Publications

• Cytochrome P450 CYP89A9 is involved in the formation of major chlorophyll catabolites during leaf senescence in Arabidopsis.

  Christ B., Suessenbacher I., Moser S., Bichsel N., Egert A., Mueller T., Kraeutler B., Hoertensteiner S.

  Nonfluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (NCCs) were described as products of chlorophyll breakdown in Arabidopsis thaliana. NCCs are formyloxobilin-type catabolites derived from chlorophyll by oxygenolytic opening of the chlorin macrocycle. These linear tetrapyrroles are generated from their fluore ... >> More

  Nonfluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (NCCs) were described as products of chlorophyll breakdown in Arabidopsis thaliana. NCCs are formyloxobilin-type catabolites derived from chlorophyll by oxygenolytic opening of the chlorin macrocycle. These linear tetrapyrroles are generated from their fluorescent chlorophyll catabolite (FCC) precursors by a nonenzymatic isomerization inside the vacuole of senescing cells. Here, we identified a group of distinct dioxobilin-type chlorophyll catabolites (DCCs) as the major breakdown products in wild-type Arabidopsis, representing more than 90% of the chlorophyll of green leaves. The molecular constitution of the most abundant nonfluorescent DCC (NDCC), At-NDCC-1, was determined. We further identified cytochrome P450 monooxygenase CYP89A9 as being responsible for NDCC accumulation in wild-type Arabidopsis; cyp89a9 mutants that are deficient in CYP89A9 function were devoid of NDCCs but accumulated proportionally higher amounts of NCCs. CYP89A9 localized outside the chloroplasts, implying that FCCs occurring in the cytosol might be its natural substrate. Using recombinant CYP89A9, we confirm FCC specificity and show that fluorescent DCCs are the products of the CYP89A9 reaction. Fluorescent DCCs, formed by this enzyme, isomerize to the respective NDCCs in weakly acidic medium, as found in vacuoles. We conclude that CYP89A9 is involved in the formation of dioxobilin-type catabolites of chlorophyll in Arabidopsis. << Less

  Plant Cell 25:1868-1880(2013) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• MES16, a member of the methylesterase protein family, specifically demethylates fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites during chlorophyll breakdown in Arabidopsis.

  Christ B., Schelbert S., Aubry S., Suessenbacher I., Mueller T., Kraeutler B., Hoertensteiner S.

  During leaf senescence, chlorophyll (Chl) is broken down to nonfluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (NCCs). These arise from intermediary fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (FCCs) by an acid-catalyzed isomerization inside the vacuole. The chemical structures of NCCs from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis t ... >> More

  During leaf senescence, chlorophyll (Chl) is broken down to nonfluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (NCCs). These arise from intermediary fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (FCCs) by an acid-catalyzed isomerization inside the vacuole. The chemical structures of NCCs from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) indicate the presence of an enzyme activity that demethylates the C13(2)-carboxymethyl group present at the isocyclic ring of Chl. Here, we identified this activity as methylesterase family member 16 (MES16; At4g16690). During senescence, mes16 leaves exhibited a strong ultraviolet-excitable fluorescence, which resulted from large amounts of different FCCs accumulating in the mutants. As confirmed by mass spectrometry, these FCCs had an intact carboxymethyl group, which slowed down their isomerization to respective NCCs. Like a homologous protein cloned from radish (Raphanus sativus) and named pheophorbidase, MES16 catalyzed the demethylation of pheophorbide, an early intermediate of Chl breakdown, in vitro, but MES16 also demethylated an FCC. To determine the in vivo substrate of MES16, we analyzed pheophorbide a oxygenase1 (pao1), which is deficient in pheophorbide catabolism and accumulates pheophorbide in the chloroplast, and a mes16pao1 double mutant. In the pao1 background, we additionally mistargeted MES16 to the chloroplast. Normally, MES16 localizes to the cytosol, as shown by analysis of a MES16-green fluorescent protein fusion. Analysis of the accumulating pigments in these lines revealed that pheophorbide is only accessible for demethylation when MES16 is targeted to the chloroplast. Together, these data demonstrate that MES16 is an integral component of Chl breakdown in Arabidopsis and specifically demethylates Chl catabolites at the level of FCCs in the cytosol. << Less

  Plant Physiol. 158:628-641(2012) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]