Abstract
Gas chromatography was used to analyse the gases released by growing cultures of the denitrifying marine bacterium Pseudomonas perjectomarinus. When nitrate was provided as final oxidant, CO2 was the first detectable gas released. Following the peak rate of release of CO2 at approximately 16 h, N2 liheration began and peaked at 30 h. When N2O was provided as terminal oxidant, CO2 and N2 release began within a few hours and the rate of liberation of both increased for 45 to 50 h before leveling. Cell-free extracts of bacteria from denitrifying cultures of P. perfectomarinus were incubated anaerobically with nitrate, malic acid and electron transfer cofactors provided, and the gases in the atmosphere above the reaction mixtures were analysed. NO was found to be present transiently, and N2O was discerned after prolonged incubation. The applicability of gas chromatography to analyses of marine ecosystems and the need for better means of sampling the atmosphere above enzymatic reaction mixtures were disoussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Best, A. N., and W. J. Payne: Preliminary enzymatic events in asparagine-dependent denitrification by Pseudomonas perfectomarinus. J. Bacteriol. 89, 1051–1054 (1965).
Delwiche, C. C.: Production and utilization of nitrous oxide by Pseudomonas denitrificans. J. Bacteriol. 77, 55–59 (1959).
Goering, J. J., and R. C. Dugdale: Denitrification rates in an island bay in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Science 154, 505–506 (1966).
Gornall, A. G., C. S. Bardawill, and M. M. David: Determination of serum proteins by means of a biuret reaction. J. Biol. Chem. 177, 751–766 (1949).
Hollis, O. L.: Separation of gaseous mixtures using porous polyaromatic beads. Anal. Chem. 38, 309–316 (1966).
Rhodes, M. E., A. N. Best, and W. J. Payne: Electron donors and cofactors for denitrification by Pseudomonas perfectomarinus. Canad. J. Microbiol. 9, 799–807 (1963).
Sreenivasan, A., and R. Venkataraman: Marine denitrifying bacteria from South India. J. Gen. Microbiol. 15, 241–247 (1956).
Zobell, C. E., and H. C. Upham: A list of marine bacteria including description of sixty new species. Bull. Scripps Inst. Oceanog. 5, 239–292 (1944).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by G. L. Voss, Miami
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Barbaree, J.M., Payne, W.J. Products of denitrification by a marine bacterium as revealed by gas chromatography. Marine Biol. 1, 136–139 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00386519
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00386519