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Central-Cis isomers of lutein found in the major light-harvesting complex of Photosystem II (LHC IIb) of higher plants

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Abstract

Lutein (β,∈-carotene-3,3′-diol) is the major carotenoid of the light-harvesting systems of higher plants. Lutein was isolated at 4°C and in complete darkness from the bulk light-harvesting complex of Photosystem II of spinach (LHC IIb) and from BBY particles. Separation using normal-phase HPLC (with 2D detection) in comparison to the authentic isomers (prepared by iodine-sensitised isomerization) showed the presence of a number of geometrical isomers of this xanthophyll in PS II, namely all-trans (the major component); 13-cis, 13′-cis and 15-cis-lutein. Iodine-sensitised photo-isomerization of all-trans lutein produced six geometrical isomers of lutein as determined by HPLC. The configuration of five of these isomers was determined by 1H-NMR to be all-trans, 9-cis, 9′-cis, 13-cis and 13′-cis. In addition, small amounts of another isomer have been tentatively identified to be 15-cis lutein on the basis of its electronic absorption spectrum. The possible functional significance of the presence of cis-isomers of this carotenoid in LHC IIb is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science, Kwansei Gakuin University, Uegahara, Nishinomiya, 662, Japan

    Grazyna E. Bialek-Bylka, Yoko Sakano, Tadashi Mizoguchi & Yasushi Koyama

  2. Institute of Physics, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965, Poznan, Poland

    Grazyna E. Bialek-Bylka

  3. Matsushita Techno-Research Inc., Yagumo-Nakamachi, Osaka, 570, Japan

    Toshio Shimamura

  4. School of Biological & Earth Sciences, John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK

    Denise Phillip & Andrew J. Young

Authors
  1. Grazyna E. Bialek-Bylka
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  2. Yoko Sakano
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  3. Tadashi Mizoguchi
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  4. Toshio Shimamura
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  5. Denise Phillip
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  6. Yasushi Koyama
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  7. Andrew J. Young
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Bialek-Bylka, G.E., Sakano, Y., Mizoguchi, T. et al. Central-Cis isomers of lutein found in the major light-harvesting complex of Photosystem II (LHC IIb) of higher plants. Photosynthesis Research 56, 255–264 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006090210001

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