Reduction of azo dyes by redox mediators originating in the naphthalenesulfonic acid degradation pathway of Sphingomonas sp. strain BN6.

The anaerobic reduction of azo dyes by Sphingomonas sp. strain BN6 was analyzed. Aerobic conversion of 2-naphthalenesulfonate (2NS) by cells of strain BN6 stimulated the subsequent anaerobic reduction of the sulfonated azo dye amaranth at least 10-fold. In contrast, in crude extracts, the azo reductase activity was not stimulated. A mutant of strain BN6 which was not able to metabolize 2NS showed increased amaranth reduction rates only when the cells were resuspended in the culture supernatant of 2NS-grown BN6 wild-type cells. The same increase could be observed with different bacterial strains. This suggested the presence of an extracellular factor which was formed during the degradation of 2NS by strain BN6. The addition of 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene, the first intermediate of the degradation pathway of 2NS, or its decomposition products to cell suspensions of the mutant of strain BN6 (2NS-) increased the activity of amaranth reduction. The presence of bacterial cells was needed to maintain the reduction process. Thus, the decomposition products of 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene are suggested to act as redox mediators which are able to anaerobically shuttle reduction equivalents from the cells to the extracellular azo dye.