beta-carotene and chlorophyll-b

A. hypochondriacus leaves contained ample phytopigments including betalain, anthocyanin, β-xanthin, β-cyanin, and bioactive phytochemicals of interest in the industry of food. We have been evaluating the possibility of utilizing phytopigments of amaranth and bioactive constituents for making drinks. Therefore, we evaluated bioactive phytopigments and compounds including the potentiality of antioxidants in A. hypochondriacus leaves. A. hypochondriacus leaves have abundant protein, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. We found considerable levels of inorganic minerals including magnesium, calcium, potassium (3.88, 3.01, 8.56 mg g

Topics: Amaranthus; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; beta Carotene; Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Dietary Fiber; Flavonoids; Free Radical Scavengers; Minerals; Nutrients; Phytochemicals; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Vitamins

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) var. Garnet Stem was harvested from Texas and New Jersey for identification, quantification of phytochemicals, measurement of free radical scavenging activity, and bile acid binding capacity. The red midrib and petioles were extracted with methanol or ethanol and with or without water in combination with four different acids such as formic, hydrochloric, acetic, and citric acid. LC-ESI-HR-QTOF-MS was used to identify four anthocyanins including cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-(6-malonyl)-glucoside (A-1), cyanidin-3-(6-malonyl)-glucoside (A-2), and peonidin-3-(malonyl)-glucoside for the 1st time. In New Jersey samples, vitamin C and β-carotene were highest in the leaf blades versus whole leaf and petioles. Samples from Texas had highest amount of lutein, violaxanthin, and chlorophyll a and b in leaf blades versus whole leaf and petioles. Maximum DPPH free scavenging activity was found in MeOH: water: acid (80:19:1) and the combination of FA with EtOH: water: acid (80:19:1) demonstrated the higher level of total phenolic. Among six bile acids, sodium chenodeoxycholate was bound maximum in both Texas and New Jersey samples. This is the first report of anthocyanin identification from the midvein and petiole of Garnet Stem dandelion and results suggested that the phytochemicals and nutrients are highest in the leaf but may vary the amount depending on harvest location.. Four anthocyanins in the red midrib and petioles of Garnet Stem could be a potential source for antioxidants and can be used as a source of natural food color.

Topics: Anthocyanins; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; beta Carotene; Bile Acids and Salts; Chenodeoxycholic Acid; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Glucosides; Lutein; New Jersey; Phytochemicals; Plant Leaves; Plant Stems; Taraxacum; Texas; Xanthophylls

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are progressive neurodegenerative diseases that affect the neurons in the brain and the spinal cord. Neuroinflamation and apoptosis are key players in the progressive damage of the neurons in AD and ALS. Currently, there is no drug to offer complete cure for both these diseases. Riluzole is the only available drug that can prolong the life time of the ALS patients for nearly 3 months. Molecules that offer good HIT to the molecular targets of ALS will help to treat AD and ALS patients. P53 kinase receptor (4AT3), EphA4 (3CKH) and histone deacetylase (3SFF) are the promising disease targets of AD and ALS. This paper discusses on a new approach to combat neurodegenerative diseases using photosynthetic pigments. The docking studies were performed with the Autodock Vina algorithm to predict the binding of the natural pigments such as β carotene, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, phycoerythrin and phycocyanin on these targets. The β carotene, phycoerythrin and phycocyanin had higher binding energies indicating the antagonistic activity to the disease targets. These pigments serve as a potential therapeutic molecule to treat neuroinflammation and apoptosis in the AD and ALS patients.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; beta Carotene; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Histone Deacetylases; Humans; Models, Molecular; Phycocyanin; Phycoerythrin; Protein Conformation; Receptor, EphA4

