This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lin-Vien, D
Right arrow Articles by Davis, L C
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lin-Vien, D
Right arrow Articles by Davis, L C
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Lin-Vien, D
Right arrow Articles by Davis, L C

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 February; 55(2): 354-359

Estimation of nitrogenase activity in the presence of ethylene biosynthesis by use of deuterated acetylene as a substrate.

D Lin-Vien, W G Fateley and L C Davis

Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506.

ABSTRACT

Nitrogenase reduces deuterated acetylene primarily to cis dideuterated ethylene. This can be distinguished from undeuterated ethylene by the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Characteristic bands in the region from 800 to 3,500 cm-1 can be used to identify and quantitate levels of these products. This technique is applicable to field studies of nitrogen fixation where ethylene biosynthesis by plants or bacteria is occurring. We have verified the reaction stoichiometry by using Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bradyrhizobium japonicum in soybeans. The most useful bands for quantitation of substrate purity and product distribution are as follows: acetylene-d0, 3,374 cm-1; acetylene-d1, 2,584 cm-1; acetylene-d2, 2,439 cm-1; cis-ethylene-d2, 843 cm-1; trans-ethylene-d2, 988 cm-1; ethylene-d1, 943 cm-1; ethylene-d0, 949 cm-1. (The various deuterated ethylenes and acetylenes are designated by a lowercase d and subscript to indicate the number, but not the position, of deuterium atoms in the molecule.) Mass spectrometry coupled to a gas chromatograph system has been used to assist in quantitation of the substrate and product distributions. Significant amounts of trans-ethylene-d2 were produced by both wild-type and nifV mutant K. pneumoniae. Less of this product was observed with the soybean system.

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 February; 55(2): 354-359






Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»