Effect of O 2 limitation on growth and respiration of the wild type and an ascorbate-tetramethyl- p -phenylenediamine-oxidase-negative mutant strain of Azotobacter vinelandii

Azotobacter vinelandii strain AVOP (wild type) and an ascorbate-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylene-p-phenylenediamine oxidase-negative mutant (AV11) were each grown in O2-limited chemostat cultures. The results showed that the mutant strain grew and used O2 less efficiently than the wild-type strain. Respiration rates of membrane particles with NADH or malate as the substrate were similar for each strain. Succinate oxidase activity was about fourfold lower in membrane particles prepared from mutant than from wild-type strain. Cyanide at a concentration that completely inhibited ascorbate-TMPD oxidase activity resulted in a 50% inhibition of NADH oxidase activity in membrane particles of AVOP. These data suggest that the cytochromeo,a1, oxidase branch of the respiratory chain may be important in the physiology ofA. vinelandii under O2-limiting growth conditions.