Relationships between nitrate level,nitrate reductase activity and anaerobic nitrite production inPisum sativum leaf tissue

Anaerobic nitrite production (thein vivo NO₃-R activity) in an incubation medium lacking exogenous nitrate but containing 0.5%n-propanol and 0.1% Triton X-100 showed higher correlation (y - ax ^b) with the level of endogenous nitrate inPisum sativum L. leaves than thein vitro nitrate reductase activity. Thein vivo NO₃-R activity correlated well with thein vitro activity up to the 50 ppm NO₃-N level of endogenous nitrate. The ratioin vivo: in vitro activity slightly decreased with increasing level of endogenous nitrate in leaf tissue.     

Fluorometric measurement of nitrite/nitrate by 2,3-diaminonaphthalene

We describe a step-by-step protocol for measuring the stable products of the nitric oxide (NO) pathway: nitrite, nitrite plus nitrate and nitrate. This described protocol is easy to apply and is about 50 times more sensitive than the commonly used Griess reaction or commercially available assay kits based on the Griess reaction. It also allows the study of minimal changes in the NO pathway. With this method, it takes about 3 h to analyze the above-mentioned stable products in culture supernatants or in various body fluids, and the method has a sensitive linear range of 0.02-10.0 microM. This restricted linear range suggests that the technique is useful for studying small changes of nitrite and nitrate, rather than for routine diagnostic measurements.     

The effect of chloride on nitrate reductase level,on anaerobic nitrite production,and on nitrate content in excisedPisum sativum L. roots

The effect was studied of chloride ions, added in the form of different salts, on nitrate reductase (NR) level in excised pea roots, on anaerobic nitrite production in an assay medium lacking both nitrate and n-propanol, on nitrate content in the roots, and on in vivo NR activity determined in an assay medium containing 5% n-propanol. The presence of Cl in nitrate containing nutrient solutions resulted in lower NR levels, however counterions supplied together with Cl tended to modify slightly this general trend. The negative effect of Cl ions was also apparent, when Cl ions were applied before nitrate ions. Anaerobic nitrite production in the medium lacking both nitrate and n-propanol was not influenced by chloride ions. Nitrate content in the roots was reduced in the presence of chloride both at 3 mM and 15 mM NO₃ in nutrient solutions; however, at 16 mM NO₃, nitrate content in the roots exoeeded even in the presence of 15 mM Cl nitrate content in those root segments which were cultivated in a nutrient solution with 6 mM nitrate, which is the concentration at which NR reaches the level of saturation in excised pea roots. The results obtained suggest that a special induction nitrate pool exists in plant cells besides the storage and metabolic nitrate pools.     

A spectrophotometric assay for nitrate in an excess of nitrite.

Miranda et al. have developed a method for simultaneous evaluation of nitrate and nitrite concentrations using reduction of nitrate by vanadium(III) combined with detection by the acidic Griess reaction [K.M. Miranda, M.G. Espey, D.A. Wink, A rapid, simple spectrophotometric method for simultaneous detection of nitrate and nitrite, Nitric Oxide 5 (2001) 62-71]. The sensitivity of the nitrate assay decline if the mixture analyzed contains a large excess of nitrite relative to nitrate, for instance, in the case of oxidation products of nitric oxide (NO) in aerated solutions, or in sweat. By this reason nitrite should be removed before the nitrate assay, if [NO2-]>[NO3-]. Here we lay out an improved method allowing the above limitation to be erased, using sulfamic acid for nitrite removal. We also describe some modifications that enhance the reproducibility of the assay.     

Identification of the leaf vacuole as a major nitrate storage pool

Highly purified vacuoles were isolated from protoplasts derived from green barley (Hordeum vulgare var. Numar) leaves, in order to determine their role as a NO₃⁻ storage sink. α-Mannosidase and acid phosphatase activities were used as markers to identify vacuoles, α-mannosidase being the more suitable. Nitrate and α-mannosidase, which were released from vacuoles destroyed during lysis of protoplasts, moved at unequal rates in the density gradient used for vacuole isolation. Purified vacuoles retained less NO₃⁻ than α-mannosidase during a single washing. Empirically determined corrections were used to account for NO₃⁻ movement in estimating the percentage of total cellular nitrate found in the vacuole. Vacuoles from plants grown in the presence of NO₃⁻ contained 58% of the total cellular NO₃⁻ and therefore represent a major NO₃⁻ storage pool.     

