A Novel C1-Using Denitrifier Alcaligenes sp. STC1 and Its Genes for Copper-containing Nitrite Reductase and Azurin

Abstract

A novel denitrifier Alcaligenes sp. STC1 was identified. The strain efficiently denitrifies under an atmosphere of 10% oxygen (O₂) where Paracoccus denitrificans, one of the most studied aerobic denitrifiers, had less denitrifying activity, indicating that the strain has an O₂-torelant denitrifying system. It denitrified by using C1-carbon sources such as formate and methanol as well as glucose, glycerol, and succinate. The genes for the copper-containing nitrite reductase and azurin of this C1-using denitrifier were cloned. Their predicted products of them were similar to those of their counterparts and the maximum similarities were 90% and 92%, respectively.