The oxygen-independent coproporphyrinogen III oxidase HemN utilizes harderoporphyrinogen as a reaction intermediate during conversion of coproporphyrinogen III to protoporphyrinogen IX.

During heme biosynthesis the oxygen-independent coproporphyrinogen III oxidase HemN catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of the two propionate side chains on rings A and B of coproporphyrinogen III to the corresponding vinyl groups to yield protoporphyrinogen IX. Here, the sequence of the two decarboxylation steps during HemN catalysis was investigated. A reaction intermediate of HemN activity was isolated by HPLC analysis and identified as monovinyltripropionic acid porphyrin by mass spectrometry.