利用硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐同步富集厌氧甲烷氧化微生物的比较实验

【背景】反硝化厌氧甲烷氧化(Denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation,DAMO)是以硝酸盐或亚硝酸盐为电子受体以甲烷为电子供体的厌氧氧化过程,对认识全球碳氮循环、削减温室气体排放和开发废水脱氮新技术等方面具有重要意义。【目的】认识以硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐为电子受体的DAMO微生物富集过程和结果的差异性。【方法】在序批式反应器(Sequencing batch reaetor,SBR)内接种混合物,分别以硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐为电子受体连续培养800 d,定期检测反应器基质浓度变化、计算转化速率;利用16S rRNA基因系统发育分析研究功能微生物的多样性,利用实时荧光定量PCR技术定量测定功能微生物。【结果】以亚硝酸盐为电子受体的1、3号反应器富集到了DAMO细菌,未检测到DAMO古菌;以硝酸盐为电子受体的2号反应器富集到了DAMO细菌和古菌的混合物;3个反应器的脱氮速率经过初始低速期、快速提升期,最终达到稳定,但2号快速提升期开始时间比1、3号晚了80 d左右,达到稳定的时间更长,稳定最大速率为1、3号的44.7%、40.3%。【结论】硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐对富集产物有决定性影响;以硝酸盐为电子受体富集得到的DAMO古菌和细菌协同体系可以长期稳定共存,DAMO古菌可能是协同体系中脱氮速率的限制性因素。     

Anaerobic nitrite production by plant cells and tissues: evidence for two nitrate pools

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi) XD cells containing nitrate and nitrate reductase stopped producing nitrite after approximately 1 hour when incubated under anaerobic conditions. The cessation of nitrite production was not due to an inactivation of the nitrate reducing system. This was shown by the ability of the cells to resume anaerobic nitrite production at a rate similar to the initial rate of nitrite production upon exposure to nitrate, monohydroxy alcohols or pyrazole. Cessation of nitrite production also could not be attributed to leakage of nitrate from the cells. Although some nitrate did leak from the cells, most of the nitrate was still in the cells by the time anaerobic nitrite production ceased. We infer the existence of a small metabolic pool and a large storage pool of nitrate, such that nitrite production ceases when the metabolic pool is depleted of nitrate. The metabolic pool of nitrate in tobacco cells decreased 170-fold as the culture aged from 3 to 5 days. However, total cellular nitrate during this period remained relatively constant.     

Interference by S-nitroso compounds with the measurement of nitrate in methods requiring reduction of nitrate to nitrite by cadmium

Various methods suited for the measurement of nitrate require its reduction to nitrite by cadmium under acidic or alkaline conditions. N^G-Nitroarginine analogs have been shown to interfere with the measurement of nitrate by such assays. In the present work we show by gas chromatography−mass spectrometry that under alkaline reduction conditions the S-nitroso compounds S-nitrosoglutathione and S-nitrosohomocysteine but not S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine can considerably contribute to nitrate and thus interfere with its measurement. Our results suggest that S-nitroso compounds may interfere with the measurement of nitrate in methods requiring cadmium-catalyzed reduction of nitrate to nitrite.     

Effect of nitrite and nitrate on in situ sulfide production in an activated sludge immobilized agar gel film as determined by use of microelectrodes

Microelectrode, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses were used to investigate the effect of nitrite and nitrate on in situ sulfide production in an activated sludge immobilized agar gel film. Microelectrode measurements of O(2), H(2)S, NO(3)(-), NO(2)(-), and pH revealed that the addition of NO(2)(-) and NO(3)(-) forced sulfate reduction zones deeper in the agar gel and significantly reduced the in situ sulfide production levels. The sulfate reduction zone was consequently separated from O(2) and NO(2)(-) or NO(3)(-) respiration zones with increasing the concentrations of NO(2)(-) and NO(3)(-). These NO(2)(-) and NO(3)(-) treatments had only a transient effect on sulfide production. The in situ sulfide production quickly recovered to the previous levels when NO(2)(-) and NO(3)(-) were removed. The PCR-DGGE and FISH analyses revealed that 2-day-continuous addition of 500 microM NO(3)(-) did not change the metabolically active sulfate-reducing bacterial (SRB) community. On the basis of these data, it could be concluded that the addition of NO(2)(-) and NO(3)(-) did not kill SRB, but induced the interspecies competition for common carbon source (i.e., acetate) between nitrate-reducing heterotrophic bacteria and SRB and enhanced the oxidation of the produced sulfide, which were main possible causes of the suppression of in situ sulfide production in the agar gel.     

