Aerobic nitrate and nitrite reduction in continuous cultures of Escherichia coli E4

Abstract

Nitrate and nitrite was reduced by Escherichia coli E4 in a L-lactate (5 mM) limited culture in a chemostat operated at dissolved oxygen concentrations corresponding to 90-100% air saturation. Nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase activity was regulated by the growth rate, and oxygen and nitrate concentrations. At a low growth rate (0.11 h-1) nitrate and nitrite reductase activities of 200 nmol.mg-1 protein.min-1 and 250 nmol.mg-1 protein.min-1 were measured, respectively. At a high growth rate (0.55 h-1) both enzyme activities were considerably lower (25 and 12 nmol mg-1.protein.min-1). The steady state nitrite concentration in the chemostat was controlled by the combined action of the nitrate and nitrite reductase. Both nitrate and nitrite reductase activity were inversely proportional to the growth rate. The nitrite reductase activity decreased faster with growth rate than the nitrate reductase. The chemostat biomass concentration of E. coli E4, with ammonium either solely or combined with nitrate as a source of nitrogen, remained constant throughout all growth rates and was not affected by nitrite concentrations. Contrary to batch, E. coli E4 was able to grow in continuous cultures on nitrate as the sole source of nitrogen. When cultivated with nitrate as the sole source of nitrogen the chemostat biomass concentration is related to the activity of nitrate and nitrite reductase and hence, inversely proportional to growth rate.