leucophyll

English

Alternative forms

• leukophyll

Etymology

leuco- +‎ -phyll

Noun

leucophyll (uncountable)

1. (biochemistry) A colourless substance which was hypothesised to be a precursor compound of chlorophyll.
   • 1963, E. M. Senchenkova, “V. N. Lyubimenko's Studies of Chlorophyll and their Modern Development”, in Israel Program for Scientific Translations, transl., Life Phenomena: A Historical Survey‎^[1], pages 134–135:

     Fischer's observations confirmed Lyubimenko's opinion that protochlorophyll represents an oxidised form of chlorophyll arising as a by-product during synthesis. Lyubimenko assumed that the first stage of chlorophyll synthesis is oxidation of the chlorophyll precursor, i.e., the hypothetical leucophyll. [...]
     The principal stages of initial chlorophyll biosynthesis are the condensation of pyrrole compounds with free alpha-positions, resulting in the formation of a more complex precursor of chlorophyll, i.e., a colorless leuco-compound corresponding to leucophyll. Oxidation of leucophyll leads to the formation of protochlorophyll.

Usage notes

The term does not refer to a specific chemical compound; it was used at a time when the biosynthesis of chlorophyll was not fully understood.

See also

• etiolin
• protochlorophyllide

References

• Henry Watts (1868-1881) A Dictionary of Chemistry