A quantitative method based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QqQ-MS) has been established for five pigments in marine phytoplanktons. The HPLC method used ternary solvent systems and a reversed-phase C16-amide column. In addition, methanol, acetonitrile and aqueous ammonium acetate were used as mobile phases. Five pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, β, β-carotene, lutein and fucoxanthin) were quantified in selective reaction mode. As results, good linear relationships were achieved between the concentrations and the peak areas of the five pigment standards. And their correlation coefficients (r2) were higher than 0.996. The recoveries of the pigment standards were between 82.77% and 99.83%. The inter-day and intra-day precisions were lower than 5% (n = 5). The detection limits of the pigments for this method were between 0.02 and 0.16 μg/L and the quantification limits were in the range from 0.06 to 0.54 μg/L. According to the above method, eleven algae (Heterosigma akashiwo (NMBRah03-2), Heterosigma akashiwo (NMBRah03-2-2), Karlodinium veneficum (NMBjah047-1), Prorocentrum minimum ( NMBjah042), Nannochloropsis oceanic (NMBluh014), Chlorella pyrenoidosa (NMBluh015-1), Pleurochrysis sp. (NMBjih026-1), Prymnesium sp. (NMBjih029), Skeletonema costatum (NMBguh004-1), Thalassiosira weiss- flogii (NMBguh021) and Thalassiosira pseudonana) (NMBguh005)) have been investigated for comparing the pigment distributions. The method is sensitive, accurate, reproducible, and useful for the study of alga compositions.

Topics: beta Carotene; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Lutein; Phytoplankton; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Xanthophylls

Consumption of pulse crops, including field pea, is considered effective for a healthy diet. Hulls (seed coats) play an important role for protection of the cotyledon and embryo, but also as mediating positive effects on health outcomes. The biochemical attributes of field pea hulls were thus assessed to determine the occurrence of specific phytochemicals and their genotypic variability.. Sequestered bioproducts in mature hulls predominantly consisted of trans-lutein and chlorophylls a and b. Trace amounts of other carotenoid and pheophytin metabolites were identified. In developing hulls, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, chlorophylls a and b and β-carotene were detected. Genotypic differences in the accumulation of lutein and chlorophylls a and b were observed over years and locations. Polyphenolics and hydroxybenzoic acids were detected in the 'dun' and 'maple' field pea types-the only genotypes to have pigmented hulls. Unextractable patches of condensed tannin influenced the visual uniformity of the maple and dun genotypes, CDC Rocket and CDC Dundurn.. Within the yellow and green market classes, carotenoid and chlorophyll accumulation was consistent. Green cotyledon varieties sequestered higher concentrations of lutein than the yellow cotyledon varieties. Maple and dun types were more variable, reflective of different selection criteria. The occurrence of flavonoid-related compounds was correlated only with pigmented seed coat genotypes. The dietary potential of the chlorophylls and carotenoids that accumulated in the hulls split from the green and yellow field pea types is discussed as a value-added prospect in food supplements.

Topics: beta Carotene; Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Flavonoids; Genotype; Hydroxybenzoates; Lutein; Pisum sativum; Polyphenols; Seeds; Species Specificity; Xanthines

The present work aimed to study the physiological effects of cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) in pea (Pisum sativum). Pea plants were exposed to increasing doses of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and copper chloride (CuCl2) for 20 d. The examined parameters, namely root and shoot lengths, the concentration of photosynthetic pigments and the rate of photosynthesis were affected by the treatments especially with high metals concentrations. The analysis of heavy metals accumulation shows that leaves significantly accumulate cadmium for all the tested concentrations. However, copper was significantly accumulated only with the highest tested dose. This may explain the higher inhibitory effects of cadmium on photosynthesis and growth in pea plants. These results are valuable for understanding the biological consequences of heavy metals contamination particularly in soils devoted to organic agriculture.

Topics: beta Carotene; Cadmium Chloride; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Copper; Photosynthesis; Pisum sativum; Plant Leaves; Soil Pollutants

The saline pond microalga, Dunaliella salina (Dunal) Teod. maintained in De Walne's (basal) medium under laboratory conditions was confirmed by amplifying the chromosomal DNA of the microalga by PCR with specific primers MA1 and MA2. Seaweed extracts obtained from Sargassum wightii and Ulva lactuca were amended separately at 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5% levels to the basal medium in order to assess their potential on the growth and concentration of pigments, viz. Chl a, Chl b and beta-carotene of the alga. beta-Carotene was isolated and visible absorption spectrum was taken at 443 and 475 nm confirmed the presence of 9-cis-beta-carotene and all-trans-beta-carotene isomers. Maximum yield, highest division rate (mu) and highest pigment concentrations were observed in the cells grown in 1.5% S. wightii and 2.0% U. lactuca amended medium and these cells were subjected to DAPI staining. The results of epifluorescence microscopy and image analysis revealed a significant enhancement of the cell and nuclear area of the microalgae.

Topics: beta Carotene; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chlorophyta; DNA; India; Industrial Microbiology; Microscopy, Confocal; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Plant Extracts; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Seaweed; Water Microbiology

Changes in photosynthetic pigment and protein contents, growth and the spectral characteristics in Chlorella vulgaris in response to selenium stress were investigated. Carotenoids (beta-carotene and xanthophylls) and chlorophyll (Chl a and Chl b) contents in cells exposed to Se 50 mg/L increased primarily and decreased afterwards, while photosynthetic pigments in cells exposed to Se 800 mg/L decreased significantly. Chlorophyll (Chl) absorption peak at 693 nm and prominent Chl emission peak at 700 nm, weakened significantly after Se stress. The excitation spectra showed a decrease in excitation energy transfer efficiency in Se-stressed cells. Total soluble protein decreased after Se stress. The changes in total Se, Mg(2+), Ca(2+), K(+) and Na(+) concentrations in culture medium and cells were also determined by ICP-AES.

Topics: beta Carotene; Calcium; Carotenoids; Chlorella vulgaris; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Magnesium; Potassium; Selenium; Sodium; Xanthophylls

Land plants change the compositions of light-harvesting complexes (LHC) and chlorophyll (Chl) a/b ratios in response to the variable light environments which they encounter. In this study, we attempted to determine the mechanism which regulates Chl a/b ratios and whether the changes in Chl a/b ratios are essential in regulation of LHC accumulation during light acclimation. We hypothesized that changes in the mRNA levels for chlorophyll a oxygenase (CAO) involved in Chl b biosynthesis are an essential part of light response of Chl a/b ratios and LHC accumulation. We also examined the light-intensity dependent response of CAO-overexpression and wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana plants. When wild-type plants were acclimated from low-light (LL) to high-light (HL) conditions, CAO mRNA levels decreased and the Chl a/b ratio increased. In transgenic plants overexpressing CAO, the Chl a/b ratio remained low under HL conditions; thereby suggesting that changes in the CAO mRNA levels are necessary for those in Chl a/b ratios upon light acclimation. Under HL conditions, the accumulation of Lhcb1, Lhcb3 and Lhcb6 was enhanced in plants overexpressing CAO. On the contrary, in a CAO-deficient mutant, chlorina 1-1, theaccumulation of Lhcb1, Lhcb2, Lhcb3, Lhcb6 and Lhca4 was reduced. In comparison to wild-type, beta-carotene levels were reduced in CAO-overexpressing plants, while they were elevated in chlorina 1-1 mutants. These results imply that the transcriptional control of CAO is a part of the regulatory mechanism for the accumulation of a distinct set of LHC proteins upon light acclimation.

Topics: Acclimatization; Arabidopsis; beta Carotene; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Light; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Oxygenases; Plants, Genetically Modified; RNA, Messenger; Time Factors

Three plant xanthophylls are components of the xanthophyll cycle in which, upon exposure of leaves to high light, the enzyme violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) transforms violaxanthin into zeaxanthin via the intermediate antheraxanthin. Previous work () showed that xanthophylls are bound to Lhc proteins and that substitution of violaxanthin with zeaxanthin induces conformational changes and fluorescence quenching by thermal dissipation. We have analyzed the efficiency of different Lhc proteins to exchange violaxanthin with zeaxanthin both in vivo and in vitro. Light stress of Zea mays leaves activates VDE, and the newly formed zeaxanthin is found primarily in CP26 and CP24, whereas other Lhc proteins show a lower exchange capacity. The de-epoxidation system has been reconstituted in vitro by using recombinant Lhc proteins, recombinant VDE, and monogalactosyl diacylglycerol (MGDG) to determine the intrinsic capacity for violaxanthin-to-zeaxanthin exchange of individual Lhc gene products. Again, CP26 was the most efficient in xanthophyll exchange. Biochemical and spectroscopic analysis of individual Lhc proteins after de-epoxidation in vitro showed that xanthophyll exchange occurs at the L2-binding site. Xanthophyll exchange depends on low pH, implying that access to the binding site is controlled by a conformational change via lumenal pH. These findings suggest that the xanthophyll cycle participates in a signal transduction system acting in the modulation of light harvesting versus thermal dissipation in the antenna system of higher plants.

