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Characterization and Expression Analysis of the Cytochrome bd Oxidase Operon from Desulfovibrio gigas

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Abstract

Although classified as anaerobic, Desulfovibrio gigas contains a functional canonical membrane respiratory chain, including a cytochrome bd quinol oxidase as its terminal element. In the present study, we report the identification of the operon cydAB encoding the two subunits of cytochrome bd from this bacterium. Two hypothetical promoter regions and sequences resembling transcriptional regulators-binding sites have been identified. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed a high similarity to cytochrome bd from other organisms, presenting the conserved residues typical from these proteins. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Northern blot analysis confirmed the operon transcription. Gene expression was assessed by real-time RT-PCR in cells grown in different media and under exposure to oxygen and nitric oxide. mRNA levels were slightly enhanced in the presence of 150 μM NO. However, in the presence of 10 μM NO, a decrease was observed of the steady-state population of cydAB mRNA. No considerable effect was observed in the presence of fumarate/sulfate medium, 60 μM O2 or 10 μM NO.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (POCTI/BME/37480/2001 to C.R.-P. and fellowships 018/BIC/2004 to P.M., 031/BIC/2003 to R.F., SFRH/BD/5219/2001 to R.R.). STAB Genómica is also acknowledged for running the sequencing reactions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Apartado 127, 2780-901, Oeiras, Portugal

    Patrícia Machado, Rute Félix, Rute Rodrigues, Solange Oliveira & Claudina Rodrigues-Pousada

  2. Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal

    Solange Oliveira

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  1. Patrícia Machado
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  2. Rute Félix
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Correspondence to Claudina Rodrigues-Pousada.

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Machado, P., Félix, R., Rodrigues, R. et al. Characterization and Expression Analysis of the Cytochrome bd Oxidase Operon from Desulfovibrio gigas. Curr Microbiol 52, 274–281 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-005-0165-0

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