Environmental Biotechnology

Electronic Journal of Biotechnology ISSN: 0717-3458 Vol. 12 No. 2, Issue of April 15, 2009
© 2009 by Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso -- Chile Received May 22, 2008 / Accepted January 21, 2009
DOI: 10.2225/vol12-issue2-fulltext-12
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Influence of metal ions and organic carbons on denitrification activity of the halotolerant bacterium, Paracoccus pantotrophus P16 a strain from shrimp pond

Punyawatt Pintathong
Biotechnology Program
School of Agricultural Technology
Walailak University
Thasala, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160
Thailand

David J. Richardson
Faculty of Science
School of Biological Sciences
University of East Anglia
Norwich, NR4 7TJ
United Kingdom

Stephen Spiro
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
University of Texas at Dallas
800 W Campbell Road, Richardson
Texas 75083-0688, USA

Wanna Choorit*
Biotechnology Program
School of Agricultural Technology
Walailak University
Thasala, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160
Thailand
Tel: 667 567 2355
Fax: 667 567 2302
E-mail: cwanna@wu.ac.th

*Corresponding author

Financial support: This work was supported by The Royal Golden Jubilee (RGJ) Ph.D. Program (2.B.WL/45/A.1).

Keywords: metal ions, nitrate reductase, nitrite accumulation, nitrite reductase, Paracoccus pantotrophus.

Abbreviations:

C/N: carbon per nitrate
DCW: dry cell weight
Fe3+: ferric ion
Mo6+: molybdenum ion
OD660: optical density at 660 nm

Abstract   Full Text

The effect of metal ions, ferric ion (Fe3+) and molybdenum ion (Mo6+) on the denitrification process of Paracoccus pantotrophus P16 grown under saline conditions was investigated. Results revealed that the dosages of added Fe3+ and Mo6+ significantly accelerated nitrate utilization and nitrite accumulation. Enzymatic studies revealed that the membrane-bound nitrate reductase and the periplasmic nitrite reductase had activities of 998 ± 28 and 373 ± 18 nmol (mg protein)-1 min-1, respectively after growing Paracoccus pantotrophus P16 in medium supplemented with 1.5 µM Fe3+. If provided with 1.5 µM Fe3+and 2.4 µM Mo6+, the membrane-bound nitrate reductase activity increased to 6,223 ± 502 nmol (mg protein)-1 min-1 and the periplasmic nitrite reductase was 344 ± 20 nmol (mg protein)-1 min-1. The results indicated that an addition of Fe3+ and Mo6+ led to an overstimulation of nitrate reductase activity as compared with nitrite reductase activity. When glucose was supplied, the minimal ratio of carbon per nitrate (C/N) was 2.31 mg C/mg NO3--N with denitrification yield of 0.45 g NO3--N/g C. Addition of ethanol instead of glucose, the minimal ratio of C/N was 1.15 mg C/mg NO3--N with denitrification yield of 1.08 g NO3--N/g C.

Supported by UNESCO / MIRCEN network