Nitrite oxidoreductase

Nitrite oxidoreductase (NOR or NXR) is an enzyme involved in nitrification. It is the last step in the process of aerobic ammonia oxidation, which is carried out by two groups of nitrifying bacteria: ammonia oxidizers such as Nitrosospira, Nitrosomonas and Nitrosococcus convert ammonia to nitrite, while nitrite oxidizers such as Nitrobacter and Nitrospira oxidize nitrite to nitrate.

The enzyme is bound to the inner cytoplasmic surface of the bacterial membrane and contains multiple subunits, iron-sulfur centers and a molybdenum cofactor.^[1][2] The enzyme is relatively abundant, making up 10-30% of the total protein in these bacteria and forms densely packed structures on the membrane surface.^[3]

Reaction

${\displaystyle {\ce {{nitrite}+acceptor<=>{nitrate}+reduced\ acceptor}}}$

See also

• Microbial metabolism
• Ferredoxin—nitrite reductase involved in the assimilation of nitrates by plants

References

1. Spieck E, Ehrich S, Aamand J, Bock E (1998). "Isolation and immunocytochemical location of the nitrite-oxidizing system in nitrospira moscoviensis". Arch. Microbiol. 169 (3): 225–30. doi:10.1007/s002030050565. PMID 9477257.
2. Meincke M, Bock E, Kastrau D, Kroneck PMH (2004). "Nitrite oxidoreductase from Nitrobacter hamburgensis: redox centers and their catalytic role". Arch. Microbiol. 158 (2): 127–31. doi:10.1007/BF00245215.
3. Spieck E, Muller S, Engel A, Mandelkow E, Patel H (1996). "Two-dimensional structure of membrane-bound nitrite oxidoreductase from Nitrobacter hamburgensis" (PDF). J. Struct. Biol. 117 (2): 117–123. doi:10.1006/jsbi.1996.0076.

External links

• MetaCyc Pathway: nitrite oxidation