• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.561-566
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• 1997

Screening, Identification and some cultural characteristics of ALA$({\delta}-aminolevulinic\;acid)$-producing photosynthetic bacteria were carried out for the optimal production of ALA, one of the bioherbicides. Among photosynthetic bacteria isolated from soil, marsh, pond, etc., KK-10 was the best producer of ALA and identified to be Rhodobacter capsulatus belonging to a typical group of nonsulfur purple bacteria. By addition of 15 mM LA (levulinic acid), an inhibitor of ALA dehydrase in cyclic tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, into culture broth at middle log phase of cell growths, ALA production was considerably increased to about 20-fold (28 mg/l). The combined supplementation of glycine and succinate, each with a concentration of 30 mM also enhanced production of ALA and activity of ALA synthase to about 50-fold (73 mg/l) and 2-fold, respectively. The isolated strain was able to produce upto 80 mg/l under the cultural condition optimized by addition 15 mM LA into the synthetic medium at four different points starting middle log phase.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.223-227
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• 2014

${\delta}$-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a compound which is widely present in the biosphere and plays an important role in the living body as an intermediate of the tetrapyrrole compound biosynthesis pathway that leads to heme in mammals and chlorophyll in plants. ALA is of interest as a biodegradable mediator, a growth regulator, a precursor of heme proteins, and an effective agent used in therapy of cancer. It has been recently reported that ALA is commonly used in dermatology, due to good effects of skin therapy. Although for the last few decades a substantial amount of research has been focused on the elucidation of the mechanism of ALA and the improvement of its therapeutic activity, it's effect on the cell functions and growth was not cleared. Here, we identified that ALA treatment could attenuate cell proliferation of HEK293T and HaCaT cells. In addition, ALA treatement could induce apoptosis of HeLa cells. These results suggest that apoptosis induced by ALA treatment might be responsible for inhibition of cell proliferation. These results propose the possibility of the improved therapeutic strategy making ALA one of the effective drugs used in human cancers.