Topics: beta Carotene; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Epoxide Hydrolases; Glycerides; Light; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Oxidation-Reduction; Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; Plant Leaves; Plastids; Spectrophotometry; Xanthophylls; Zea mays

Under high-light conditions, photoprotective mechanisms minimize the damaging effects of excess light. A primary photoprotective mechanism is thermal dissipation of excess excitation energy within the light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHCII). Although roles for both carotenoids and specific polypeptides in thermal dissipation have been reported, neither the site nor the mechanism of this process has been defined precisely. Here, we describe the physiological and molecular characteristics of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii npq5 mutant, a strain that exhibits little thermal dissipation. This strain is normal for state transition, high light-induced violaxanthin deepoxidation, and low light growth, but it is more sensitive to photoinhibition than the wild type. Furthermore, both pigment data and measurements of photosynthesis suggest that the photosystem II antenna in the npq5 mutant has one-third fewer light-harvesting trimers than do wild-type cells. The npq5 mutant is null for a gene designated Lhcbm1, which encodes a light-harvesting polypeptide present in the trimers of the photosystem II antennae. Based on sequence data, the Lhcbm1 gene is 1 of 10 genes that encode the major LHCII polypeptides in Chlamydomonas. Amino acid alignments demonstrate that these predicted polypeptides display a high degree of sequence identity but maintain specific differences in their N-terminal regions. Both physiological and molecular characterization of the npq5 mutant suggest that most thermal dissipation within LHCII of Chlamydomonas is dependent on the peripherally associated trimeric LHC polypeptides.

Topics: Algal Proteins; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; beta Carotene; Carotenoids; Chlamydomonas; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Fluorescence; Light; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutation; Organisms, Genetically Modified; Oxygen; Photosynthesis; Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; Photosystem II Protein Complex; Pigments, Biological; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Temperature; Xanthophylls

The effects of low growth temperature (15 degrees C) on the photosynthetic apparatus of maize were investigated in a set of 233 recombinant inbred lines by means of chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange measurements and analysis of photosynthetic pigments. A quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of five traits related to the functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus revealed a total of eight genomic regions that were significantly involved in the expression of the target traits. Four of these QTLs, located on chromosomes 1 (around 146 cM), 2 (around 138 cM), 3 (around 70 cM), and 9 (around 62 cM), were identified across several traits and the phenotypic correlation observed among those traits confirmed at the genetic level. The two QTLs on chromosomes 1 and 9 were also expressed in leaves developed at near-optimal temperature (25 degrees C) whilst the two QTLs on chromosomes 2 and 3 were specific to leaves developed at sub-optimal temperature. A QTL analysis conducted on traits related to the pigment composition of the leaves developed at 15 degrees C detected the QTL on chromosome 3 around 70 cM in 7 of the 11 traits analysed. This QTL accounted for up to 28% of the phenotypic variance of the quantum yield of electron transport at PSII in the fourth leaf after about 3 weeks at a sub-optimal temperature. The results presented here suggest that key gene(s) involved in the development of functional chloroplasts of maize at low temperature should be located on chromosome 3, close to the centromere.

