Isolation of a glutamate synthase (GOGAT)-negative, pleiotropically N utilization-defective mutant of Azospirillum brasilense: cloning and partial characterization of GOGAT structural gene

Selection of nitrogen-fixing deficient Burkholderia vietnamiensis strains by cystic fibrosis patients: involvement of nif gene deletions and auxotrophic mutations

Burkholderia vietnamiensis is the third most prevalent species of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) found in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Its ability at fixing nitrogen makes it one of the main Bcc species showing strong filiations with environmental reservoirs. In this study, 83% (29 over 35) of the B. vietnamiensis CF isolates and 100% of the environmental ones (over 29) were found expressing the dinitrogenase complex (encoded by the nif cluster) which is essential in N(2) fixation. Among the deficient strains, two were found growing with ammonium chloride suggesting that they were defective in N(2) fixation, and four with amino acids supplements suggesting that they were harbouring auxotrophic mutations. To get insights about the genetic events that led to the emergence of the N(2)-fixing defective strains, a genetic analysis of B. vietnamiensis nitrogen-fixing property was undertaken. A 40-kb-long nif cluster and nif regulatory genes were identified within the B. vietnamiensis strain G4 genome sequence, and analysed. Transposon mutagenesis and nifH genetic marker exchanges showed the nif cluster and several other genes like gltB (encoding a subunit of the glutamate synthase) to play a key role in B. vietnamiensis ability at growing in nitrogen-free media. nif cluster DNA probings of restricted genomic DNA blots showed a full deletion of the nif cluster for one of the N(2)-fixing defective strain while the other one showed a genetic organization similar to the one of the G4 strain. For 17% of B. vietnamiensis clinical strains, CF lungs appeared to have favoured the selection of mutations or deletions leading to N(2)-fixing deficiencies.

Inactivation of gltB abolishes expression of the assimilatory nitrate reductase gene (nasB) in Pseudomonas putida KT2442

By using mini-Tn5 transposon mutagenesis, random transcriptional fusions of promoterless bacterial luciferase, luxAB, to genes of Pseudomonas putida KT2442 were generated. Insertion mutants that responded to ammonium deficiency by induction of bioluminescence were selected. The mutant that responded most strongly was genetically analyzed and is demonstrated to bear the transposon within the assimilatory nitrate reductase gene (nasB) of P. putida KT2442. Genetic evidence as well as sequence analyses of the DNA regions flanking nasB suggest that the genes required for nitrate assimilation are not clustered. We isolated three second-site mutants in which induction of nasB expression was completely abolished under nitrogen-limiting conditions. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the chromosomal junctions revealed that in all three mutants the secondary transposon had inserted at different sites in the gltB gene of P. putida KT2442 encoding the major subunit of the glutamate synthase. A detailed physiological characterization of the gltB mutants revealed that they are unable to utilize a number of potential nitrogen sources, are defective in the ability to express nitrogen starvation proteins, display an aberrant cell morphology under nitrogen-limiting conditions, and are impaired in the capacity to survive prolonged nitrogen starvation periods.

Compilation and analysis of sigma(54)-dependent promoter sequences

Promoters recognized by the RNA-polymerase with the alternative sigma factor sigma(54) (Esigma54) are unique in having conserved positions around -24 and -12 nucleotides upstream from the transcriptional start site, instead of the typical -35 and -10 boxes. Here we compile 186 -24/-12 promoter sequences reported in the literature and generate an updated and extended consensus sequence. The use of the extended consensus increases the probability of identifying genuine -24/-12 promoters. The effect of several reported mutations at the -24/-12 elements on RNA-polymerase binding and promoter strength is discussed in the light of the updated consensus.

Nitrogen control in bacteria

Nitrogen metabolism in prokaryotes involves the coordinated expression of a large number of enzymes concerned with both utilization of extracellular nitrogen sources and intracellular biosynthesis of nitrogen-containing compounds. The control of this expression is determined by the availability of fixed nitrogen to the cell and is effected by complex regulatory networks involving regulation at both the transcriptional and posttranslational levels. While the most detailed studies to date have been carried out with enteric bacteria, there is a considerable body of evidence to show that the nitrogen regulation (ntr) systems described in the enterics extend to many other genera. Furthermore, as the range of bacteria in which the phenomenon of nitrogen control is examined is being extended, new regulatory mechanisms are also being discovered. In this review, we have attempted to summarize recent research in prokaryotic nitrogen control; to show the ubiquity of the ntr system, at least in gram-negative organisms; and to identify those areas and groups of organisms about which there is much still to learn.

Glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase ammonium-assimilating pathway in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Kinetic parameters of glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase (glutamine-oxoglutarate aminotransferase) (GOGAT) activities, including initial velocity, pH, and temperature optima, as well as Km values, were estimated in Schizosaccharomyces pombe crude cell-free extracts. Five glutamine auxotrophic mutants of S. pombe were isolated following MNNG treatment. These were designated gln1-1,2,3,4,5, and their growth could be repaired only by glutamine. Mutants gln1-1,2,3,4,5 were found to lack GS activity, but retained wild-type levels of NADP-glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), NAD-GDH, and GOGAT. One further glutamine auxotrophic mutant, gln1-6, was isolated and found to lack both GS and GOGAT but retained wild-type levels of NADP-GDH and NAD-GDH activities. Fortuitously, this isolate was found to harbor an unlinked second mutation (designated gog1-1), which resulted in complete loss of GOGAT activity but retained wild-type GS activity. The growth phenotype of mutant gog1-1 (in the absence of the gln1-6 mutation) was found to be indistinguishable from the wild type on various nitrogen sources, including ammonium as a sole nitrogen source. Double-mutant strains containing gog1-1 and gdh1-1 or gdh2-1 (mutations that result specifically in the abolition of NADP-GDH activity) result in a complete lack of growth on ammonium as sole nitrogen source in contrast to gdh or gog mutants alone.