Characterization of the nitric oxide reductase-encoding region in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.3

A gene cluster which includes genes required for the expression of nitric oxide reductase in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.3 has been isolated and characterized. Sequence analysis indicates that the two proximal genes in the cluster are the Nor structural genes. These two genes and four distal genes apparently constitute an operon. Mutational analysis indicates that the two structural genes, norC and norB, and the genes immediately downstream, norQ and norD, are required for expression of an active Nor complex. The remaining two genes, nnrT and nnrU, are required for expression of both Nir and Nor. The products of norCBQD have significant identity with products from other denitrifiers, whereas the predicted nnrT and nnrU gene products have no similarity with products corresponding to other sequences in the database. Mutational analysis and functional complementation studies indicate that the nnrT and nnrU genes can be expressed from an internal promoter. Deletion analysis of the regulatory region upstream of norC indicated that a sequence motif which has identity to a motif in the gene encoding nitrite reductase in strain 2.4.3 is critical for nor operon expression. Regulatory studies demonstrated that the first four genes, norCBQD, are expressed only when the oxygen concentration is low and nitrate is present but that the two distal genes, nnrTU, are expressed constitutively.