Carotenoid biosynthesis in Rhodospirillum rubrum: effect of pteridine inhibitor.

A known inhibitor of pteridine utilization (4-phenoxy,2,6-diamino pyridine) blocks the synthesis of colored carotenoids in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum. In many ways the effect is similar to the inhibition of the synthesis of colored carotenoids by diphenylamine. This inhibition is probably independent of other effects of pteridine on photosynthetic electron transport since it is not as readily reversible as the total inhibition of photosynthetic activity by pteridine analogs.