In vivo kinetics of nitrogenase formation in Clostridium pasteurianum.

Clostridium pasteurianum exhibits diauxic growth when grown in the presence of both NH(3) and N(2); no nitrogenase activity or formation was detected either serologically or by activity during growth on NH(3). During the 60-min lag that ensued after NH(3) was consumed and before growth resumed, molybdoferredoxin and azoferredoxin were first detected by activity measurements and serologically at 25 and 40 min, respectively. With the use of rifampin and dactinomycin, it was found that azoferredoxin messenger ribonucleic acid was initiated between 25 and 30 min after the inception of the lag and was completed by 38 min. An explanation of these results and their relation to possible models for the regulation of nitrogenase is given.