Nitrate reductases of Escherichia coli: sequence of the second nitrate reductase and comparison with that encoded by the narGHJI operon.

The structural genes for NRZ, the second nitrate reductase of Escherichia coli, have been sequenced. They are organized in a transcription unit, narZYWV, encoding four subunits, NarZ, NarY, NarW and NarV. The transcription unit is homologous (73% identity) to the narGHJI operon which encodes the genes for NRA, the better characterized nitrate reductase of this organism. The level of homology between the corresponding polypeptides ranges from 69% for the NarW/NarJ pair to 86% for the NarV/NarI pair. The NarZ polypeptide contains the five conserved regions present in all other known molybdoproteins of E. coli and their relative order is the same. The NarY polypeptide, which contains the same four cysteine clusters in the same order as NarH, is probably an electron transfer unit of the complex. Upstream of narZ, an open reading frame, ORFA, is present which could encode a product which has homology (73% identity) with the COOH-terminal end of NarK. The ORFA-narZ intergenic region, however, is about 80 nucleotides long and does not contain the cis-acting elements, NarL and Fnr boxes, nor the terC4 terminator sequence present in the 500 nucleotide narK-narG intergenic region. This might explain why the narZYWV and the narGHJI operons are regulated differently. Our results tend to support the hypothesis that a DNA fragment larger than that encompassing the narGHJI genes has been duplicated.

Nitrate reductase of Escherichia coli: completion of the nucleotide sequence of the nar operon and reassessment of the role of the alpha and beta subunits in iron binding and electron transfer.

The nucleotide sequence of the narGHJI operon that encodes the nitrate reductase of Escherichia coli was completed. It encodes four polypeptides NarG, NarH, NarJ and NarI of molecular weight 138.7, 57.7, 26.5 and 25.5 kDa, respectively. The analysis of deduced amino acid sequence failed to reveal any structure capable of binding iron within the NarG polypeptide. In contrast, cysteine arrangements typical of iron-sulfur centers were found in the NarH polypeptide. This suggested that the latter is an electron transfer unit of the nitrate reductase complex. Such a view is opposite to the current description of the nitrate reductase. The findings allowed us to propose a model for the electron transfer steps that occur during nitrate reduction. The NarG polypeptide was found to display a high degree of homology with numerous E. coli molybdoproteins. Moreover, the same genetic and functional organizations as well as the presence of highly conserved stretches of amino acids were noted between both NarG/NarH and DmsA/DmsB (encoding the dimethyl sulfoxide reductase) pairs.

Biochemical and immunological evidence for a second nitrate reductase in Escherichia coli K12.

Genes different from those of the narGHI operon and encoding a nitrate reductase activity have been cloned by Bonnefoy et al. (unpublished results). We have shown by the use of well-known assay methods that the encoded enzyme activity is catalyzed by a true nitrate reductase and not by trimethylamine-N-oxide reductase or formate dehydrogenase. The biochemical and immunological study, employing anti-(nitrate reductase) serum raised against the known enzyme, revealed that Escherichia coli contains a second nitrate reductase (nitrate reductase Z) which shares some similarities as well as differences with the known enzyme. By using a strain with a deletion of the narGHI operon and carrying a multicopy plasmid having the nitrate reductase Z genes, we have shown that nitrate reductase Z is a membrane-bound molybdoenzyme able to couple formate oxidation with nitrate reduction. Like the known nitrate reductase, this enzyme has chlorate reductase activity. The molecular mass and pH and temperature dependence of enzyme Z are similar to these of the known enzyme. On the other hand the two enzymes have significant difference in their electrophoretic mobility on polyacrylamide gels. Unlike the known enzyme, enzyme Z is synthesized in small amounts; the expression of its structural genes does not seem to be induced by nitrate, repressed by oxygen or activated by the product of the fnr gene. The immunological comparison of the two enzymes was performed by rocket immunoelectrophoresis, double diffusion on agar plates and immunoblots. These techniques disclosed a difference between the two enzymes in their recognition by the antiserum and showed that E. coli has two types of nitrate reductase.

Involvement of a protein with molybdenum cofactor in the in vitro activation of nitrate reductase from a chlA mutant of Escherichia coli K12.

Chlorate-resistant mutants are pleiotropically defective in molybdoenzyme activities. The inactive derivative of the molybdoenzyme, respiratory nitrate reductase (nitrite: (acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.7.99.4), which is present in cell-free extracts of chlA mutants can be activated by addition of purified protein PA, the presumed active product of the chlA+ locus, but the activity of the purified protein PA is low, since comparatively large amounts of protein PA are required for the activation. Addition of 10 mM tungstate to the growth medium of a chlBchlC double mutant leads to inactivation of both the molybdenum cofactor and protein PA. Protein PA prepared from such cells was unable to potentiate the in vitro activation of nitrate reductase present in the soluble fraction of a chlA mutant. Quantitation of inactive protein PA was determined immunologically using protein PA-specific antiserum. When a heat-treated extract of a wild-type strain was added to purified protein PA or to the supernatant fraction of a chlBchlC double mutant grown with tungstate, a large stimulation in the ability of these preparations to activate chlA nitrate reductase was found. We equate the activator of protein PA with molybdenum cofactor because: (1) both are absent from heated extracts of tungstate-grown chlBchlC double mutant and cofactor defective chlA and chlE mutants; (2) both are present in heated extracts of wild-type strain; and (3) they behave identically on molecular-sieve columns.