Urease formation in purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatiaceae) grown on various nitrogen sources

Abstract

Batch cultures of Thiocapsa roseopersicina strain 6311, Thiocystis violacea strain 2311 and Chromatium vinosum strain 1611, grown anaerobically in the light on sulfide with urea, ammonia, N₂ or casein hydrolysate as nitrogen source exhibited urease activity, while Chromatium vinosum strain D neither showed any degradation of urea nor urease activity on any of the nitrogen sources tested.

In T. violacea and C. vinosum strain 1611 urease was little affected by the nitrogen source and seemed to be constitutive. In T. roseopersicina, however, the enzyme was repressed by ammonia (although a low basal level of activity remained) and, to a lesser degree, induced by urea: The presense of urea stimulated a temporary increase in urease activity in the early exponential growth phase. The highest activities, however, were found after growth on N₂, and especially on 0.1% casein hydrolysate (in the absence or after exhaustion of external ammonia), but not before the stationary growth phase was reached. Derepressed urease synthesis required an efficient external source of nitrogen.

In cultures of T. roseopersicina urease activity showed a periodic oscillation which depended on the repeated “feeding” with sulfide and subsequent variation in the sulfur content of the cells. The possible reasons of this oscillation are discussed.