The structures of new photoreceptor molecules mediating the photobehavior of the unicellular organism, Blepharisma japonicum, were determined spectroscopically. These molecules had a 4-hydroxyphenyl-11H-dibenzo[a,o]cyclohepta[pqr]perylene moiety as a common chromophore structure. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
On the structure of oxyblepharismin and its formation from blepharismin
The blepharismins (1) from Blepharismajaponicum give the corresponding oxyblepharismins (2) on irradiation in vitro and in vivo. The chemicalstructures of these compounds are elucidated and a mechanism is given for this unusual transformation.