Lecture-13

Topic: Photoreceptors and their

role in plants (Part-II)

Instructor Name: Dr. Zahra Noreen

Course Title: Plant Physiology-I
Course Code: BOTN3119 1
Phycobilins
• Phycobilins are straight-chain or open-chain tetrapyrrole pigment molecules
present in the eukaryotic red algae and the prokaryotic cyanobacteria (Figure
6.9). The prefix, phyco, designates pigments of algal origin.
• Four phycobilins are known. Three of these are involved in photosynthesis and
the fourth, phytochromobilin, is an important photoreceptor that regulates
various aspects of growth and development.
• The three photosynthetic phycobilins are phycoerythrin (also known as
phycoerythrobilin), phycocyanin (phycocyanobilin), and allophycocyanin
(allophycocyanobilin).
• In addition to the open-chain tetrapyrrole, the phycobilin pigments differ from
chlorophyll in that the tetrapyrrole group is covalently linked with a protein
that forms a part of the molecule.
• In the cell, phycobiliproteins are organized into large macromolecular
complexes called phycobilisomes.

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Absorption spectra of phycocyanin
(solid line) and phycoerythrin
(broken line) in dilute buffer.
Compare with the absorption
spectra of chlorophyll (Figure 6.8).
Note that the phycobilins,
phycoerythrin in particular, absorb
strongly in the 500–600 nm range
where chlorophyll absorption is
minimal.

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• With the exception of phytochromobilin, phycobilin pigments are not
found in higher plants but occur exclusively in the cyanobacteria and the
red algae (Rhodophyta) where they assume a light-harvesting function
in photosynthesis.
• Phycobilins, and in particular phycoerythrin, are useful as light
harvesters for photosynthesis because they absorb light energy in the
green region of the visible spectrum where chlorophyll does not absorb
(Figure 6.10).
• The red algae, for example, appear almost black because the chlorophyll
and phycoerythrin together absorb almost all of the visible radiation for
use in photosynthesis (compare Figure 6.10 with Figure 6.8).
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Phycoerythrin (Phycoerythrobilins)
• They are water soluble as they lack phytol chain
• Absorbs light in the range of 500-650 nm

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Phycocyanin (Phycocyanobilin)
Absorbs light in the range of 620-642 nm

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 Allophycocyanin
• APC is a turquoise-blue coloured protein of molecular weight 110
kDa, containing 6 chromophore prosthetic groups. Absorption
maximum is 650nm, and emission maximum is 660nm. APC is
excitable by the 633 nm helium-neon laser.

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Jin-Yu Liu et al. J. Biol. Chem. 1999;274:16945-16952
Phytochrome
• The fourth phycobiliprotein, of particular significance to higher plants, is
phytochrome, a receptor that plays an important role in many
photomorphogenic phenomena.
• Its chromophore structure and absorption spectrum are similar to that
of allophycocyanin. Phytochrome (literally, plant pigment) is unique
because it exists in two forms that are photoreversible.
• The form P660 (or Pr) absorbs maximally at 660 nm. However,
absorption of 660 nm light converts the pigment to a second, far-red-
absorbing form P735 (or Pfr). Absorption of far-red light by Pfr converts
it back to the red-absorbing form.
• Pfr is believed to be an active form of the pigment that is capable of
initiating a wide range of morphogenetic responses.
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 Phytochrome
• The phytochrome chromophore is usually phytochromobilin, and is closely
related to phycocyanobilin (the chromophore of the phycobiliproteins and to
the bile pigment bilirubin).
• Protein-bound phycocyanobilin in the presumed Z, Z, Z conformation, with the
C-ring nitrogen protonated. Pr-Pfr photo-transformation involves isomerisation
of the double bond linking the C- and D-rings. Pfr (trans) Pr (cis)

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CAROTENOIDS
• Carotenoids comprise a family of orange and yellow pigments present in
most photosynthetic organisms. Found in large quantity in roots of
carrot and tomato fruit, carotenoid pigments are also prominent in
green leaves. In the fall of the year, the chlorophyll pigments are
degraded and the more stable carotenoid pigments account for the
brilliant orange and yellow colors so characteristic of autumn foliage
• Carotenoid pigments are C40 terpenoids biosynthetically derived from
the isoprenoid pathway.
• Because the carotenoids are predominantly hydrocarbons, they are lipid
soluble and found either in the chloroplast membranes or in specialized
plastids called chromoplasts. The concentration of pigment in
chromoplasts may reach very high levels, to the extent that the pigment
actually forms crystals.

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• The carotenoid family of pigments includes carotenes and xanthophylls (Figure 6.11).
• Carotenes are predominantly orange or red-orange pigments. β-carotene is the major
carotenoid in algae and higher plants. Note that in β-carotene and α-carotene (a minor form),
both ends of the molecule are cyclized. Other forms, such as γ -carotene, found in the green
photosynthetic bacteria, have only one end cyclized. Lycopene, the principal pigment of
tomato fruit, has both ends open.
• The yellow carotenoids, xanthophylls, are oxygenated carotenes. Lutein and zeaxanthin, for
example, are hydroxylated forms of α-carotene and β-carotene, respectively. Like chlorophyll,
β-carotene in the chloroplast is complexed with protein. β-carotene, which absorbs strongly in
the blue region of the visible spectrum (Figure), is known to quench both the triplet excited
chlorophyll as well as the highly reactive singlet excited oxygen, which can be generated by
the reaction of triplet chlorophyll with ground state oxygen. Thus, β-carotene protects
chlorophyll from photooxidation.
• Carotenoids are found in all photosynthetic organisms. Carotenoids are integral constituents
of the thylakoid membrane and are usually associated intimately with both antenna and
reaction center pigment proteins. The light absorbed by the carotenoids is transferred to
chlorophyll for photosynthesis; because of this role they are called accessory pigments.

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The chemical structures of representative carotenes and xanthophylls. The principal distinction between the two is 13that
xanthophylls contain oxygen and carotenes do not. Carotenes are generally orange while xanthophylls are yellow.
Absorption spectra of α-carotene (solid line) and β-carotene (broken line).
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