Synthesis of Protoporphyrin IX Induced by 5-Aminolevulinic Acid in Yeast Cells in the Presence of 2,2´-Dipyridyl

M. G. Strakhovskaya^*, A. O. Shumarina, G. Ya. Fraikin, and A. B. Rubin

Department of Biophysics, School of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899 Russia; fax: (095) 939-1115

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received November 3, 1997; Revision received November 28, 1997

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5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a precursor of porphyrin synthesis, increased the production of various porphyrin compounds in Candida guilliermondii cells. Metalloporphyrins and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) were predominantly accumulated, respectively, at ALA concentrations of 0.2-0.4 mM and at those higher than 1.5 mM. 2,2´-Dipyridyl which complexed with bivalent metals significantly increased the content of endogenous PPIX even at ALA concentrations lower than 0.5 mM. Under these conditions, the yeast sensitivity to photodynamic effect of visible light (400-600 nm) dramatically increased due to photosensitization by endogenous PPIX.

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KEY WORDS: protoporphyrin IX, 5-aminolevulinic acid, photosensitization inactivation, visible light

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