Mechanism of yeast cell photoinactivation by visible light

The nature of inactivation of visible light without sensitizers added to the cells has been investigated. In particular, the problem on the nature of intracellular sensitizers has been studied. Visible light is shown to inactivate the cells only in the presence of oxygen, that gives evidence that the process of photoinactivation is carried out according a photodynamic mechanism with participation of the endogenic sensitizer. The pigment - sensitizer is identified as the protoporphyrin on the basis of comparison of data obtained for the absorption spectrum structure and pigment fluorescence with the literature data on the spectral properties of porphyrin compounds