Preparation and properties of chlorophyll and water soluble macro molecular complexes in water stabilization of chlorophyll aggregates in the water soluble macro molecule
Inamura, I.; Ochiai, H.; Toki, K.; Watanabe, S.; Hikino, S.; Araki, T.
Photochemistry and Photobiology 38(1): 37-44
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-8655
Accession: 006171918
As an artificial model compound of the chlorophyll[Chl, from spinach]-protein complex in vivo, the Chl/water-soluble macromolecular complexes were prepared by using synthetic linear polymers of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and a natural polymer of bovine serum albumin (BSA). By the method described here, it is possible to prepare an aqueous Chl-macromolecular complex solution of a desired Chl aggregate, such as: Chl a(670), Chl a(740) and Chl b; and with a desired relative content and concentration. These procedures for preparing such complexes will have wide applicability for technical use in Chl studies. For example, extremely diluted aqueous complex solutions of at least 1 .times. 10-4% wt Chl a(670 or 740)-macromolecular complex/wt can be obtained without changing the spectral features. From viscosity measurements, the structures of the complexes were inferred: for a linear macromolecular (PVA or PVP) complex, a Chl species is tightly surrounded by a chain of the polymer causing shrinkage of the chain; globular BSA molecules surround Chl species to form a large complex. The mechanism of stabilization of Chl aggregates in thylakoid membrane is discussed concerning an analogy to the complexes studied.