plastocyanin Biochem.
(plæstəʊˈsaɪənɪn)
[f. chloroplast + -o + cyanin.]
A blue copper-containing protein (differing slightly from species to species) which is found in the chloroplasts of green plants and in certain bacteria, and is involved in photosynthesis.
| 1961 Katoh & Takamiya in Nature 25 Feb. 665/2 In view of its localization in the chloroplasts and its characteristic blue colour in the oxidized form, the name ‘plastocyanin’ is proposed for this copper protein. 1966 Plant Physiol. XLI. 1641/1 From its absorption spectrum, the plastocyanin of C. reinhardi resembles the plastocyanin of spinach. 1974 Sci. Amer. Dec. 74/1 (caption) The electron is passed through a series of carrier molecules including..plastoquinone..and cytochrome f.., to plastocyanin. 1976 Nature 27 May 344/2 The ‘small blue proteins’—azurins from bacteria, plastocyanins from photosynthetic cells. |