Characterization of transcripts expressed from nitrogenase-3 structural genes of Azotobacter vinelandii

Five major anfH-hybridizing mRNA species accumulated in Azobacter vinelandii cells derepressed for nitrogenase-3 (an alternative nitrogenase, which appears to lack Mo and V). Using anfH-, anfD-, anfG-, anfK-, and orflorf2-specific probes and mutant strains of A. vinelandii these mRNA species have been identified as encoding anfHDGKorflorf2 (6.0 kb), anfHDGK (4.3 kb), anfHD (2.6 kb), vnfHorfFd (1.3 kb), and vnfH and (or) anfH (1.0 kb). A 0.6-kb mRNA species, which hybridized only to the orflorf2-specific probe, and a 3.5-kb mRNA species, which hybridized to anfD or anfK, also accumulated under these conditions. Northern blot analysis and S1 nuclease mapping indicate that transcription of the anf structural gene cluster initiates at a unique nif consensus promoter situated 127 base pairs upstream from the anfH coding region. Observation of anfH-hybridizing mRNA species that accumulate in strains derepressed for nitrogen fixation demonstrates that transcription of the anfHDGKorflorf2 cluster is normally repressed by Mo, V, and NH4+, whereas transcription of the vnfHorfFd cluster does not require the presence of V and is repressed only by Mo, but not NH4+. Analysis of the accumulation of mRNAs in a tungsten-tolerant strain revealed that Mo and V repression of anf transcription must occur by different mechanisms.