微生物异化硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐产铵研究进展

异化硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐还原产铵是氮转化附属途径,为生态系统中氮的重复利用提供了依据,已成为近年来的研究热点。据报道,氮源的种类及浓度不同异化还原产铵的发生机制及强度具有差异性,决定着微生物产铵的效率,因此,有必要明确不同氮源异化还原产铵的代谢机制。本文详细论述了参与硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐异化还原产铵过程的相关微生物种类、产铵途径及其机理;系统分析了单一氮源和混合氮源对不同微生物产铵的影响和差异,比较了放线菌与其他微生物产铵的优势,并对未来的研究方向进行了展望,旨在为微生物异化硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐还原产铵提供理论基础。     

Role of nitrate and nitrite for production and consumption of nitric oxide during denitrification in soil

Abstract Anaerobic production and consumption of NO was measured in a calcic cambisol (KBE; pH 7.3) and a forest luvisol (PBE; pH 4.4) which were incubated at 80% water-holding capacity and continuously flushed with N₂. Both NO production and NO consumption were negligibly low when nitrate and nitrite concentrations in the soil were exhausted. Addition of glucose alone had no effect, but addition of nitrate ± glucose greatly stimulated both NO production and NO consumption. NO consumption followed an apparent first-order reaction at low NO mixing ratios (1–3 ppmv), but a higher NO mixing ratios it followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. In PBE the apparent K _m was 980 ppbv NO (1.92 nM in soil water). During reduction of nitrate, nitrite intermediately accumulated and simultaneously, production rates of NO and N₂O were at the maximum. Production rates of NO plus N₂O amounted to 20% and 34% of the nitrate reduction rate in KBE and PBE, respectively. NO production was hyperbolically related to the nitrite concentration, indicating an apparent K_m of 1.6 μg nitrite-N g⁻¹ d.w. soil (equivalent to 172 μM nitrite in soil solution) for the reduction of nitrite to NO in KBE. Under nitrate and nitrite-limiting conditions, 62–76% and 93–97% of the consumed NO-N were recovered as N₂O-N in KBE and PBE, respectively. Gassing of nitrate plus nitrite-depretsu KBE with increasing mixing ratios of NO₂ resulted in increasing rates of NO₂ uptake and presumably in the formation of low concentrations of nitrite and nitrate. This NO₂ uptake resulted in increasing rates of both NO production and NO consumption indicating that nitrite or nitrate was limiting for both reactions.     

Detection of bacterial nitrite production from nitrate by a nitrate-starch-iodide agar medium.

A medium consisting of nitrate agar (Difco), modified by the addition of 1% starch and 1% KI, was used to detect the production of nitrite by a number of different bacterial species.     

The rice coleoptile: an example of anaerobic nitrate assimilation

Nitrate present in rice caryopses can be reduced to ammonium and the ammonium subsequently assimilated by the coleoptile during anaerobic germination. All the enzymes of nitrate reduction and ammonia assimilation are present in the coleoptile. The supply of ¹⁵NO₃ confirms that the nitrate nitrogen is anaerobically incorporated into amino acids. Under anoxia, nitrate and nitrite reductase activities are increased in the coleoptile by exogenous nitrate. The importance of nitrate utilization during the anaerobic germination of rice caryopses is discussed.     

Aerobic and anaerobic nitrate and nitrite reduction in free-living cells of Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lupinus)

Induction, energy gain, effect on growth, and interaction of nitrate and nitrite reduction of Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lupinus) USDA 3045 were characterized. Both nitrate and nitrite were reduced in air, although nitrite reduction was insensitive to ammonium inhibition. Anaerobic reduction of both ions was shown to be linked with energy conservation. A dissimilatory ammonification process was detected, which has not been reported in rhizobia so far. Nevertheless, anaerobic conversion of nitrate to ammonium was lower than 40%, which suggests the presence of an additional, nitrite reductase of denitrifying type. Nitrite toxicity caused a non-linear relationship between biomass produced and >2 mM concentrations of each N oxyanion consumed. At > or =5 mM initial concentrations of nitrate, a stoichiometric nitrite accumulation occurred and nitrite remained in the medium. This suggests an inhibition of nitrite reductase activity by nitrate, presumably due to competition with nitrate reductase for electron donors. Lowering of growth temperature almost completely diminished nitrite accumulation and enabled consumption as high as 10 mM nitrate, which confirms such a conclusion.     

