Chlorophyll metabolism in higher plants. VII. Chlorophyll degradation in senescing tobacco leaves; phenolic-dependent peroxidative degradation

Abstract

Not only solubilized chlorophyll but also membrane (thylakoid) and protein (light-harvesting chlorophyll–protein complex) bound chlorophyll of tobacco plants was bleached by a phenolic–peroxidase–H 2 O 2 system. The bleaching rate of thylakoid membranes in old leaves was higher than in young leaves. A similar phenomenon was observed in thylakoid membranes prepared from aged leaves. Peroxidase activity, peroxide content, and total phenolic content were high in senescent tobacco leaves. The defence mechanism against peroxidative chlorophyll degradation was less active in senescent leaves than in young leaves. These results suggest that deterioration of the subcellular environment induced by senescence accelerates chlorophyll bleaching by a peroxidase-catalyzed reaction.