Chlorophyllide-a oxygenase

Chlorophyllide-a oxygenase, chlorophyllide a oxygenase, chlorophyll-b synthase, CAO) is an enzyme with systematic name chlorophyllide-a:oxygen 7-oxidoreductase.   This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reactions


 * (1) chlorophyllide a + O2 + NADPH + H+ $$\rightleftharpoons$$ 7-hydroxychlorophyllide a + H2O + NADP+
 * (2) 7-hydroxychlorophyllide a + O2 + NADPH + H+ $$\rightleftharpoons$$ chlorophyllide b + 2 H2O + NADP+

This enzyme contains a mononuclear iron centre and is part of the biosynthetic pathway to chlorophylls.