Biomaterial Database

Anaerobic breakdown of uroporphyrins I and III to bile pigments by extracts of Clostridium tetanomorphum. 1993

C H Chen, and H C Friedmann

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637.

Two blue bile pigments were formed under anaerobic conditions from the tetrapyrrole precursor delta-aminolevulinate by cells and cell extracts of Clostridium tetanomorphum. These compounds were also formed by cell extracts from the octacarboxylic tetrapyrrole, uroporphyrin III. Bactobilin, the first bacterial bile pigment to be discovered, is related to uroporphyrin I. The present results hence increase the number of bile pigments related to bactobilin. Bactobilin and its isomers differ markedly from the eukaryotic bile pigments which are all related to the dicarboxylic compound, protoporphyrin IX. The enzyme participating in the formation of the bacterial bile pigments was obligatorily anaerobic, in decided contrast to the only other known bile pigment-forming enzyme, the eukaryotic oxygen-requiring heme oxygenase.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011166	Porphyrins	A group of compounds containing the porphin structure, four pyrrole rings connected by methine bridges in a cyclic configuration to which a variety of side chains are attached. The nature of the side chain is indicated by a prefix, as uroporphyrin, hematoporphyrin, etc. The porphyrins, in combination with iron, form the heme component in biologically significant compounds such as hemoglobin and myoglobin.	Porphyrin
D003013	Clostridium	A genus of motile or nonmotile gram-positive bacteria of the family Clostridiaceae. Many species have been identified with some being pathogenic. They occur in water, soil, and in the intestinal tract of humans and lower animals.
D000622	Aminolevulinic Acid	A compound produced from succinyl-CoA and GLYCINE as an intermediate in heme synthesis. It is used as a PHOTOCHEMOTHERAPY for actinic KERATOSIS.	5-Amino Levulinic Acid,5-Aminolaevulinate,5-Aminolevulinate,Aminolevulinic Acid Hydrochloride,Delta-Aminolevulinic Acid,Levulan,5 Amino Levulinic Acid,5 Aminolaevulinate,5 Aminolevulinate,Acid Hydrochloride, Aminolevulinic,Acid, 5-Amino Levulinic,Acid, Aminolevulinic,Acid, Delta-Aminolevulinic,Delta Aminolevulinic Acid,Hydrochloride, Aminolevulinic Acid,Levulinic Acid, 5-Amino
D000693	Anaerobiosis	The complete absence, or (loosely) the paucity, of gaseous or dissolved elemental oxygen in a given place or environment. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)	Anaerobic Metabolism,Anaerobic Metabolisms,Anaerobioses,Metabolism, Anaerobic,Metabolisms, Anaerobic
D001654	Bile Pigments	Linear TETRAPYRROLES that give a characteristic color to BILE including: BILIRUBIN; BILIVERDIN; and bilicyanin.	Bile Pigment,Bilin,Pigment, Bile,Pigments, Bile
D014578	Uroporphyrins	Porphyrins with four acetic acid and four propionic acid side chains attached to the pyrrole rings.