Abstract
The uptake of ammonia and O2 by washed cells of Nitrosomonas has been followed simultaneously and continuously using electrode techniques. The stoichiometry of NH +4 oxidation, O2 uptake and NO -2 production was 1 : 1.5 : 1.0 and for NH2OH oxidation a ratio of 1 for O2 : NO -2 . A variety of inhibitors of electron transport and metals as well as uncouplers restricted ammonia uptake more markedly than O2 utilization. There is good evidence for the involvement of copper in the NH +4 uptake process.
A quinacrine fluorescence technique has been used to study the proton extrusion by washed cells on adding NH4Cl and NH2OH respectively as substrates. The uptake of NH +4 was followed by the extrusion of H+ and this process was depressed by those inhibitors which were also effective in the electrode experiments. A requirement for copper is also established for the translocation of protons into the medium, resulting from the uptake of NH +4 by cells.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- mCCCP:
-
carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone
- DBP:
-
2,4 dibromophenol
- DCCD:
-
N-N-dicyclohexylcarbodimide
- DIECA:
-
Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate
- DNP:
-
2,4 dinitrophenol
- HOQNO:
-
2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide
- NBD chloride:
-
4-chloro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole
- N-serve:
-
2-chloro-6-trichloromethyl-pyridine
- PCP:
-
pentachlorophenol
- 2-TMP:
-
2-trichloromethyl-pyridine
- TPB:
-
tetraphenylboron
- TTFA:
-
1-[thenoyl-(2′)]-3,3,3-trifluoracetone
- KSCN:
-
Potassium thiocyanate
References
Campbell, N. E. R., Aleem, M. I. H.: The effect of 2-Chloro, 6-trichloromethyl pyridine on the chemautotrophic metabolism of nitrifying bacteria. I. Ammonia and hydroxylamine oxidation by Nitrosomonas. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, J. Microbiol. Serol. 31, 124–136 (1965)
Edwards, C., Spode, J. A., Jones, C. W.: The properties of adenosine triphosphatase from exponential and synchronous cultures of Alcaligenes eutrophus H-16. Biochem. J. 172, 253–260 (1978)
Eilermann, L. J. M.: Oxidative phosphorylation in Azotobactor vinelandii. Atebrin as a fluorescent probe for the energized state. Biochim. biophys Acta (Amst.) 216, 231–233 (1970)
Haddock, B. A., Downie, J. A.: The reconstitution of functional respiratory chains in membranes from electron-transportdeficient mutants of Escherichia coli as demonstrated by quenching of atebrin fluorescence. Biochem. J. 142, 703–706 (1974)
Haddock, B. A., Kendall-Tobias, M. W.: Functional anaerobic electron transport linked to the reduction of nitrate and fumarate in membranes from Escherichia coli as demonstrated by quenching of atebrin fluorescene. Biochem. J. 152, 655–659 (1975)
Harold, F. M.: Anti-microbial agents and membrane function. In: Advances in Microbial physiology, Vol. 4. (A. H. Rose and J. F. Wilkinson, ed.), pp. 45–104. New York: Academic Press Inc. 1970
Hewitt, E. J., Nicholas, D. J. D.: Enzymes of inorganic nitrogen metabolism. In: Modern Methods of Plant Analysis, Vol 7 (Linskens, H. F., Sanwal, B. D. and Tracey, M. V., eds.), pp 67–172. Göttingen-Heidelberg: Springer 1964
Hofman, T., Lees, H.: The biochemistry of the nitrifying organisms. 4. The respiration and intermediary metabolism of Nitrosomonas. Biochem. J. 54, 579–583 (1953)
Hooper, A. B., Terry, K. R.: Specific inhibitors of ammonia oxidation in Nitrosomonas. J. Bacteriol. 115, 480–485 (1973)
Lees, H.: Hydroxylamine as an intermediate in nitrification. Nature (Lond.) 169, 156–157 (1952a)
Lees, H.: The biochemistry of the nitrifying organisms. I. The ammonia-oxidising systems of Nitrosomonas. Biochem. J. 52, 134–142 (1952b)
Mitchell, P.: Coupling of phosphorylation to electron and hydrogen transfer by a chemiosmotic type of mechanism. Nature (Lond.) 191, 144–148 (1961)
Mitchell, P.: Chemiosmotic coupling in oxidative and photosynthetic phosphorylation. Biol. Rev. 41, 445–502 (1966)
Mitchell, P.: Vectorial Chemistry and the molecular mechanics of the chemiosmotic coupling: power transmission by proticity. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 4, 399–430 (1976)
Nicholas, D. J. D., Wilson, P. W., Heinen, W., Palmer, G., Beinert, H.: Use of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy in investigations of functional metal components in microorganisms. Nature (Lond.) 196, 433–436 (1962)
Nicholas, D. J. D.: Intermediary metabolism of nitrifying bacteria, with particular reference to nitrogen, carbon and sulfer compounds. In: Microbiology (David Schlessinger, ed.), pp. 305–309. Washington, D. C.: American Society for Microbiology 1978
Plummer, David, T.: An introduction to practical biochemistry, p. 292. (U. K.) McGraw-Hill Book Company 1971
Rees, M., Nason, A.: Incorporation of atmospheric oxygen into nitrite formed during ammonia oxidation by Nitrosomonas europaea. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 113, 398–401 (1966)
Ritchie, G. A. F., Nicholas, D. J. D.: Identification of the sources of nitrous oxide produced by oxidative and reductive processes in Nitrosomonas europaea. Biochem. J. 126, 1181–1191 (1972)
Tuovinen, Olli H., Nicholas, D. J. D., Aleem, M. I. Hussain: Proton translocation in intact cells of Thiobacillus denitrificans. Arch. Microbiol. 113, 11–16 (1977)
Yoshida, T., Alexander, M.: Hydroxylamine formation by Nitrosomonas europaea. Can. J. Microbiol. 10, 923–926 (1964)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bhandari, B., Nicholas, D.J.D. Ammonia and O2 uptake in relation to proton translocation in cells of Nitrosomonas europaea . Arch. Microbiol. 122, 249–255 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411287
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411287