Studies suggesting the presence of more than one nitrite reductase in Neurospora crassa

Abstract

It is usually assumed that the reduction of nitrite by nitrite reductase results in the formation of ammonia. The purpose of this investigation was to enquire whether more than one nitrite reductase activity is responsible for in vivo nitrite reduction. An assay system which measures the production of ammonia, as a result of nitrite reductase is described. The. reduction of nitrite by nitrite reductase did not result in the formation of stoichiometric amounts of ammonia. Nitrite non-utilizing mutants showed that nitrite reduction could occur in vitro with no subsequent formation of ammonia or could result in the formation of essentially stoichiometric amounts of ammonia. Sedimentation velocity gradient centrifugation resulted in the separation of at least two peaks of nitrite reductase activity. A model is described which accounts for the results in terms of two nitrite reductase activities, necessary for in vivo nitrite reduction.