Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Organic nitrogen metabolism of phototrophic bacteria

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recent reviews dealing with phototrophic bacteria are concerned with bioenergetics, nitrogen fixation and hydrogen metabolism, synthesis of the photosynthetic apparatus and phylogeny/taxonomy. The organic N-metabolism of these phylogenetically diverse bacteria has last been reviewed in 1978. However, amino acid utilization and biosynthesis, ammonia assimilation, purine and pyrimidine metabolism and biosynthesis of δ-aminolevulinic acid as precursor of bacteriochlorophylls and hemes are topics of vital importance. This review focusses on utilization of amino acids as N- and C/N-sources, the pathways of purine and pyrimidine degradation, novel aspects of amino acid biosynthesis (with emphasis on branched-chain amino acids and δ-aminole-vulinic acid) and some aspects of ammonia assimilation and glutamate synthesis by purple bacteria, green sulfur bacteria and Chloroflexus aurantiacus.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price includes VAT (France)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

R:

Rhodospirillum

Rhb:

Rhodobacter

Rc:

Rhodocyclus

Rp:

Rhodopila

Rps:

Rhodopseudomonas

References

  • Alef K, Burkardt H-J, Horstmann H-J & Zumft WG (1981) Molecular characterization of glutamine synthetase from the nitrogen-fixing phototrophic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris. Z. Naturforsch. 36c: 246–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Ames GF-L (1986) Bacterial periplasmic transport systems: Structure, mechanism and evolution. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 55: 397–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersen T, Briseid T, Nesbakken T, Ormerod JG, Sirevag R & Thorud M (1983) Mechanism of synthesis of 5-amino-levulinate in purple, green and blue-green bacteria. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 19: 303–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonucci TK & Oxender DL (1986) The molecular biology of amino acid transport in bacteria. Adv. Microb. Physiol. 28: 145–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Aretz W, Kaspari J & Klemme J-H (1978) Utilization of purines as nitrogen source by facultative phototrophic bacteria. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 4: 249–253

    Google Scholar 

  • Bast E (1986) Urease formation in purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatiaceae) grown on various nitrogen sources. Arch. Microbiol. 146: 199–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Bast E (1988) Nickel requirement for the formation of active urease in purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatiaceae). Arch. Microbiol. 150: 6–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Broach J, Neumann C & Kustu S (1976) Mutant strains (nit) of Salmonella typhimurium with a pleiotropic defect in nitrogen metabolism. J. Bacteriol. 128: 86–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruyant P & Kannangara CG (1987) Biosynthesis of δ-aminolevulinate in greening barley leaves. VIII. Purification and characterization of the glutamate-tRNA ligase. Carlsberg Res. Commun. 52: 99–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchanan BB (1969) Role of ferredoxin in the synthesis of α-ketobutyrate from propionyl coenzyme A and carbon dioxide by enzymes from photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic bacteria. J. Biol. Chem. 244: 4218–4223

    Google Scholar 

  • Busse W, Kaspari H & Klemme J-H (1984) Urea: an intermediate of aerobic and anaerobic purine degradation in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 25: 33–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Caballero FJ, Cejudo FJ, Florencio FJ, Cardenas J & Castillo F (1985) Molecular and regulatory properties of glutamine synthetase from the phototrophic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata E1F1. J. Bacteriol. 162: 804–809

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaleff RS & Mauvais CJ (1984) Acetolactate synthase is the site of action of the herbicides chlorsulfuron and sulfometuron methyl in higher plants. Science 224: 1443–1445.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charon NW, Johnson RC & Peterson D (1974) Amino acid biosynthesis in the spirochete Leptospira: evidence for a novel pathway of isoleucine biosynthesis. J. Bacteriol. 117: 203–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Clayton RK & Sistrom WR (1978) The Photosynthetic Bacteria. Plenum Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Close TJ & Shanmugam KT (1980) Genetic analysis of a pleiotropic mutant of Klebsiella pneumoniae affected in nitrogen metabolism. J. gen. Microbiol. 116: 501–510

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobb AD & Knaff DB (1983) L-Aspartate transport in the photosynthetic bacterium Chromatium vinosum. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 255: 86–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobb AD & Knaff DB (1985) Active transport of nonpolar amino acids in Chromatium vinosum. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 238: 97–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman GS (1958) The incorporation of amino acids by Rhodospirillum rubrum. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 30: 549–559

    Google Scholar 

  • Czichos J (1982) Mutantenstudien zur Stickstoffassimilation bei Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. Ph. D. thesis, University of Göttingen

