1. Chlorophyll biosynthesis

2. In the first phase of chlorophyll biosynthesis: The amino acid glutamic acid is converted to 5- aminolevulinic acid (ALA). This reaction is unusual in that it involves a covalent intermediate in which the glutamic acid is attached to a transfer RNA molecule. This is one of a very small number of examples in biochemistry in which a tRNA is utilized in a process other than protein synthesis. Two molecules of ALA are then condensed to form porphobilinogen (PBG), which ultimately form the pyrrole rings in chlorophyll.

3. The next phase is the assembly of a porphyrin structure from four molecules of PBG. This phase consists of six distinct enzymatic steps, ending with the product protoporphyrin IX.

4. All the biosynthesis steps up to this point are the same for the synthesis of both chlorophyll and heme. But here the pathway branches, and the fate of the molecule depends on which metal is inserted into the center of the porphyrin. If magnesium is inserted by an enzyme called magnesium chelatase, then the additional steps needed to convert the molecule into chlorophyll take place; if iron is inserted, the species ultimately becomes heme.

5. The next phase of the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway is the formation of the fifth ring (ring E) by cyclization of one of the propionic acid side chains to form protochlorophyllide. The pathway involves the reduction of one of the double bonds in ring D, using NADPH. This process is driven by light in angiosperms and is carried out by an enzyme called protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase (POR).