Significance of Mitochondria for Porphyrin and Heme Biosynthesis

Abstract

It is concluded that mitochondria are involved in three steps of porphyrin and heme biosynthesis—first, in the formation of δ-aminolevulinic acid from glycine and active succinate; second, in the synthesis of protoporphyrin; third, in the incorporation of iron into the porphyrin ring—that is, in heme formation.