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Title: Biosynthesis of the iron-molybdenum cofactor and the molybdenum cofactor in Klebsiella pneumoniae: effect of sulfur source

Journal Article · · J. Bacteriol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5449608

NifQ/sup -/ and Mol/sup -/ mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae show an elevated molybdenum requirement for nitrogen fixation. Substitution of cystine for sulfate as the sulfur source in the medium reduced the molybdenum requirement of these mutants to levels required by the wild type. Cystine also increased the intracellular molybdenum accumulation of NifQ/sup -/ and Mol/sup -/ mutants. Cystine did not affect the molybdenum requirement or accumulation in wild-type K. pneumoniae. Sulfate transport and metabolism in K. pneumoniae were repressed by cystine. However, the effect of cystine on the molybdenum requirement could not be explained by an interaction between sulfate and molybdate at the transport level. The data show that cystine does not have a generalized effect on molybdenum metabolism. Millimolar concentrations of molybdate inhibited nitrogenase and nitrate reductase derepression with sulfate as the sulfur source, but not with cystine. The inhibition was the result of a specific antagonism of sulfate metabolism by molybdate. This study suggests that a sulfur donor and molybdenum interact at an early step in the biosynthesis of the iron-molybdenum cofactor. This interaction might occur nonenzymatically when the levels of the reactants are high.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
OSTI ID:
5449608
Journal Information:
J. Bacteriol.; (United States), Vol. 164:3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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