Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Isolation and characterisation of nitrate reductase mutants and regulation of nitrate reductase and nitrogenase in the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum

  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Chlorate resistant mutants of the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum isolated after N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) mutagenesis were found to be defective/blocked in nitrate reductase (NR).

The parent strain possessed active NR in the presence of nitrogen as nitrate and only basal levels of activity in ammonia and N-free grown cultures. Addition of ammonia suppressed the NR activity in the parent strain whereas addition of L-methionine DL-sulphoximine (MSX) restored NR activity. A similar repression by ammonia, glutamine and derepression with MSX were also observed for nitrogenase synthesis.

One class of mutants lacked NR activity (nar -) whereas the specific activity of NR was low in another class of mutants (nar def). Unlike the parent, the mutants synthesized nitrogenase and differentiated heterocysts in the presence of nitrate nitrogen. Uptake studies of nitrite and ammonia in mutants revealed that they possessed both nitrite reductase and glutamine synthetases (GS) at low levels, and the same level respectively in comparison with the parent.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen MB, Arnon DI (1955) Studies on nitrogen fixing blue-green algae. I. Growth and nitrogen fixation by Anabaena cylindrica Lemm. Plant Physiol 30:366–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Bottomley PJ, Grillo JF, Van Baalen C, Tabita FR (1979) Synthesis of nitrogenase and heterocyst by Anabaena sp. CA in the presence of high level of ammonia. J Bacteriol 140:938–943

    Google Scholar 

  • Burris RH, Wilson PW (1957) Methods for measurement of nitrogen fixation. In: Colovick SP and Kaplan NO (eds) Methods in enzymology, vol 4. Academic Press, New York, pp 355–366

    Google Scholar 

  • Herbert D, Phipps PJ, Strange RE (1971) Chemical analysis of microbial cells. In: Norris JR and Ribbons DW (eds) Methods in microbiology, vol 5 B. Academic Press, New York, pp 209–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrero A, Flores E, Guerrero MG (1981) Regulation of nitrate reductase levels in the cyanobacteria Anacystis nidulans, Anabaena sp. Strain 7119 and Nostoc sp. Strain 6719. J Bacteriol 145:175–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Manzano C, Candan P, Gomez-Moreno C, Relimpio AM, Losada M (1976) Ferrerdoxin-dependent photosynthetic reduction of nitrate and nitrite by particles of Anacystis nidulans. Mol Cell Biochem 10:161–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholas DJD (1953) Chemical tissue tests for determining the mineral status of plants. England Salisbury, Tintometer Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohmori M, Ohmori K, Startmann H (1977) Inhibition of nitrate uptake by ammonia in a blue-green algae, Anabaena cylindrica. Arch Microbiol 114:225–229

    Google Scholar 

  • Padhy RN, Singh PK (1978) Genetical studies on the heterocyst and nitrogen fixation of the blue-green alga Nostoc muscorum. Molec Gen Genet 162:203–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Safferman RS, Morris ME (1964) Growth characteristics of the blue-green algal virus LPP-1. J Bacteriol 88:771–775

    Google Scholar 

  • Schollhorn R, Burris RH (1967) Acetylene as a competitive inhibitor of N2-fixation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 58:213–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh PK (1976a) Growth and nitrogen fixation of mutants defective in heterocyst differentiation in the blue-green alga Cylindrospermum sp. Z Allg Microbiol 16:453–463

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh PK (1976b) Growth and nitrogen fixation of a mutant of blue-green alga Wollea bhardwajae defective in heterocyst development. Biochem Physiol Pflanzen 170:237–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh RN, Dikshit RP (1976) Mutagenesis of the blue-green alga Anabaena doliolum bhardwajae. Mutat Res 35:65–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh HN, Sonie KC (1977) Isolation and characterization of chlorate resistant mutants of the blue-green alga Nostoc muscorum. Mutat Res 43:205–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh RN, Singh SP, Singh PK (1972) Genetic regulation of nitrogen fixation in blue-green algae. In: Desikachary TV (ed) Taxonomy and biology of blue-green algae. Madras University of Madras Press, p 264–268

  • Snell FD, Snell CT (1949) Nitrites by sulfanilamide N (1-naphthyl) ethylene diamine hydrochloride. Colorimetric methods of analysis (III/d), vol 2, pp 785–807

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens SE Jr, Van Baalen C (1974) Control of nitrate reductase in a blue-green alga. The effects of inhibitors, blue light and ammonia. Arch Biochem Biophys 161:146–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart WDP (1980) Some aspects of structure and function in N2 fixing cyanobacteria. Ann Rev Microbiol 34:497–536

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Blue-green Algae, Central Rice Research Institute, 753006, Cuttack, Orissa, India

    K. D. Pandey & P. K. Singh

Authors
  1. K. D. Pandey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. K. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by D. Goldfarb

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pandey, K.D., Singh, P.K. Isolation and characterisation of nitrate reductase mutants and regulation of nitrate reductase and nitrogenase in the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum . Mol Gen Genet 195, 180–185 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00332743

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00332743

Keywords

Search

Navigation