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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1976 August; 32(2): 197-205
Copyright © 1976 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Acetylene Reduction (Nitrogen Fixation) by Enterobacteriaceae Isolated from Paper Mill Process Waters

Institutet för Vatten-och Luftvårdsforskning, S-100 31 Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholms Universitet, Arrheniuslaboratoriet, Avdelning för Biokemi, Fack S-104 05 Stockholm 50, Sweden

ABSTRACT

Using selective media containing galactitol, over 130 Enterobacteriaceae have been isolated from paper mill process waters collected from different localities. These bacteria were extensively characterized and tested for acetylene-reducing (nitrogen-fixing) activity under anaerobic conditions. High activity was found in representatives of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Erwinia herbicola, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter intermedius, and Escherichia coli. Under argon, nitrogenase synthesis was generally not repressed by 5 mM L-glutamate, L-aspartate, L-leucine or Casamino Acids (0.5 g/liter). In many strains, both the specific activities (nanomoles of C₂H₄ per minute per milligram of protein) and the activities (nanomoles of C₂H₄ per minute) had considerably declined after 24 h. In three selected strains, activity in intact cells grown under nitrogen was unaffected by the presence during assay of 10 mM L-amino acids or ammonium acetate. All of the strains examined were tolerant towards inactivation of nitrogen-fixing activity by 1.8% (vol/vol) oxygen during assay, and inactivation by up to 10% oxygen was partly reversible. Representatives of the six taxa synthesized nitrogenase in stirred aerobic cultures, though the protein concentrations attained were lower than under anaerobic conditions. It seems reasonable to suggest that under natural conditions, nitrogen fixation is able to contribute significantly to the nitrogen economy of the cells.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Gauthier, F., Neufeld, J. D., Driscoll, B. T., Archibald, F. S. (2000). Coliform Bacteria and Nitrogen Fixation in Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent Treatment Systems. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 5155-5160 [Abstract] [Full Text]