Topics: Adaptation, Physiological; beta Carotene; Carbon Dioxide; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chloroplasts; Chromosome Mapping; Cold Temperature; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Photosynthesis; Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; Pigments, Biological; Plant Leaves; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; Quantitative Trait, Heritable; Xanthophylls; Zea mays; Zeaxanthins

Aging has received considerable attention in biomedicine, but little is known about the regulatory mechanisms responsible for the aging not associated with senescence in plants. This study provides new insights into the relationship between oxidative stress and plant aging, and points out chloroplasts as one of the target organelles of age-associated oxidative stress in plants. We simultaneously analyzed lipid oxidation, photosynthesis, chlorophyll content, de-epoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle, and levels of chloroplastic antioxidant defenses such as beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol in leaves of the same age in 1-, 3- and 7-year-old Cistus clusii Dunal plants growing under Mediterranean field conditions. Enhanced formation of malondialdehyde in leaves (2.7-fold) and chloroplasts (2.8-fold), decreased photosynthetic activity (25%), and lower chlorophyll (ca. 20%) and chloroplastic antioxidant defense levels (ca. 25%-85%) were observed in 7-year-old plants, when compared with 1- and 3-year-old plants. The differences observed, which were associated with plant aging, were only noticeable in mature nonsenescing plants (7-year-old plants). No differences were observed between pre-reproductive (1-year-old plants) and young plants (3-year-old plants). This study shows that from a certain age, oxidative stress increases progressively in chloroplasts as plants age, whereas photosynthesis is reduced. The results indicate that the oxidative stress associated with the aging in plants accumulates progressively in chloroplasts, and that the contribution of oxidative stress to aging increases as plants age.

Topics: alpha-Tocopherol; Antioxidants; beta Carotene; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chloroplasts; Cistus; Lipid Peroxidation; Oxidative Stress; Photosynthesis; Pigments, Biological; Plant Leaves; Reactive Oxygen Species; Time Factors; Xanthophylls

Guard cells of the orchid genus, Paphiopedilum have been reported to lack developed chloroplasts and detectable chlorophyll a autofluorescence. Paphiopedilum stomata lack a photosynthesis-dependent opening response but have a blue light-specific opening. The present study found that low fluence rate green and red light elicited stomatal opening in Paphiopedilum and this opening was reversed by far red light, indicating the presence of a phytochrome-mediated opening response. Phytochrome-dependent, red light-stimulated opening was largest under low fluence rates and decreased to near zero as fluence rate increased. A recently discovered green light reversibility of blue light-specific stomatal opening was used to probe the properties of the blue light response in Paphiopedilum stomata. Blue light-stimulated opening was completely reversed by green light in the presence of far red light. Red light enhanced the blue light response of Paphiopedilum guard cells when given as a pretreatment or together with blue light. Analysis of guard cell pigments showed that guard cells have small amounts of chlorophyll a and b, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin and lutein. Zeaxanthin content increased in response to blue light or ascorbate and declined in the dark or under illumination in the presence of dithiothreitol, indicating the presence of an active xanthophyll cycle. Thus Paphiopedilum stomata possess both a blue light-mediated opening response with characteristics similar to species with normal chloroplast development and a novel phytochrome-mediated opening response.

Topics: Adaptation, Physiological; Ascorbic Acid; beta Carotene; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Dithiothreitol; Light; Lutein; Orchidaceae; Photosynthesis; Phytochrome; Pigments, Biological; Plant Epidermis; Xanthophylls; Zeaxanthins

Light-harvesting complexes (LHC) of higher plants are composed of at least 10 different proteins. Despite their pronounced amino acid sequence homology, the LHC of photosystem II show differences in pigment binding that are interpreted in terms of partly different functions. By contrast, there is only scarce knowledge about the pigment composition of LHC of photosystem I, and consequently no concept of potentially different functions of the various LHCI exists. For better insight into this issue, we isolated native LHCI-730 and LHCI-680. Pigment analyses revealed that LHCI-730 binds more chlorophyll and violaxanthin than LHCI-680. For the first time all LHCI complexes are now available in their recombinant form; their analysis allowed further dissection of pigment binding by individual LHCI proteins and analysis of pigment requirements for LHCI formation. By these different approaches a correlation between the requirement of a single chlorophyll species for LHC formation and the chlorophyll a/b ratio of LHCs could be detected, and indications regarding occupation of carotenoid-binding sites were obtained. Additionally the reconstitution approach allowed assignment of spectral features observed in native LHCI-680 to its components Lhca2 and Lhca3. It is suggested that excitation energy migrates from chlorophyll(s) fluorescing at 680 (Lhca3) via those fluorescing at 686/702 nm (Lhca2) or 720 nm (Lhca3) to the photosystem I core chlorophylls.

