Effect of Glucose Utilization on Nitrite Excretion by the Unicellular Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803

Description

Up to 1 mM nitrite was excreted by Synechocystis strain 6803 cells growing under mixotrophic or photoheterotrophic conditions. This excretion is not due to a lower ratio of nitrite and nitrate reductase activities in the presence of glucose but seems to be related to a shortage of reduced ferredoxin, their electron donor, as a result of a decrease in noncyclic photosynthetic flow observed under these circumstances. Because about 60% of the reduced nitrate is excreted, the potential utilization of cyanobacteria for removal of nitrate from contaminated waters containing high concentrations of organic compounds is questioned.

Abstract

España Direccion General de Investigación Científica y Técnica grants PB88-0020 y PB91-0127

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