Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1991 Dec 1;88(23):10520-4.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.23.10520.

Photosensitivity of a protoporphyrin-accumulating, light-sensitive mutant (visA) of Escherichia coli K-12

K Nakahigashi  1 , K Nishimura, K Miyamoto, H Inokuchi
Affiliations

Photosensitivity of a protoporphyrin-accumulating, light-sensitive mutant (visA) of Escherichia coli K-12

K Nakahigashi et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .

Abstract

Mutations in the visA gene of Escherichia coli cause the mutant bacteria to die upon illumination with visible light. We confirmed genetically that the visA gene is a structural gene for ferrochelatase (protoheme ferro-lyase, EC 4.99.1.1). Since other mutations in the genes involved in the biosynthesis of heme can cure the photosensitivity, the light-induced cell death appears to be brought about by the accumulation of protoporphyrin IX, one of the substrates of ferrochelatase. When cells are illuminated with visible light, protoporphyrin IX seems to produce an active species of oxygen (probably 1O2) that is harmful to the cells. This defect is the same as that associated with the human disease protoporphyria.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris). 1956 Nov;91(5):693-720 - PubMed
    1. Photochem Photobiol. 1971 Jan;13(1):67-77 - PubMed
    1. EMBO J. 1986 Mar;5(3):623-30 - PubMed
    1. J Bacteriol. 1987 Sep;169(9):4257-62 - PubMed
    1. J Bacteriol. 1988 Feb;170(2):1021-5 - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources