Use of a green fluorescent protein-based reporter fusion for detection of nitric oxide produced by denitrifiers

To determine if green fluorescent protein could be used as a reporter for detecting nitric oxide production, gfp was fused to nnrS from Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.3. nnrS was chosen because its expression requires nitric oxide. The presence of the fusion in R. sphaeroides 2.4.3 resulted in a significant increase in fluorescent intensity of the cells, but only when nitrite reductase was active. Cells lacking nitrite reductase activity and consequently the ability to generate nitric oxide were only weakly fluorescent when grown under denitrification-inducing conditions. One of the R. sphaeroides strains unable to generate nitric oxide endogenously was used as a reporter to detect exogenously produced nitric oxide. Incubation of this strain with sodium nitroprusside, a nitric oxide generator, significantly increased its fluorescence intensity. Mixing of known denitrifiers with the reporter strain also led to significant increases in fluorescence intensity, although the level varied depending on the denitrifier used. The reporter was tested on unknown isolates capable of growing anaerobically in the presence of nitrate, and one of these was able to induce expression of the fusion. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of this isolate placed it within the Thauera aromatica subgroup, which is known to contain denitrifiers. These experiments demonstrate that this green fluorescent protein-based assay provides a useful method for assessing the ability of bacteria to produce nitric oxide.