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Xanthophyll cycle

The xanthophyll cycle

The xanthophyll cycle involves the enzymatic removal of epoxy groups from xanthophylls
(e.g. violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, diadinoxanthin) to create so-called de-epoxidised
xanthophylls (e.g. diatoxanthin, zeaxanthin). These enzymatic cycles were found to play a
key role in stimulating energy dissipation within light-harvesting antenna proteins by non-
photochemical quenching- a mechanism to reduce the amount of energy that reaches the
photosynthetic reaction centers. Non-photochemical quenching is one of the main ways of
protecting against photoinhibition.[1] In higher plants there are three carotenoid pigments
that are active in the xanthophyll cycle: violaxanthin, antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin.
During light stress violaxanthin is converted to zeaxanthin via the intermediate
antheraxanthin, which plays a direct photoprotective role acting as a lipid-protective anti-
oxidant and by stimulating non-photochemical quenching within light-harvesting proteins.
This conversion of violaxanthin to zeaxanthin is done by the enzyme violaxanthin de-
epoxidase, while the reverse reaction is performed by zeaxanthin epoxidase[2]

In diatoms and dinoflagellates the xanthophyll cycle consists of the pigment


diadinoxanthin, which is transformed into diatoxanthin (diatoms) or dinoxanthin
(dinoflagellates), at high light. [3]

Wright et al. (Feb 2011) found that, "The increase in zeaxanthin appears to surpass the
decrease in violaxanthin in spinach" and commented that the discrepancy could be
explained by "a synthesis of zeaxanthin from beta-carotene", however they noted further
study is required to explore this hypothesis

El ciclo de la xantofila consiste en la eliminacin enzimtica de grupos epoxi de


xantofilas (por ejemplo, violaxantina, anteraxantina, diadinoxanthin) para crear
los llamados de-epoxidados xantofilas (por ejemplo, diatoxanthin, zeaxantina).
Estos ciclos enzimticos se han encontrado a desempear un papel clave en la
disipacin de la energa estimulante dentro de las protenas de la antena
captadores de luz por los no-fotoqumica-un mecanismo para reducir la
cantidad de energa que llega a los centros de reaccin fotosinttica. No
fotoqumica es una de las principales formas de protegerse contra la
fotoinhibicin [1] En las plantas superiores hay tres pigmentos carotenoides
que estn activas en el ciclo de la xantofila. Violaxantina, anteraxantina y
zeaxantina. Durante el estrs la luz violaxantina se convierte a travs de la
zeaxantina anteraxantina intermedio, el cual juega un papel directo
fotoprotector acta como un lpido-proteccin anti-oxidante y mediante la
estimulacin de la no-fotoqumica dentro de las protenas captadores de luz.
Esta conversin de violaxantina a zeaxantina se realiza por la enzima
violaxantina de-epoxidasa, mientras que la reaccin inversa se realiza por
epoxidasa zeaxantina [2]

En diatomeas y dinoflagelados el ciclo xantofila consiste en el pigmento


diadinoxanthin, que se transforma en diatoxanthin (diatomeas) o dinoxanthin
(dinoflagelados), a la luz alta. [3]

Wright et al. (Feb 2011) encontr que, "El aumento de la zeaxantina parece
superar a la disminucin de la violaxantina en las espinacas" y coment que la
discrepancia podra explicarse por "una sntesis de zeaxantina a partir de beta-
caroteno", sin embargo, tom nota de estudio en mayor profundidad para
explorar esta hiptesis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthophyll

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