Biosynthesis Of Tetrapyrroles

Excluding the biological polymers proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, modified tetrapyrroles are the biological molecules that have had the greatest impact on the evolution of life over the past 4 billion years. They are involved in a wide variety of fundamental processes that underpin central primary metabolism in all kingdoms of life, from photosynthesis to methanogenesis. Moreover, they bring colour into the world and it is for this reason that these compounds have been appropriately dubbed the ‘pigments of life’. To understand how and why these molecules have been so universally integrated into the life processes one has to appreciate the chemical properties of the tetrapyrrole scaffold and, where appropriate, the chemical characteristics of the centrally chelated metal ion. This book addresses why these molecules are employed in Nature, how they are made and what happens to them after they have finished their usefulness.

The study of the structure and function of tetrapyrrolic compounds has excited the interests of organic chemists, biochemists, botanists and biologists for more than a hundred years. Scientific analysis began with the first descriptions of naturally occurring porphyrins, and progress was made towards understanding the structure of chlorophyll. This was followed by the use of newly available isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to investigate the formation of porphyrins in biological systems. Further discoveries led to the elucidation of the atoms in protoporphyrin IX, made possible by the application of physical methods, such as NMR spectroscopy and recombinant DNA technology. The present volume discusses many more exciting and unexpected developments which have been made in the field over the last ten to fifteen years. While not all questions have yet been answered, the forum is set for a great scope of further research in the study of tetrapyrroles. • Of interest to biochemists, organic chemists and plant scientists • The book focusses on the exciting and unexpected developments in the field of tetrapyrolles over the last ten years • It paves the way for future research in this area

Prestigious contributors summarize current knowledge regarding the biosynthesis of tetrapyrrole pigments--chlorophyll, haem, vitamin B12. Describes the structure and regulation of key enzymes along with various pathways, molecular genetic studies and structural characterization of the natural biosynthetic intermediates.

Metabolism, Structure and Function of Plant Tetrapyrroles, Volume 90, the latest release in the Advances in Botanical Research series is a compilation of the current state-of-the-art on the topic. Chapters in this new release cover Tetrapyrrole Pigments of Photosynthetic Antennae and Reaction Centers of Higher Plants: Biochemistry, Biophysics, Functions, Molecular Mechanism of Antenna Regulation, Applications, Chlorophyll c: Synthesis, Occurrence, Light-Harvesting, Absorbance, Excitation Properties, Pigment Organization in Chlorophyll-Binding Proteins (FCP), Chlorophyll d and f: Synthesis, Occurrence, Light-harvesting, Absorbance, Excitation Properties, Pigment Organization in Chlorophyll-Binding Protein Complexes, Analysis of Chlorophyll, Precursors and Derivatives by New High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, and much more. Presents the latest release in the Advances in Botanical Research series Provides an Ideal resource for post-graduates and researchers in the plant sciences, including botany, plant biochemistry, plant pathology and plant physiology Contains contributions from internationally recognized authorities in their respective fields

Metabolism, Structure and Function of Plant Tetrapyrroles, Volume 91, the latest release in the Advances in Botanical Research series is a compilation of the current state-of-the-art on the topic. Chapters in this new release cover Tetrapyrrole Pigments of Photosynthetic Antennae and Reaction Centers of Higher Plants: Biochemistry, Biophysics, Functions, Molecular Mechanism of Antenna Regulation, Applications, Chlorophyll c: Synthesis, Occurrence, Light-Harvesting, Absorbance, Excitation Properties, Pigment Organization in Chlorophyll-Binding Proteins (FCP), Chlorophyll d and f: Synthesis, Occurrence, Light-harvesting, Absorbance, Excitation Properties, Pigment Organization in Chlorophyll-Binding Protein Complexes, Analysis of Chlorophyll, Precursors and Derivatives by New High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, and much more. Presents the latest release in the Advances in Botanical Research series Provides an Ideal resource for post-graduates and researchers in the plant sciences, including botany, plant biochemistry, plant pathology and plant physiology Contains contributions from internationally recognized authorities in their respective fields

The Proceedings of the 14th International Congress on Photosynthesis is a record of the most recent advances and emerging themes in the discipline. This volume contains over 350 contributions from some 800 participants attending the meeting in Glasgow, UK in July 2007. These range from summary overview presentations from plenary speakers to expanded content of posters presented by students and their supervisors featuring the most recent achievements in photosynthesis research. In the words of Professor Eva-Mari Aro, President of the international Society of Photosynthesis Research 2004-7, “Having been taken for granted for centuries, research in photosynthesis has now become a matter of utmost importance for the future of planet Earth...Major initiatives are underway that will use research into natural and artificial photosynthesis for sustainable energy production....”. These volumes thus provide a glimpse of the future, from the molecule to the biosphere