Topics: beta Carotene; Binding Sites; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; Photosystem I Protein Complex; Photosystem II Protein Complex; Pigments, Biological; Plant Leaves; Solanum lycopersicum; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Xanthophylls

The steady state absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic properties of the xanthophylls, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein, and the efficiencies of singlet energy transfer from the individual xanthophylls to chlorophyll have been investigated in recombinant CP26 protein overexpressed in Escherichia coli and then refolded in vitro with purified pigments. Also, the effect of the different xanthophylls on the extents of static and dynamic quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence has been investigated. Absorption, fluorescence, and fluorescence excitation demonstrate that the efficiency of light harvesting from the xanthophylls to chlorophyll a is relatively high and insensitive to the particular xanthophyll that is present. A small effect of the different xanthophylls is observed on the extent of quenching of Chl fluorescence. The data provide the precise wavelengths of the absorption and fluorescence features of the bound pigments in the highly congested spectral profiles from these light-harvesting complexes. This information is important in assessing the mechanisms by which higher plants dissipate excess energy in light-harvesting proteins.

Topics: beta Carotene; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Energy Transfer; Escherichia coli; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Lutein; Photochemistry; Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; Photosystem II Protein Complex; Pigments, Biological; Recombinant Proteins; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Spinacia oleracea; Xanthophylls; Zeaxanthins

Antioxidant activity of green tea extract or tea-derived polyphenols has been extensively studied. However, antioxidant activity in the non-polyphenolic fraction of green tea has been poorly analyzed. In the present study, we analyzed the antioxidant activity of the non-polyphenolic fraction of the residual green tea (Camellia sinensis) after hot water extraction using the aluminum chloride method. The non-polyphenolic fraction of residual green tea caused a significant suppression against hydroperoxide generation from oxidized linoleic acid in a dose-dependent manner. When the concentrate of the non-polyphenolic fraction was applied to a silica gel TLC plate and developed, six color spots were observed, which were considered to be chlorophylls a and b, pheophytins a and b, carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lutein according to their specific colors, Rf values of silica gel TLC and spectrophotometric properties. Among these pigments, pheophytins a and b showed relatively abundant amounts, and the second major group of the pigment was chlorophylls a and b, and carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein indicated lower concentrations. Although all these pigments exhibited significant antioxidant activities, the ranks of suppressive activity against hydroperoxide generation were chlorophyll a > lutein > pheophytin a > chlorophyll b > beta-carotene > pheophytin b. These results suggest that the non-polyphenolic fraction of residual green tea has a potent suppressive activity against hydroperoxide generation from oxidized linoleic acid, which is derived from the antioxidant activities of chlorophylls a and b, pheophytins a and b, beta-carotene and lutein. This finding also implies that the combined intake of polyphenols in water-soluble fraction and antioxidative pigments in the non-polyphenolic fraction of green tea will be more efficient to prevent life style-related chronic diseases.

Topics: Acetone; Antioxidants; beta Carotene; Camellia sinensis; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Hot Temperature; Lipid Peroxides; Lutein; Pheophytins; Pigments, Biological; Tea; Water

