Effects of over-expression of the regulatory enzymes DraT and DraG on the ammonium-dependent post-translational regulation of nitrogenase reductase in Azospirillum brasilense

Arch Microbiol. 2005 Mar;183(3):209-17. doi: 10.1007/s00203-005-0763-z. Epub 2005 Feb 19.

Abstract

Nitrogen fixation in Azospirillum brasilense is regulated at transcriptional and post-translational levels. Post-translational control occurs through the reversible ADP-ribosylation of dinitrogenase reductase (Fe Protein), mediated by the dinitrogenase reductase ADP-ribosyltransferase (DraT) and dinitrogenase reductase glycohydrolase (DraG). Although the DraT and DraG activities are regulated in vivo, the molecules responsible for such regulation remain unknown. We have constructed broad-host-range plasmids capable of over-expressing, upon IPTG induction, the regulatory enzymes DraT and DraG as six-histidine-N-terminal fused proteins (His). Both DraT-His and DraG-His are functional in vivo. We have analyzed the effects of DraT-His and DraG-His over-expression on the post-translational modification of Fe Protein. The DraT-His over-expression led to Fe Protein modification in the absence of ammonium addition, while cells over-expressing DraG-His showed only partial ADP-ribosylation of Fe Protein by adding ammonium. These results suggest that both DraT-His and DraG-His lose their regulation upon over-expression, possible by titrating out negative regulators.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ADP Ribose Transferases / genetics
  • ADP Ribose Transferases / physiology
  • Azospirillum brasilense / enzymology*
  • Azospirillum brasilense / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • N-Glycosyl Hydrolases / genetics
  • N-Glycosyl Hydrolases / physiology
  • Oxidoreductases / metabolism*
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
  • draTG protein, Bacteria
  • Oxidoreductases
  • nitrogenase reductase
  • ADP Ribose Transferases
  • dinitrogenase reductase ADP-ribosyltransferase
  • N-Glycosyl Hydrolases
  • ADP-ribosyl-(dinitrogen reductase) hydrolase