  • Datta P (1978) Biosynthesis of amino acids. In: Clayton RK & Sistrom WR (Eds) The Photosynthetic Bacteria (pp 779–792) Plenum Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies W & Ormerod JG (1982) Glutamine synthetase in Chlorobium limicola and Rhodospirillum rubrum. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 13: 75–78

    Google Scholar 

  • DeFelice M, Lago CT, Squires CH & Calvo JM (1982) Acetohydroxy acid synthase isoenzymes of Escherichia coli K 12 and Salmonella typhimurium. Ann. Microbiol. (Paris) 133A: 251–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Dendinger SM, Patil LG & Brenchley JE (1980) Salmonella typhimurium mutants with altered glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamate synthase activities. J. Bacteriol. 141: 190–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eikmanns B, Linder D & Thauer RK (1983) Unusual pathway of isoleucine biosynthesis in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Arch. Microbiol. 136: 111–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Engelhardt H & Klemme J-H (1978) Characterization of an allosteric, nucleotide-unspecific glutamate dehydrogenase from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 3: 287–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Engelhardt H & Klemme J-H (1982) Purification and structural properties of adenylylated and deadenylylated glutamine synthetase from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Arch. Microbiol. 133: 202–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldberg RS & Datta P (1971) L-Threonine deaminase of Rhodospirillum rubrum. Purification and characterization. Eur. J. Biochem. 21: 438–446

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson SJ, Jackson JB & McEwan AG (1987) Anaerobic respiration in the Rhodospirillaceae: Characterization of pathways and evaluation of roles in redox balancing during photosynthesis. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 46: 117–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Gannon F, Bridgeland ES & Jones KM (1977) L-Serine dehydratase from Arthrobacter globiformis. Biochem. J. 161: 345–355

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallenbeck PC (1987) Molecular aspects of nitrogen fixation by photosynthetic prokaryotes. Crit. Rev. Microbiol. 14: 1–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Heda GD & Madigan MT (1986a) Utilization of amino acids and lack of diazotrophy in the thermophilic anoxygenic phototroph Chloroflexus aurantiacus. J. gen. Microbiol. 132: 2469–2473

    Google Scholar 

  • Heda GD & Madigan T (1986b) Aspects of nitrogen fixation in Chlorobium. Arch. Microbiol. 143: 330–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Herbert RA & MacFarlane GT (1980) Asparagine and glutamine metabolism in Rhodopseudomonas acidophila. Arch. Microbiol. 128: 233–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Herbert RA, Siefert E & Pfennig N (1978) Nitrogen assimilation in Rhodopseudomonas acidophila. Arch. Microbiol. 119: 1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Herbert RA, Siefert E, Pfennig N (1980) Utilization of L-alanine by Rhodopseudomonas acidophila. Arch. Microbiol. 125: 105–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillmer P & Gest H (1977) H2 metabolism in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata: H2 production by growing cultures. J. Bacteriol. 129: 724–731

    Google Scholar 

  • Holm HW & Vennes JW (1970) Occurrence of purple sulfur bacteria in a sewage treatment lagoon. Appl. Microbiol. 19: 988–996

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoshino Y & Satoh T (1985) Dependence on calcium ions of gelatin hydrolysis by Rhodopseudomonas capsulata but not Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa. Agr. Biol. Chem. (Tokyo) 49: 3331–3332

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoult RC, Rees D, Rogers LJ & Smith AJ (1986) Specific inhibition of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis by 3-amino-2,3-dihydrobenzoic acid (gabaculine) in the cyanobacterium Synechecoccus 6301. Arch. Microbiol. 146: 57–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Ivanovski RN & Fedorova EA (1986) Ammonium assimilation in the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium limicola forma thiosulfatophilum. Mikrobiologiya (USSR) 55: 21–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Johansson BC & Gest H (1976) Inorganic nitrogen assimilation by the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. J. Bacteriol. 128: 683–688

    Google Scholar 

  • Jordan PM & Shemin D (1972) δ-Aminolevulinic acid synthetase. In: Boyer PD (Ed.) The Enzymes. 3rd edn. Vol. 7 (pp 339–356) Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kämpf C, Kim Y-A, Cobb AD & Knaff DB (1988) Inhibition of phototrophically growing Chromatium vinosum D by glycine. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 51: 199–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahn A & Kannangara CG (1987) Gabaculine-resistant mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with elevated glutamate-1-semialdehyde aminotransferase activity. Carlsberg Res. Commun. 52: 73–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanemoto RH & Ludden PW (1987) Amino acid concentrations in Rhodospirillum rubrum during expression and switch-off of nitrogenase activity. J. Bacteriol. 169: 3035–3043

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaspari H (1979) Reductive pyrimidine catabolism in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. Microbiologica 2: 231–241

