Open AccessThe isolation and identification of 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid formed by nitrogen‐fixing Azomonas macrocytogenes
Author(s) -
Westervelt Peter,
Bloom Michael L.,
Mabbott Gary A.,
Fekete Frank A.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1985.tb01105.x
Subject(s) - siderophore , chemistry , protocatechuic acid , ferric , fluorescence , biochemistry , agar , nitrogen , nuclear chemistry , iron deficiency , chromatography , biology , inorganic chemistry , bacteria , organic chemistry , gene , medicine , physics , genetics , quantum mechanics , anemia , antioxidant
The mechanism of iron acquisition was studied in nitrogen‐fixing Azomonas macrocytogenes . Spent solid agar plating medium samples from Fe‐deficient and Fe‐sufficient cultures were subjected to the high voltage paper electrophoresis siderophore assay. A yellow‐green fluorescent peptide was elicited only under conditions of iron deficiency, whereas a novel dark blue fluorescent, Arnowpositive phenolic compound was detected under both Fe‐deficient and Fe‐sufficient conditions. Both compounds formed colored complexes with ferric iron. SDS‐PAGE analysis of outer envelope protein preparations revealed the hyperproduction of an 83 kDa protein under iron‐limiting conditions. Chemical analysis indicated that the phenolate was 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid (protocatechuic acid), a compound previously unreported as an extracellular product of a diazotroph.