Completion of biosynthetic pathways for bacteriochlorophyll g in Heliobacterium modesticaldum: The C8-ethylidene group formation

•A biosynthetic pathway to form the C8-ethylidene group for bacteriochlorophyll g was revealed.•All the gene products for bacteriochlorophyll g biosynthesis were therefore assigned.•The finding led to two possible branching pathways for biosynthesis of 81-hydroxy-chlorophyll a in heliobacteria.

Heliobacteria have the simplest photosynthetic apparatus, i.e., a type-I reaction center lacking a peripheral light-harvesting complex. Bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) g molecules are bound to the reaction center complex and work both as special-pair and antenna pigments. The C8-ethylidene group formation for BChl g is the last missing link in biosynthetic pathways for bacterial special-pair pigments, which include BChls a and b as well. Here, we report that chlorophyllide a oxidoreductase (COR) of Heliobacterium modesticaldum catalyzes the C8-ethylidene formation from 8-vinyl-chlorophyllide a, producing bacteriochlorophyllide g, the direct precursor for BChl g without the farnesyl tail. The finding led to plausible biosynthetic pathways for 81-hydroxy-chlorophyll a, a primary electron acceptor from the special pair in heliobacterial reaction centers. Proposed catalytic mechanisms on hydrogenation reaction of the ethylidene synthase-type CORs are also discussed.