The major light-harvesting complex of photosystem II can be reconstituted in vitro from its bacterially expressed apoprotein with chlorophylls a and b and neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, or zeaxanthin as the only xanthophyll. Reconstitution of these one-carotenoid complexes requires low-stringency conditions during complex formation and isolation. Neoxanthin complexes (containing 30-50% of the all-trans isomer) disintegrate during electrophoresis, exhibit a largely reduced resistance against proteolytic attack; in addition, energy transfer from Chl b to Chl a is easily disrupted at elevated temperature. Complexes reconstituted in the presence of either zeaxanthin or lutein contain nearly two xanthophylls per 12 chlorophylls and are more resistant against trypsin. Lutein-LHCIIb also exhibits an intermediate maintenance of energy transfer at higher temperature. Violaxanthin complexes approach a xanthophyll/12 chlorophyll ratio of 3, similar to the ratio in recombinant LHCIIb containing all xanthophylls. On the other hand, violaxanthin-LHCIIb exhibits a low thermal stability like neoxanthin complexes, but an intermediate accessibility towards trypsin, similar to lutein-LHCIIb and zeaxanthin-LHCIIb. Binary competition experiments were performed with two xanthophylls at varying ratios in the reconstitution. Analysis of the xanthophyll contents in the reconstitution products yielded information about relative carotenoid affinities of three assumed binding sites. In lutein/neoxanthin competition experiments, two binding sites showed a strong preference (> 200-fold) for lutein, whereas the third binding site had a higher affinity (25-fold) to neoxanthin. Competition between lutein and violaxanthin gave a similar result, although the specificities were lower: two binding sites have a 36-fold preference for lutein and one has a fivefold preference for violaxanthin. The lowest selectivity was between lutein and zeaxanthin: two binding sites had a fivefold higher affinity for lutein and one has a threefold higher affinity to zeaxanthin.

Topics: Apoproteins; beta Carotene; Binding Sites; Binding, Competitive; Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Energy Transfer; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Lutein; Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; Photosystem II Protein Complex; Pigments, Biological; Plant Proteins; Plants; Protein Precursors; Substrate Specificity; Trypsin; Xanthophylls; Zeaxanthins

Excess light energy absorbed by the chloroplast membranes of green plants is dissipated by nonradiative de-excitation in order to protect against photodamage. This is observed as the nonphotochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence, which has been suggested to result from an alteration in the structure and function of the chlorophyll a/b light-harvesting complexes of photosystem II (LHCII) due to the combined effects of protonation and the de-epoxidation of bound violaxanthin to form zeaxanthin. In agreement with this hypothesis, it is shown that the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b proteins purified from spinach leaves exhibit pH-stimulated quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence; this quenching shares all the key features observed for the nonphotochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence in vivo. In the case of the two minor complexes, LHCIIa (CP29) and LHCIIc (CP26), quenching is much greater than in the bulk complex LHCIIb and is strongly inhibited by the reagent dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. The carotenoids violaxanthin and zeaxanthin cause strong inhibition and stimulation of quenching, respectively, in these complexes. The results of this study are consistent with the suggestion that the minor light-harvesting complexes play a crucial role in photoprotective energy dissipation in the photosynthetic membrane of green plants. Moreover, for the first time, a system using isolated LHCIIa and LHCIIc for the study of the regulation of light harvesting is described.

Topics: beta Carotene; Carotenoids; Carrier Proteins; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Fluorescence; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Photosynthesis; Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; Photosystem II Protein Complex; Plants; Xanthophylls

Several compounds, occurring in food, were tested for antimutagenic activity towards cigarette-smoke condensate (CSC) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). Antimutagenicity was determined in the Salmonella/microsome test, with tester strain TA98, in the presence of rat-liver homogenate. Dose-response curves did show reduction of CSC- and BaP-induced mutagenicity by ellagic acid, riboflavin and chlorophyllin. Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, although less distinct, also inhibited CSC- and BaP-induced mutagenicity. Ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, tocopherol acetate, chlorogenic acid and butyl hydroxyanisole did not have any influence on the mutagenicity of CSC and BaP. The similarity in results for cigarette-smoke condensate and for BaP indicates that a general mechanism may be involved in the inhibition of CSC- and BaP-induced mutagenicity.

Topics: Animals; Anisoles; Ascorbic Acid; Benzo(a)pyrene; Benzopyrans; beta Carotene; Butylated Hydroxyanisole; Carotenoids; Chlorogenic Acid; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chlorophyllides; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Ellagic Acid; Male; Mutagenicity Tests; Mutation; Nicotiana; Plants, Toxic; Rats; Riboflavin; Salmonella typhimurium; Smoke; Vitamin E; Vitamins