Abstract
The conditions necessary for coordinate derepression of nitrogenase and O2-dependent hydrogenase activities in free-living cultures of Rhizobium japonicum were studied. Carbon sources were screened for their ability to support nitrogenase, and then hydrogenase activities. There was a positive correlation between the level of nitrogenase and corresponding hydrogenase activities among the various carbon substrates. The carbon substrate α-ketoglutarate was able to support the highest levels of both nitrogenase and hydrogenase activities. When cells were incubated in α-ketoglutarate-containing medium, without added H2 but in the presence of acetylene (to block H2 evolution from nitrogenase) significant hydrogenase activity was still observed. Complete inhibition of nitrogenase-dependent H2 evolution by acetylene was verified by the use of a Hup- mutant. Hydrogen is therefore not required to induce hydrogenase. The presence of 10% acetylene inhibited derepression of hydrogenase. Constitutive (Hupc) mutants were isolated which contained up to 9 times the level of hydrogenase acitivity than the wild type in nitrogenase induction medium. These mutants did not have greater nitrogenase activities than the wild type.
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This is contribution number 1254 from the Department of Biology and the McCollum-Pratt Institute
Abbreviations: α-Ketoglutarate-containing medium (LOKG) and pre-adaptation medium (SRM) as described in Materials and methods
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Graham, L.A., Stults, L.W. & Maier, R.J. Nitrogenase — hydrogenase relationships in Rhizobium japonicum . Arch. Microbiol. 140, 243–246 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454935
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454935