Pheophytin or phaeophytin is a chemical compound that serves as the first electron carrier intermediate in the electron transfer pathway of Photosystem II (PS II) in plants, and the type II photosynthetic reaction center (RC P870) found in purple bacteria. In both PS II and RC P870, light drives electrons from the reaction center through pheophytin, which then passes the electrons to a quinone (QA) in RC P870 and RC P680. The overall mechanisms, roles, and purposes of the pheophytin molecules in the two transport chains are analogous to each other.
HINT:
Phaeophytin in the context of Bacteriochlorophyll
Bacteriochlorophylls (BChl) are photosynthetic pigments that occur in various phototrophic bacteria. They were discovered by C. B. van Niel in 1932. They are related to chlorophylls, which are the primary pigments in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Organisms that contain bacteriochlorophyll conduct photosynthesis to sustain their energy requirements, but the process is anoxygenic and does not produce oxygen as a byproduct. They use wavelengths of light not absorbed by plants or cyanobacteria. Replacement of Mg with protons gives bacteriophaeophytin (BPh), the phaeophytin form.
- Structures of major bacteriochlorophylls
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bacteriochlorophyll a -
bacteriochlorophyll b -
bacteriochlorophyll c -
bacteriochlorophyll d -
bacteriochlorophyll e -
bacteriochlorophyll f -
bacteriochlorophyll g
