Biological Significance of Pseudomonas Cytochrome Oxidase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

For the production of cytochrome oxidase in the cells of P. aeruginosa, KNO3 must be present in the culture medium. The cytochrome-oxidase formation was increased twice by the addition of CUSO4 (10 mg/1) under anaerobic condition, and was elevated 3-fold by aerobic cultivation. Aerobic, KNO3-less medium yielded only a trace of Pseudomonas cytochrome-oxidase and cytochrome a, but an unidentified terminal oxidase capable of oxidizing reduced mammalian cytochrome c, was produced under such conditions. A possible role of Pseudomonas cytochrome-oxidase may serve as an electron donor for the nitrate re-ductase system in the cell.