The high affinity of Paracoccus denitrificans cells for nitrate as an electron acceptor. Analysis of possible mechanisms of nitrate and nitrite movement across the plasma membrane and the basis for inhibition by added nitrite of oxidase activity in permeabilised cells

(1) The apparent K_m for nitrate of the electron-transport system in intact cells of Paracoccus denitrificans was less than 5 μM. In contrast the apparent K_m for nitrate of inverted membrane vesicles oxidising NADH was greater than 50 μM. When azide, a competitive inhibitor, was present, the apparent K_m observed with the vesicles was raised to 0.64 mM, consistent with values previously reported for purified preparations of the reductase. In membrane vesicles the nitrate reductase is probably not rate-limiting for NADH-nitrate oxido-reductase activity, and thus a lower limit for K_m (NO₃⁻) is obtained. It is suggested that the very low K_m (NO₃⁻) in intact cells must arise from either a transport process or a nitrate-specific pore that allows access of nitrate directly to the active site of its reductase from the periplasm. (2) The swelling of spheroplasts has been studied under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions to probe possible mechanisms of nitrate and nitrite transport across the plasma membrane of P. denitrificans. Nitrate reductase was inhibited by azide to prevent reduction of internal nitrate. No evidence for operation of either nitrate-nitrite antiport or proton-nitrate symport was obtained. (3) Measurements from the fluorescence intensity of 8-anilino-naphthalene-1-sulphonate of the rates of decay of diffusion potentials generated by addition of potassium salts to valinomycin-treated plasma membrane vesicles from P. denitrificans showed that the permeability of the membrane to anions is SCN⁻ > NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, pyruvate, acetate > CI⁻ > SO₄²⁻. In the presence of a protonophore the rate of decay of the diffusion potential was considerably enhanced with potassium acetate or potassium nitrite, but not with potassium salts of nitrate, chloride or pyruvate. This result indicates that HNO₂ and CH₃COOH can rapidly and passively diffuse across the cell membrane. This finding suggests that transport systems for nitrite are in general probably not required in bacteria. The failure of a protonophore to enhance the dissipation of the diffusion potential generated by potassium nitrate is evidence against the operation of a proton-nitrate symporter. (4) Low concentrations of added nitrite very strongly inhibit electron flow to oxygen in anaerobically grown cells, provided that they have been treated with Triton X-100 or an uncoupler. This inhibition is not observed with aerobically grown cells. It is concluded that the inhibitory species is a reaction product or an intermediate of the nitrite reductase reaction. The requirement for collapse of protonomotive force by uncoupler or permeabilising the plasma membrane suggests that any such species could be negatively charged. Nitroxyl anion (NO⁻) can be considered, as its conjugate acid is a postulated intermediate between nitrite and nitrous oxide; nitroxyl anion can bind to heme centres to give nitrosyl derivatives. (5) The basis for the ability of permeabilised, but not intact, cells of P. denitrificans to reduce oxygen and nitrate simultaneously is discussed.     

Endogenous nitrate loss as an assay for nitrate reduction in vivo

An in vivo assay method for nitrate reduction is proposed, based on the use of endogenous nitrate rather than on the accumulation of nitrite. Loss of endogenous nitrate and accumulation of nitrite were studied in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Gars Clipper ex Napier) leaves. Leaf sections were incubated in the dark in a gaseous environment of air or N₂. Nitrate disappeared under both conditions, the highest loss being observed in tissue under anaerobiosis. Nitrite accumulated only in leaf sections under anaerobiosis, but the amount of nitrite accumulated was much lower than the amount of nitrate lost. A comparative study of the capacity of barley leaf sections to use endogenous nitrate and accumulate nitrite showed that both activities were dependent on temperature in a manner characteristic of enzymatic reactions. Disappearance of endogenous nitrate increased with increasing levels of nitrate in the tissue.     

