Previous studies indicate that B. subtilis protoporphyrinogen oxidase is poorly inhibited by diphenyl ether herbicides. To better understand the basis of this insensitivity, the enzyme was overexpressed as a soluble protein in E. coli, purified and characterized. The mechanism of oxidation of B. subtilis protoporphyrinogen IX was studied and the enzyme kinetic parameters were determined for protoporpyrinogen IX; $K_m$, and $k_{cat}$ were $6.3;{mu}M$ and $0.028;h-^1$, respectively. The enzyme required flavin adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor and its activity was enhanced by 1 mM n-octylglucopyranoside. The nonenzymatic oxidation rate was dependent on the concentration of protoporphyrinogen IX, suggesting that the reaction involves a pre-equilibrium step followed by a rate-limiting step.