The role of chlorophyllase and light in the decomposition of chlorophyll from marine phytoplankton |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Instituto de Geociências da Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Adhemar de Barros, s/n, 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil;2. Laboratório de Engenharia e Exploração de Petróleo, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Rodovia Amaral Peixoto km 163, Av. Brennand s/n, 27925-535, Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;3. Ecopetrol S. A, Centro de Innovación y Tecnología- ICP, Consejo Editorial CT&F, Kilómetro 7 vía Bucaramanga, Piedecuesta, Santander 681011, Colombia;4. Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura- CENA, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Av. Centenário 303, São Dimas, 13400-970 Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil;1. Organic Geochemistry Unit, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock''s Close BS8 1TS, UK;2. Polish Geological Institute, Rakowiecka 4, 00-975 Warszawa, Poland;3. Cabot Institute, University of Bristol, Cantock''s Close, Bristol BS8 1UJ, UK;4. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK;5. Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425 Jülich, Germany;6. Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK;7. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK |
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| Abstract: | In a study of the biochemical aspects of the decomposition of chlorophyll, measurement of the activity of the enzyme chlorophyllase in marine phytoplankton was attempted in vitro by observing the conversion of chlorophyll to chlorophyllide. Our experiments indicate that in darkness and at room temperatures any enzymatic activity, if present, is immeasurable by the techniques employed.As a consequence, we have considered the photo-bleaching of chlorophyll as a possible means of decomposition. This has been identified as a photo-oxidation and the decomposition of the pigment is extremely rapid. Our experiments show that a similar photo-oxidation exists in fractured cells and degraded pigments found in the feces of marine herbivores. Although the rate of photo-bleaching is slower in vivo than in vitro, we postulate that this is a principle mechanism for pigment decomposition. |
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