Production of 5-aminolevulinic acid by an Escherichia coli aminolevulinate dehydratase mutant that overproduces Rhodobacter sphaeroides aminolevulinate synthase.

Two Escherichia coli strains, a wild-type strain and a hemB mutant, which contained the hemA gene from Rhodobacter sphaeroides produced aminolevulinate at 4 g l(-1). The hemB mutant did not increase the accumulation of aminolevulinate, an observation attributed to its 50% lower aminolevulinate synthase activity in than the wild-type. Growth was limited for both strains probably due to the accumulation of 0.5 g aminoacetone l(-1).