Bacterial catalysis of nitrosation: involvement of the nar operon of Escherichia coli.

We have developed a rapid and sensitive fluorimetric method, based on the formation of a fluorescent product from nitrosation of 2,3-diaminonaphthalene, for measuring the ability of bacteria to catalyze nitrosation of amines. We have shown in Escherichia coli that nitrosation can be induced under anaerobic conditions by nitrite and nitrate, that formate is the most efficient electron donor for this reaction, and that nitrosation may be catalyzed by nitrate reductase (EC 1.7.99.4). The narG mutants defective in nitrate reductase do not catalyze nitrosation, and the fnr gene is essential for nitrosation. Induction by nitrite or nitrate of nitrosation, N2O production, and nitrate reductase activity all require the narL gene.