Description
This enzyme, found in green sulfur bacteria (Chlorobiaceae) and green filamentous bacteria (Chloroflexaceae), catalyses the first committed step in the biosynthesis of bacteriochlorophylls c, d and e, the removal of the C-132-methylcarboxyl group from chlorophyllide a. The reaction is very similar to the conversion of pheophorbide a to pyropheophorbide a during chlorophyll a degradation, which is catalysed by EC 3.1.1.82, pheophorbidase