Nitric Oxide is a Bioproduct in Prokaryotes

Abstract

It was known since the 1960's that various denitrifying bacteria generate NO as an intermediate product of their dissimilatory NO3− metabolism (Mar Biol 1:136--139, 1967; J Bacteriol 106:356--361, 1971; Appl Environ Microbiol 31:504--508, 1976). Today several prokaryote species are known as NO producers; many of them synthesize NO by reduction of NO2−, while others contain NOS-like enzymes and show oxidative NO generation from L-arginine or N$ω$-hydroxy-L-arginine (Arch Microbiol 160:253--264, 1993; Trends Microbiol 17:212--218, 2009; Annu Rev Biochem 79:445--470, 2010). Various ecological niches house these NO producer prokaryotes: marine environments (Int J Syst Bacteriol 33:857--865, 1983; Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 55:919--924, 2005; Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 56:2153--2156, 2006; Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 104:678--682, 2009; Res Microbiol 161:604--612, 2010), poorly ventilated or flooded soils (Mol Biol Rev 61:533--616, 1997), contaminated and eutrophized waters (Shapleigh J The denitrifying prokaryotes. In: Dworkin M, Falkow S, Rosenberg E, Schleifer K-H, Stackebrandt E (eds) The Prokaryotes. Springer, New York, pp. 769--792, 2006; Water Environ Res 79:2499--2509, 2007; Water Res 42:812--826, 2008), fermented meat or milk products (J Bacteriol 179:7812--7815, 1997; Eur Food Res Technol 223:35--38, 2006; Int J Food Microbiol 120:303--310, 2007) and the surface of mucosal barriers (New Horiz 3:352--364, 1995; Inflammation 21:443--450, 1997) are all colonized by NO synthesizing bacteria.