This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by McCarthy, C M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by McCarthy, C M

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Clin Microbiol. 1987 February; 25(2): 263-267

Utilization of nitrate or nitrite as single nitrogen source by Mycobacterium avium.

ABSTRACT

Twenty L-amino acids and several inorganic compounds were tested individually, as a sole nitrogen source, for ability to support the growth of Mycobacterium avium LM1 serovar 1. Of the amino acids tested, only L-glutamine provided nutritional support comparable to that of ammonium chloride at 1 mM. With either 1 mM potassium nitrate or nitrite substituted for ammonium chloride, similar numbers of CFU were produced. M. avium cells were grown in potassium nitrate or nitrite concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mM, and the medium was assayed for remaining nitrogen compound at several times during growth. Rates of utilization were of first-order kinetics, with nitrite removed more rapidly than nitrate. The rates were approximately 10 times as rapid at 0.25 mM than at 2 mM for either nitrogen source. Nine clinical isolates that included M. avium serovars 1, 4, and 8 and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum serovar 43 were tested for rate of utilization of ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite. Ammonia and nitrite were utilized with first-order kinetics by all strains. Nitrate utilization occurred but was not at the same level for all strains. Clinical tests indicate that M. avium is negative for nitrate reductase; this is because of the rapid reduction of nitrite produced from nitrate.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Goh, K. S., Rastogi, N., Berchel, M., Huard, R. C., Sola, C. (2005). Molecular Evolutionary History of Tubercle Bacilli Assessed by Study of the Polymorphic Nucleotide within the Nitrate Reductase (narGHJI) Operon Promoter. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43: 4010-4014 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chen, J. M., Alexander, D. C., Behr, M. A., Liu, J. (2003). Mycobacterium bovis BCG Vaccines Exhibit Defects in Alanine and Serine Catabolism. Infect. Immun. 71: 708-716 [Abstract] [Full Text]