New light-sensitive cofactor required for oxidation of succinate by Mycobacterium phlei.

Irradiation of the electron transport particles of Mycobacterium phlei with light at a wavelength of 360 manometers resulted in a loss of oxidase activities of succinate and the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The lesion in the two pathways caused by irradiation of the particles differs. The succinoxidase pathway was more labile to irradiation than the pathway linked to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Restoration of succinoxidase activity (up to 50 to 60 percent) occurred on addition of a thermostable, water-soluble material obtained from Mycobacterium phlei cells or with an extract of mitochondria from boiled rat liver. Other known cofactors, such as flavine adenine dinucleotide, flavine mononucleotide, benzo- and naphthoquinones, as well as sulfhydryl agents, failed to restore succinoxidase activity after irradiation. Water-soluble material from Mycobacterium phlei appears to function between the flavoprotein and cytochrome b on the succinoxidase pathway. In contrast to the requirements for restoration of the pathway linked to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, restoration of succinoxidase does not occur with quinones or other cofactors such as flavine adenine dinucleotide.