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Control of the initial steps in heme biosynthesis in free-livingRhizobium sp. by culture conditions

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Abstract

Cell-free extracts obtained from free-livingRhizobium sp. in early stationary phase had three times as much 5-aminolevulinate synthase activity as did similar extracts from log phase cells. The level of 5-aminolevulinate dehydratase was also elevated at this point. The presence of 0.1 mM hemin in the culture medium prevented the transitory increase in enzyme activities during this early stationary phase. The effect of hemin was counteracted by 1 mg bovine serum albumin per milliliter medium. This control of the development of 5-aminolevulinate synthase and 5-aminolevulinate dehydratase activities by free hemin suggests a mechanism by which heme and globin formation might be coordinated for the synthesis of leghemoglobin in legume root nodules.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Rachel Gollop, Karuppagnaniar Santhaguru &  Yael J. Avissar

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  1. Rachel Gollop
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  2. Karuppagnaniar Santhaguru
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  3. Yael J. Avissar
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Gollop, R., Santhaguru, K. & Avissar, Y.J. Control of the initial steps in heme biosynthesis in free-livingRhizobium sp. by culture conditions. Current Microbiology 11, 101–105 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01567711

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