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaspari H (1981) Repression of β-ureidopropionase by ammonia in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. J. gen. Microbiol. 122: 95–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaspari H & Busse W (1986) Oxidative degradation of purines by the facultative phototrophic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. Arch. Microbiol. 144: 67–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaulen H & Klemme J-H (1983) No evidence of covalent modification of glutamine synthetase in the thermophilic phototrophic bacterium Chloroflexus aurantiacus. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 20: 75–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerby NW, Niven GW, Rowell P & Stewart WDP (1987) Photoproduction of amino acids by mutant strains of N2-fixing cyanobacteria. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 25: 547–552

    Google Scholar 

  • Khanna S & Nicholas DJD (1983) Some properties of glutamine synthase from Chlorobium vibrioforme f. thiosulfatophilum. Arch. Microbiol. 134: 98–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiley PJ & Kaplan S (1988) Molecular genetics of photosynthetic membrane biosynthesis in Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Microbiol. Rev. 52: 50–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim Y-A & Knaff DB (1988) Lysine and arginine transport in the photosynthetic bacterium Chromatium vinosum. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 260: 134–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Klemme J-H, Czichos J & Wesch R (1981) Enzymatic mechanism and regulation of nitrate reduction in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. In: Bothe H & Trebst A (Eds) Biology of Inorganic Nitrogen and Sulfur (pp 225–232) Springer Verlag, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Klemme J-H & Pfleiderer C (1977) Production of extracellular proteolytic enzymes by phototrophic bacteria. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 1: 297–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Knaff DB, Davidson VL & Pettitt CA (1981) Energy-dependent sodium efflux and sodium-dependent α-aminoisobutyrate transport in purple photosynthetic bacteria. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 211: 234–239

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi K, Miyazawa S, Terahara A, Mishima H & Kurihara H (1976) γ-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase inhibitor of microbial origin. Tetrahedron Lett. 7: 537–540

    Google Scholar 

  • Laakmann-Ditges G & Klemme J-H (1988) Amino acid metabolism in the thermophilic phototroph, Chloroflexus aurantiacus: properties and metabolic role of two L-threonine (L-serine) dehydratases. Arch. Microbiol. 149: 249–254

    Google Scholar 

  • LaRossa RA, VanDyk TK & Smulski DR (1987) Toxic accumulation of α-ketobutyrate caused by inhibition of the branched-chain amino acid biosynthetic enzyme acetolactate synthase in Salmonella typhimurium. J. Bacteriol. 169: 1372–1378

    Google Scholar 

  • Madigan M & Cox SS (1982) Nitrogen metabolism in Rhodopseudomonas globiformis. Arch. Microbiol. 133: 6–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Malofeeva IV (1979) Assimilation of urea by purple bacteria. Mikrobiologiya (USSR) 48: 411–417

    Google Scholar 

  • Malofeeva IV & Laush D (1976) Utilization of various nitrogen compounds by phototrophic bacteria. Mikrobiologiya (USSR) 45: 512–514

    Google Scholar 

  • Masters RA & Madigan M (1983) Nitrogen metabolism in the phototrophic bacteria Rhodocyclus purpureus and Rhodospirillum tenue. J. Bacteriol. 155: 222–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer SM, Beale SI & Weinstein JD (1987) Enzymatic conversion of glutamate to δ-aminolevulinic acid in soluble extracts of Euglena gracilis. J. biol. Chem. 262: 12541–12549

    Google Scholar 

  • Morikawa Y, Nakamura N & Kimura K (1974) Purification and some properties of L-serine dehydratase of Corynebacterium sp. Agr. Biol. Chem. (Tokyo) 38: 531–537

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordlund S, Kanemoto RH, Murrell SA & Ludden PW (1985) Properties and regulation of glutamine synthetase from Rhodospirillum rubrum. J. Bacteriol. 161: 13–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Oh-Hama T, Seto H & Miyachi S (1986) 13C-NMR evidence of bacteriochlorophyll a formation by the C5 pathway in Chromatium. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 246: 192–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohmori H, Ishitani H, Sato K, Shimizu S & Fukui S (1974) Metabolism of glutamate in purple nonsulfur bacteria. Participation of vitamin B12. Agr. Biol. Chem. (Tokyo) 38: 359–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Pemberton JM, Cooke S & Bowen ARSG (1983) Gene transfer mechanisms among members of the genus Rhodopseudomonas. Ann. Microbiol. (Paris) B 134: 195–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Pettitt CA, Davidson VL, Cobb A & Knaff DB (1982) Sodium-dependent α-aminoisobutyrate transport by the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium Chromatium vinosum. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 216: 306–313

