Differential effects of visible light on active transport in E. coli

Light of wavelengths above 400 nm inactivated several active transport systems in E. coli ML 308. Rates of inactivation for uptake of threonine, glycine, leucine and methionine were similar and differed from those for methyl thio-β-D-galactoside and phenylalanine. These differential effects indicate that inactivation of the threonine, glycine, leucine and methionine systems is linked to a common photochemical lesion differing from that involved in the inactivation of the methyl thio-β-D-galactoside and phenylalanine systems. These lesions may serve as labels to identify molecules involved in transport or energy coupling processes.