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I do it my way: regulation of ammonium uptake and ammonium assimilation in Corynebacterium glutamicum

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Abstract

In order to utilize different nitrogen sources and to survive situations of nitrogen limitation, microorganisms have developed several mechanisms to adapt their metabolism to changes in the nitrogen supply. In this communication, recent advances in our knowledge of ammonium uptake, its assimilation, and connected regulatory systems in Corynebacterium glutamicum are discussed with respect to the situation in the bacterial model organisms Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The regulatory network of nitrogen control in C. glutamicum differs substantially from that in these bacteria, for example, by the presence of AmtR, the unique "master regulator" of nitrogen control, the absence of a NtrB/NtrC two-component signal transduction system, and a different sensing mechanism in C. glutamicum.

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks R. Krämer for his continuous support and interest, S. Waffenschmidt for proofreading of the manuscript, and all co-workers and collaborators for their contributions to the investigation of nitrogen control in C. glutamicum. Work in the author's lab related to nitrogen metabolism in C. glutamicum was supported by Degussa AG, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant BU 894/1–1), and the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung.

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  1. Institut für Biochemie der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher-Strasse 47, 50674 , Köln, Germany

    Andreas Burkovski

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  1. Andreas Burkovski
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Correspondence to Andreas Burkovski.

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Burkovski, A. I do it my way: regulation of ammonium uptake and ammonium assimilation in Corynebacterium glutamicum . Arch Microbiol 179, 83–88 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-002-0505-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-002-0505-4

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