Metabolic engineering of the anaerobic central metabolic pathway in Escherichia coli for the simultaneous anaerobic production of isoamyl acetate and succinic acid

An in vivo method of producing isoamyl acetate and succinate simultaneously has been developed in Escherichia coli to maximize yields of both high value compounds as well as maintain the proper redox balance between NADH and NAD⁺. Previous attempts at producing the ester isoamyl acetate anaerobically did not produce the compound in high concentrations because of competing pathways and the need for NAD⁺ regeneration. The objective of this study is to produce succinate as an example of a reduced coproduct to balance the ratio of NADH/NAD⁺ as a way of maximizing isoamyl acetate production. Because the volatility of the two compounds differs greatly, the two could be easily separated in an industrial setting. An ldhA, adhE double mutant strain (SBS110MG) served as the control strain to test the effect of an additional ackA‐pta mutation as found in SBS990MG. Both strains overexpressed the two heterologous genes pyruvate carboxylase and alcohol acetyltransferase (for ester production). The triple mutant SBS990MG was found to produce higher levels of both isoamyl acetate and succinate. At the optimal condition of 25°C, the culture produced 9.4 mM isoamyl acetate and 45.5 mM succinate. SBS990MG produced 36% more ester and over 700% more succinate than SBS110MG. In addition, this study demonstrated that a significantly higher isoamyl acetate concentration can be attained by simultaneously balancing the carbon and cofactor flow; the isoamyl acetate concentration of 9.4 mM is more than seven times higher than an earlier report of about 1.2 mM. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

Containment of biogenic sulfide production in continuous up-flow packed-bed bioreactors with nitrate or nitrite

Produced water from the Coleville oil field in Saskatchewan, Canada was used to inoculate continuous up-flow packed-bed bioreactors. When 7.8 mM sulfate and 25 mM lactate were present in the in-flowing medium, H(2)S production (souring) by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) was prevented by addition of 17.5 mM nitrate or 20 mM nitrite. Changing the sulfate or lactate concentration of the in-flowing medium indicated that the concentrations of nitrate or nitrite required for containment of souring decreased proportionally with a lowered concentration of the electron donor lactate, while the sulfate concentration of the medium had no effect. Microbial communities were dominated by SRB. Nitrate addition did not give rise to changes in community composition, indicating that lactate oxidation and H(2)S removal were caused by the combined action of SRB and nitrate-reducing, sulfide-oxidizing bacteria (NR-SOB). Apparently the nitrite concentrations formed by these NR-SOB did not inhibit the SRB sufficiently to cause community shifts. In contrast, significant community shifts were observed upon direct addition of high concentrations (20 mM) of nitrite. Strains NO3A and NO2B, two newly isolated, nitrate-reducing bacteria (NRB) emerged as major community members. These were found to belong to the epsilon-division of the Proteobacteria, to be most closely related to Campylobacter lari, and to oxidize lactate with nitrate or nitrite as the electron acceptor. Thus the mechanism of microbial H(2)S removal in up-flow packed-bed bioreactors depended on whether nitrate (SRB/NR-SOB) or nitrite (SRB/NR-SOB as well as NRB) was used. However, the amount of nitrate or nitrite needed to completely remove H(2)S was dictated by the electron donor (lactate) concentration, irrespective of mechanism.     

Reevaluation of erythropoietin production by the nephron

Erythropoietin production has been reported to occur in the peritubular interstitial fibroblasts in the kidney. Since the erythropoietin production in the nephron is controversial, we reevaluated the erythropoietin production in the kidney. We examined mRNA expressions of erythropoietin and HIF PHD2 using high-sensitive in situ hybridization system (ISH) and protein expression of HIF PHD2 using immunohistochemistry in the kidney. We further investigated the mechanism of erythropoietin production by hypoxia in vitro using human liver hepatocell (HepG2) and rat intercalated cell line (IN-IC cells). ISH in mice showed mRNA expression of erythropoietin in proximal convoluted tubules (PCTs), distal convoluted tubules (DCTs) and cortical collecting ducts (CCDs) but not in the peritubular cells under normal conditions. Hypoxia induced mRNA expression of erythropoietin largely in peritubular cells and slightly in PCTs, DCTs, and CCDs. Double staining with AQP3 or AE1 indicated that erythropoietin mRNA expresses mainly in β-intercalated or non α/non β-intercalated cells of the collecting ducts. Immunohistochemistry in rat showed the expression of HIF PHD2 in the collecting ducts and peritubular cells and its increase by anemia in peritubular cells. In IN-IC cells, hypoxia increased mRNA expression of erythropoietin, erythropoietin concentration in the medium and protein expression of HIF PHD2. These data suggest that erythropoietin is produced by the cortical nephrons mainly in the intercalated cells, but not in the peritubular cells, in normal hematopoietic condition and by mainly peritubular cells in hypoxia, suggesting the different regulation mechanism between the nephrons and peritubular cells.