Pheophytin

As phaeophytins (also phaeophytins or Pheophytine ) refers to chlorophyll molecules in which the central magnesium ion is missing. Corresponding BChl without magnesium ion is called accordingly Bakteriophäophytine. Phaeophytins (or Bakteriophäophytine ) are abbreviated differently in the literature as either " Phe ( o) " (or " BPHEs ( o) " ) or with the Greek letter Phi ( " Φ ").

Phaeophytins play an important role in photosynthesis. They are responsible for the electron transfer in the reaction center of photosystem II ( PS II). Also Bakteriophäophytine involved as electron donors in anoxygenic photosynthesis in green non- sulfur bacteria and purple bacteria. Thus, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, a purple bacterium, in its reaction center two Bakteriophäophytine a

The word component Phaeo - is derived from Greek φαιός phaiós: "dark".

Representation

From chlorophylls can be represented phaeophytins by acting weak acid.

If one splits the Phytolteil from pheophytin a, one obtains a so-called pheophorbide.