Reaction: chlorophyllide a + H2O = 8-ethyl-12-methyl-3-vinyl-bacteriochlorophyllide d + methanol + CO2
For diagram of reaction click here.
Other name(s): bciC (gene name)
Systematic name: chlorophyllide-a hydrolase
Comments: This enzyme, found in green sulfur bacteria (Chlorobiaceae) and green flimentous bacteria (Chloroflexaceae), catalyses the first committed step in the biosynthesis of bacteriochlorophylls c, d and e, the removal of the C-132-methylcarboxyl group from chlorophyllide a. The reaction is very similar to the conversion of pheophorbide a to pyropheophorbide a during chlorophyll a degradation, which is catalysed by EC 3.1.1.82, pheophorbidase.
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, MetaCyc, CAS registry number:
References:
1. Liu, Z. and Bryant, D.A. Identification of a gene essential for the first committed step in the biosynthesis of bacteriochlorophyll c. J. Biol. Chem. 286 (2011) 22393-22402. [PMID: 21550979]