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierson BK, Giovannoni SJ, Stahl DA & Castenholz RW (1985) Heliothrix oregonensis, gen. nov. sp. nov., a phototrophic filamentous gliding bacterium containing bacteriochlorophyll a. Arch. Microbiol. 142: 164–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Revsbech NP & Ward DM (1984) Microelectrode studies of interstitial water chemistry and photosynthetic activity in a hot spring microbial mat. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 48: 270–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Sagers RD & Carter JE (1971) L-Serine dehydratase (Clostridium acidiurici). Meth. Enzymol. 17B: 351–356

    Google Scholar 

  • Schloss JV, Ciskanik LM & VanDyk DE (1988) Origin of the herbicide binding site of acetolactate synthase. Nature 331: 360–362

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider I (1988) Untersuchungen zu Struktur, Funktion und Regulation der Acetohydroxysäure-Synthase in Rhodospirillum rubrum. Ph.D. thesis, University of Bonn

  • Schneider I & Klemme J-H (1986) Sensitivity of a phototrophic bacterium to the herbicide sulfometuronmethyl, an inhibitor of branched chain amino acid biosynthesis. Z. Naturforsch. 41c: 1037–1039

    Google Scholar 

  • Schön A, Krupp G, Gough S, Berry-Lowe S, Kannangara CG & Söll D (1986) The RNA required in the first step of chlorophyll biosynthesis is a chloroplast glutamate tRNA. Nature 322: 281–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Siefert E, Irgens RL & Pfennig N (1978) Phototrophic purple and green bacteria in a sewage treatment plant. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 35: 38–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith KM & Huster MS (1987) Bacteriochlorophyll c-formation via the glutamate C-5 pathway in Chlorobium bacteria. J. Chem. Soc. 1: 14–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Stegeman RA & Madigan MT (1985) Nitrogen nutrition and ammonium assimilation in brown Rhodospirillum species. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 26: 259–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Sugimoto Y, Nakatani K, Shirakashi T, Ohmori H, Toraya T & Fukui S (1976) Mechanism of inhibition of Chromatium D growth by L-methionine. Regulation of L-threonine biosynthesis by the intracellular level of S-adenosylmethionine. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 437: 333–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolxdorff-Neutzling R & Klemme J-H (1982) Metabolic role and regulation of L-alanine dehydrogenase in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 13: 155–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Trüper HG (1987) Phototrophic bacteria (an incoherent group of prokaryotes). A taxonomic versus phylogenetic survey. Microbiologia 3: 71–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuttle A & Gest H (1960) Induction of morphological aberrations in Rhodospirillum rubrum by D-amino acids. J. Bacteriol. 79: 213–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Umbarger HE (1978) Amino acid biosynthesis and its regulation. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 47: 533–606

    Google Scholar 

  • VanNiel CB (1944) The culture, general physiology, morphology and classification of the nonsulfur purple and brown bacteria. Bacteriol. Rev. 8: 1–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Vignais P, Colbeau A, Willison JC & Jouanneau Y (1985) Hydrogenase, nitrogenase, and hydrogen metabolism in the photosynthetic bacteria. Adv. Microb. Physiol. 26: 156–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogels GD & Van DerDrift C (1976) Degradation of purines and pyrimidines by microorganisms. Bacteriol. Rev. 40: 403–468

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner RJ, Miovic ML & Gibson J (1973) Utilization of amino acids by Chromatium sp. strain D. Arch. Mikrobiol. 91: 255–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Wall JD, Johansson BC & Gest H (1977) A pleiotropic mutant of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata defective in nitrogen metabolism. Arch. Microbiol. 115: 259–263

    Google Scholar 

  • Yelton MM & Yoch DC (1981) Nitrogen metabolism in Rhodospirillum rubrum: Characterization of glutamate synthase. J. gen. Microbiol. 123: 335–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Yen H-C & Gest H (1974) Regulation of biosynthesis of aspartate family amino acids in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris. Arch. Microbiol. 101: 187–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoch DC, Cantu M & Zhang Z-M (1983) Evidence for a glutamine synthetase-chromatophore association in the phototroph Rhodospirillum rubrum: Purification, properties, and regulation of the enzyme. J. Bacteriol. 154: 632–639

    Google Scholar 

  • Zebrower M & Loach PA (1982) Efficiency of light-driven metabolite transport in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum. J. Bacteriol. 150: 1322–1328

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Mikrobiologie der Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 5300, Bonn, FRG

    Jobst-Heinrich Klemme

Authors
  1. Jobst-Heinrich Klemme
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Klemme, JH. Organic nitrogen metabolism of phototrophic bacteria. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 55, 197–219 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393850

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393850

Key words

search

Navigation