Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC13 Phytoplankton: Trace Metals and Biochemistry

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Granger, J, , Princeton University, Princeton, USA, jgranger@princeton.edu

Ward, B, B, Princeton University, Princeton, USA, bbw@princeton.edu

THE ROLE OF COPPER AND IRON IN DENITRIFICATION

The denitrifying enzymes that are induced by facultative anaerobes under low oxygen conditions incorporate metals at their reaction centers, particularly copper and iron. We grew batch cultures of denitrifying bacterial isolates to investigate their physiological response to copper and iron limitation. Copper and iron deprivation had similar effects, resulting in slower rates of metabolism compared to metal-replete cultures. One outstanding effect of copper limitation was a marked accumulation of nitrite or nitrous oxide gas that was not observed in either iron-poor or metal-replete cultures. We propose that nitrous oxide accumulation in denitrifying regions of the ocean may be linked to copper limitation.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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