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L-Lactate-driven ferric and nitrate reduction was studied in Escherichia coli E4. Ferric iron reduction activity in E. coli E4 was found to be constitutive. Contrary to nitrate, ferric iron could not be used as electron acceptor for growth. "Ferric iron reductase" activity of 9 nmol Fe2+ mg-1 protein min-1 could not be inhibited by inhibitors for the respiratory chain, like Rotenone. Quinacrine, Actinomycin A, or potassium cyanide. Active cells and L-lactate were required for ferric iron reduction. The L-lactate-driven nitrate respiration in E. coli E4 leading to the production of nitrite, was reduced to about 20% of its maximum activity with 5 mM ferric iron, or to about 50% in presence of 5 mM ferrous iron. The inhibition was caused by nitric oxide formed by a purely chemical reduction of nitrite by ferrous iron. Nitric oxide was further chemically reduced by ferrous iron to nitrous oxide. With electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, the presence of a free [Fe2(+)-NO] complex was shown. In presence of ferrous or ferric iron and L-lactate, nitrate was anaerobically converted to nitric oxide and nitrous oxide by the combined action of E. coli E4 and chemical reduction reactions (chemodenitrification).

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Nitrate and nitrite was reduced by Escherichia coli E4 in a L-lactate (5 mM) limited culture in a chemostat operated at dissolved oxygen concentrations corresponding to 90-100% air saturation. Nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase activity was regulated by the growth rate, and oxygen and nitrate concentrations. At a low growth rate (0.11 h-1) nitrate and nitrite reductase activities of 200 nmol.mg-1 protein.min-1 and 250 nmol.mg-1 protein.min-1 were measured, respectively. At a high growth rate (0.55 h-1) both enzyme activities were considerably lower (25 and 12 nmol mg-1.protein.min-1). The steady state nitrite concentration in the chemostat was controlled by the combined action of the nitrate and nitrite reductase. Both nitrate and nitrite reductase activity were inversely proportional to the growth rate. The nitrite reductase activity decreased faster with growth rate than the nitrate reductase. The chemostat biomass concentration of E. coli E4, with ammonium either solely or combined with nitrate as a source of nitrogen, remained constant throughout all growth rates and was not affected by nitrite concentrations. Contrary to batch, E. coli E4 was able to grow in continuous cultures on nitrate as the sole source of nitrogen. When cultivated with nitrate as the sole source of nitrogen the chemostat biomass concentration is related to the activity of nitrate and nitrite reductase and hence, inversely proportional to growth rate.