Production and oxidation of indole by Haemophilus influenzae

During growth in high concentrations of iron nitrate, H. influenzae produces compounds reactive in biochemical assays for hydroxamates. Mixing experiments established that nitrate was responsible for inducing these compounds. Analysis by 1H and 13C NMR and high resolution mass spectrometry identified the active species as 2,2-bis(3'-indolyl)indoxyl. Bacterial production of the latter compound has been previously observed only in Pseudomonas aureofaciens. A mutant defective in the production of 2,2-bis(3'-indolyl)indoxyl was constructed by marker insertion. The formation of indole and 2,2-bis (3'-indolyl)indoxyl was quantitated by reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography during growth in high concentrations of nitrate. The mutant produced high concentrations of indole, but only minimal amounts of 2,2-bis(3'-indolyl)indoxyl, and also proved to be defective in nitrate reduction. These data suggest that indole may function as an electron donor for nitrate reductase in H. influenzae.