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Energetic aspects of growth of Paracoccus denitrificans: oxygen-limitation and shift from anaerobic nitrate-limination to aerobic succinate-limitation

Evidence for a new alternative oxidase, cytochrome a 1

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Abstract

1. Growth yields and efficiency of energy conservation were the same for aerobic succinate-limited and oxygen-limited cells of Paracoccus denitrificans. 2. A shift from anaerobic nitrate-limitation to aerobic succinatelimitation showed that before and after the shift cells grew with the same capacity of energy conservation. 3. Respiration-driven proton translocation showed the presence of H+-translocating sites 1 and 2, which translocate respectively 2–3 and 4 protons per 2 electrons in oxygen-, anaerobic nitrate-and aerobic succinate-limited cells. 4. Cytochrome spectra and flash-photolysis spectra of oxygen- and nitrate-limited cells gave evidence for the presence of an alternative oxidase, cytochrome a 1, never before recognized in Paracoccus denitrificans. 5. Only a-type cytochromes liganded with CO could be flash-photolysed. No evidence for a functional cytochrome o was found in photolysis experiments. 6. Fast oxidation, before photolysis, of the bc-pool after introduction of oxygen in a CO-liganded sample at-20° to-30° C, indicated the presence of a cytochrome oxidase other than cytochrome a 1 with a very high affinity for oxygen and a low affinity for CO. 7. In photochemical action spectra, light released CO-inhibition of respiration, but the release was independent of the wavelength used (560–610 nm).

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Abbreviations

TMPD:

N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Biological Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit, Postbus 7161, NL-1007 MC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    H. W. van Verseveld, M. Braster, F. C. Boogerd & A. H. Stouthamer

  2. Johnson Research Foundation, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, 19129, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    B. Chance

Authors
  1. H. W. van Verseveld
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  2. M. Braster
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  3. F. C. Boogerd
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  4. B. Chance
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  5. A. H. Stouthamer
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van Verseveld, H.W., Braster, M., Boogerd, F.C. et al. Energetic aspects of growth of Paracoccus denitrificans: oxygen-limitation and shift from anaerobic nitrate-limination to aerobic succinate-limitation. Arch Microbiol 135, 229–236 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00414485

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00414485

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