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Published on: February 7, 2013

EFFECT OF HEMIN AND OXYGEN TENSION ON GROWTH AND NITRATE REDUCTION BY BACTERIA

N J JACOBS, R E HEADY, J M JACOBS

    Journal of Bacteriology
    |June 1, 1964
    PubMed

    Insights

    Hemin supplementation enhanced anaerobic bacterial growth and nitrate reduction in some species, particularly staphylococci. However, its effect varied significantly with oxygen levels and bacterial type.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Bacterial Physiology
    • Biochemistry

    Background:

    • Nitrate reduction is a key metabolic process in various bacteria.
    • Hemin, a porphyrin-containing prosthetic group, plays roles in oxygen transport and electron transfer.
    • Oxygen tension significantly influences bacterial growth and metabolic pathways.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the impact of hemin supplementation on bacterial growth.
    • To determine the effect of hemin on nitrate reduction under varying oxygen tensions.
    • To identify bacterial species that benefit from hemin under specific atmospheric conditions.

    Main Methods:

    • Culturing of various bacterial strains, including staphylococci, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas denitrificans, Escherichia coli, Bacillus polymyxa, and Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
    • Supplementation of growth media with hemin.
    • Incubation under both aerobic (stationary cultures exposed to air) and anaerobic conditions.
    • Monitoring of bacterial growth and nitrate reduction (nitrite production).

    Main Results:

    • Hemin had no discernible effect on nitrate reduction in aerobic cultures.
    • Under anaerobic conditions, six facultative anaerobic staphylococci strains required hemin for growth and nitrate reduction in complex media.
    • One Staphylococcus strain needed both hemin and nitrate for anaerobic growth in a defined medium.
    • Hemin stimulated anaerobic growth and nitrite production in Bacillus subtilis, but this response was reduced compared to static atmospheric conditions.
    • Hemin did not affect anaerobic growth or nitrate reduction in Pseudomonas denitrificans, Escherichia coli, Bacillus polymyxa, or Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

    Conclusions:

    • Hemin is essential for anaerobic growth and nitrate reduction in certain facultative anaerobic staphylococci.
    • The requirement for hemin is dependent on oxygen availability and the specific bacterial species.
    • Hemin can influence bacterial metabolism, particularly under anaerobic conditions, but its role is not universal across all bacterial types studied.

    Keywords:
    BACILLUS SUBTILISBACTERIACORYNEBACTERIUM DIPHTHERIAEESCHERICHIA COLIEXPERIMENTAL LAB STUDYHEMEMETABOLISMNITRATESOXYGENPHARMACOLOGYPSEUDOMONASSTAPHYLOCOCCUS

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