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Metabolism and Enzymology

Bleaching Herbicide Flurtamone Interferes with Phytoene Desaturase

Lehrstuhl für Physiologie und Biochemie der Pflanzen, Universität Konstanz, P. O. Box 5560, D-7750 Konstanz, Germany, Chevron Research and Technology Company, Richmond, California 94802, DowElanco, Walnut Creek, California 94598, Chevron Chemical Company, Ortho Research Center, Richmond, California 94804

The mode of action of the furanone herbicide flurtamone and derivatives was investigated with cress seedlings and with the unicellular cyanobacterium Anacystis. Either in the light or in the dark these compounds inhibited the formation of - and -carotene and all of the xanthophylls in the seedlings. Instead, phytoene, a precursor of colored carotenoids, was accumulated. In illuminated seedlings photooxidative destruction of chlorophyll was observed. The I₅₀ value of flurtamone inhibition of carotenoid biosynthesis in intact Anacystis cells and the K₁ value for interaction of flurtamone with phytoene desaturase with Anacystis thylakoids were 30 and 18 nanomoles, respectively. Concentrations of flurtamone which strongly inhibited carotenoid synthesis had no direct peroxidative activities and did not inhibit photosynthetic electron transport.