Demonstration and solubilization of S-adenosylmethionine: γ-tocopherol methyltransferase from Capsicum chromoplasts.

Through the use of Capsicum chromoplast membranes, we report for the first time the direct methylation of γ-tocopherol into α-tocopherol in the presence of S-adenosylmethionine. Furthermore the S-adenosylmethionine: γ-tocopherol methyltransferase activity has been solubilized. On a protein basis, the activity recovered in the soluble preparation was higher than that bound to the membranes.