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Expression of the Nitroarene Dioxygenase Genes in Comamonas sp. Strain JS765 and Acidovorax sp. Strain JS42 Is Induced by Multiple Aromatic Compounds

Daniel J. Lessner,^* Rebecca E. Parales, Shakti Narayan, and David T. Gibson

Department of Microbiology and Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242

Received 24 February 2003/ Accepted 19 April 2003

This work reports a genetic analysis of the expression of nitrobenzene dioxygenase (NBDO) in Comamonas sp. strain JS765 and 2-nitrotoluene dioxygenase (2NTDO) in Acidovorax sp. strain JS42. Strains JS765 and JS42 possess identical LysR-type regulatory proteins, NbzR and NtdR, respectively. NbzR/NtdR is homologous to NahR, the positive salicylate-responsive transcriptional activator of the naphthalene degradation genes in Pseudomonas putida G7. The genes encoding NBDO and 2NTDO in each strain are cotranscribed, and transcription starts at the same site within identical promoter regions for each operon. Results from a lacZ reporter gene fusion demonstrated that expression of NBDO and 2NTDO is induced by multiple aromatic compounds, including an array of nitroaromatic compounds (nitrobenzene, 2-, 3-, and 4-nitrotoluene, 2,4- and 2,6-dinitrotoluene, and aminodinitrotoluenes), as well as salicylate and anthranilate. The nitroaromatic compounds appear to be the actual effector molecules. Analysis of ß-galactosidase and 2NTDO activities with strain JS42 demonstrated that NtdR was required for induction by all of the inducing compounds, high basal-level expression of 2NTDO, and complementation of a JS42 ntdR null mutant. Complementation with the closely related regulators NagR (from Ralstonia sp. strain U2) and NahR restored only induction by the archetype inducers, salicylate or salicylate and anthranilate, respectively, and did not restore the high basal level of expression of 2NTDO. The mechanism of 2NTDO gene regulation in JS42, and presumably that of NBDO gene regulation in JS765, appear similar to that of NahR-regulated genes in Pseudomonas putida G7. However, NbzR and NtdR appear to have evolved a broader specificity in JS42 and JS765, allowing for recognition of nitroaromatic compounds while retaining the ability to respond to salicylate and anthranilate. NtdR is also the first example of a nitroarene-responsive LysR-type transcriptional activator.

Present address: Section of Microbiology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616.

Present address: Cell and Molecular Biology Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706.

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