Role of nitrite reductase in the ammonia-oxidizing pathway of Nitrosomonas europaea

Metabolism of ammonia (NH₃) and hydroxylamine (NH₂OH) by wild-type and a nitrite reductase (nirK) deficient mutant of Nitrosomonas europaea was investigated to clarify the role of NirK in the NH₃ oxidation pathway. NirK-deficient N. europaea grew more slowly, consumed less NH₃, had a lower rate of nitrite (NO₂ -) production, and a significantly higher rate of nitrous oxide (N₂O) production than the wild-type when incubated with NH₃ under high O₂ tension. In incubations with NH₃ under low O₂ tension, NirK-deficient N. europaea grew more slowly, but had only modest differences in NH₃ oxidation and product formation rates relative to the wild-type. In contrast, the nirK mutant oxidized NH₂OH to NO₂ - at consistently slower rates than the wild-type, especially under low O₂ tension, and lost a significant pool of NH₂OH-N to products other than NO₂ - and N₂O. The rate of N₂O production by the nirK mutant was ca. three times higher than the wild-type during hydrazine-dependent NO₂ - reduction under both high and low O₂ tension. Together, the results indicate that NirK activity supports growth of N. europaea by supporting the oxidation of NH₃ to NO₂ - via NH₂OH, and stimulation of hydrazine-dependent NO₂ - reduction by NirK-deficient N. europaea indicated the presence of an alternative, enzymatic pathway for N₂O production.