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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 November; 46(5): 1118-1124
Copyright © 1983, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Denitrification and Assimilatory Nitrate Reduction in Aquaspirillum magnetotacticum

Department of Microbiology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824

ABSTRACT

Aquaspirillum magnetotacticum MS-1 grew microaerobically but not anaerobically with NO₃^– or NH₄⁺ as the sole nitrogen source. Nevertheless, cell yields varied directly with NO₃^– concentration under microaerobic conditions. Products of NO₃^– reduction included NH₄⁺, N₂O, NO, and N₂. NO₂^– and NH₂OH, each toxic to cells at 0.2 mM, were not detected as products of cells growing on NO₃^–. NO₃^– reduction to NH₄⁺ was completely repressed by the addition of 2 mM NH₄⁺ to the growth medium, whereas NO₃^– reduction to N₂O or to N₂ was not. C₂H₂ completely inhibited N₂O reduction to N₂ by growing cells. These results indicate that A. magnetotacticum is a microaerophilic denitrifier that is versatile in its nitrogen metabolism, concomitantly reducing NO₃^– by assimilatory and dissimilatory means. This bacterium appears to be the first described denitrifier with an absolute requirement for O₂. The process of NO₃^– reduction appears well adapted for avoiding accumulation of several nitrogenous intermediates that are toxic to cells.

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