediates and preventing oxidative damage. Beyond detoxification, phyllobilins are implicated in the striking autumnal hues of deciduous leaves and the modulation of plant–microbe interactions. Recent advances have revealed that phyllobilins may also possess biological activities of interest for agriculture, horticulture and human nutrition, underscoring the global significance of chlorophyll turnover.
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Chlorophyll Catabolism in Higher Plants publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in chlorophyll catabolism in higher plants across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Chlorophyll a: The principal green pigment in photosynthesis, containing a central magnesium ion.
Pheophorbide a oxygenase: A monooxygenase enzyme that cleaves the porphyrin ring of pheophorbide a, initiating macrocycle opening.
Red chlorophyll catabolite (RCC): A coloured intermediate formed immediately after macrocycle cleavage of pheophorbide a.
Phyllobilins: Linear tetrapyrrolic catabolites of chlorophyll, including fluorescent and nonfluorescent derivatives.
Nonfluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (NCCs): Colourless end-products of chlorophyll degradation that accumulate in senescent tissues.
References
- Copper(II)-Assisted Degradation of Pheophytin a by Reactive Oxygen Species. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
- Phyllobilins – the abundant bilin-type tetrapyrrolic catabolites of the green plant pigment chlorophyll. Chemical Society Reviews (2014).
- Breakdown of Chlorophyll in Higher Plants—Phyllobilins as Abundant, Yet Hardly Visible Signs of Ripening, Senescence, and Cell Death. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2016).
- The Key Step in Chlorophyll Breakdown in Higher Plants CLEAVAGE OF PHEOPHORBIDE aMACROCYCLE BY A MONOOXYGENASE*. Journal of Biological Chemistry (1998).
- Phylloxanthobilins are Abundant Linear Tetrapyrroles from Chlorophyll Breakdown with Activities Against Cancer Cells. European Journal of Organic Chemistry (2020).
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