The red chlorophyll catabolite reductase (RCC reductase) family of proteins consists of several reductase enzymes. They act together with pheophorbide a oxygenase to catalyse the cleavage of pheophorbide a to give stereoisomers of a compound which is the primary chlorophyll breakdown product as plants senesce.
Function Pheophorbide is a product of chlorophyll breakdown and a derivative of pheophytin where both the central magnesium ion has been removed and the phytol tail has been hydrolyzed.
Red chlorophyll catabolite reductase acts while the product of pheophorbide a oxygenase (red chlorophyll catabolite) is still held within that protein. The oxygenase is a Rieske protein containing an iron–sulfur cluster that requires reduced ferredoxin to function. The reductase also requires ferredoxin.
The fluorescent product can exist in two diastereomeric forms. All plants in a given genera produce a single isomer.
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