Growth phenotype analysis of heme synthetic enzymes in a halophilic archaeon, Haloferax volcanii.

Halophilic euryarchaea lack many of the genes necessary for the protoporphyrin-dependent heme biosynthesis pathway previously identified in animals and plants. Bioinformatic analysis suggested the presence of two heme biosynthetic processes, an Fe-coproporphyrinogen III (coproheme) decarboxylase (ChdC) pathway and an alternative heme biosynthesis (Ahb) pathway, in Haloferax volcanii. PitA is specific to the halophilic archaea and has a unique molecular structure in which the ChdC domain is joined to the antibiotics biosynthesis monooxygenase (ABM)-like domain by a histidine-rich linker sequence.

Light-controlled gas permeability of mesoporous silica glass bearing photochromic spironaphthoxazine on its surface.

N2 and CO2 gas permeability of mesoporous silica glass bearing photochromic indolinospironaphth[2,1-b][1,4]oxazine through a covalent linkage was controlled by photo-irradiation: the photo-isomerization of the spironaphthoxazine to the photomerocyanine form suppressed the gas permeation of the glass.