Isolation of a bisulfite reductase activity from Desulfotomaculum nigrificans and its identification as the carbon monoxide-binding pigment P582

Crude preparations of Desulfotomaculum nigrificans were found to reduce bisulfite to trithionate, thiosulfate, and sulfide. The bisulfite reductase of this organism was partially purified and observed to reduce bisulfite to trithionate as the major product and with thiosulfate and sulfide as minor products. The enzyme exhibited spectral properties identical to the carbon monoxide-reacting pigment (P582) isolated from this organism. It is concluded that the bisulfite reductase of D. nigrificans is P582 and that this organism utilizes a pathway which involves trithionate during the reduction of bisulfite to sulfide.