Unusual accumulation of demethylspheroidene in anaerobic-phototrophic growth of crtA-deleted mutants of Rhodovulum sulfidophilum

Rhodovulum sulfidophilum produces carotenoids in the spheroidene pathway. Spheroidene monooxygenase, CrtA, catalyzes the conversion of spheroidene to spheroidenone. crtA-deleted mutants of R. sulfidophilum did not produce spheroidenone and demethylspheroidenone. In these mutants, the ratio of demethylspheroidene to spheroidene increased with exposure to light. One mutant exhibiting a spheroidene-predominant phenotype did not grow under anaerobic-light conditions and was devoid of bacteriochlorophyll a, even under semiaerobic-light conditions There was no difference in the growth of the mutants under aerobic-dark conditions. These data suggest that demethylspheroidene is important for photosynthesis in R. sulfidophilum.