The composition of chlorophyll-precursor pigments, particularly the contents of diethylene glycol divinyl ether, in etiolated tissues of higher plants

were determined by polyethylene-column HPLC (Y. Shioi, S. I. Beale [1987] Anal Biochem 162: 493-499), which enables the

complete separation of these pigments. DV-Pchlide was ubiquitous in etiolated tissue of higher plants. From the analyses of

24 plant species belonging to 17 different families, it was shown that the concentration of DV-Pchlide was strongly dependent

on the plant species and the age of the plants. The ratio of DV-Pchlide to MV-Pchlide in high DV-Pchlide plants such as

cucumber and leaf mustard decreased sharply with increasing age. Levels of DV-Pchlide in Gramineae plants were considerably

lower at all ages compared with those of other plants. Etiolated tissues of higher plants such as barley and corn were,

therefore, good sources of MV-Pchlide. Absorption spectra of the purified MV- and DV-Pchlides in ether are presented and

compared.