title: Utilization of creatinine as an alternative nitrogen source in Corynebacterium glutamicum.
abstract: In order to utilize different nitrogen sources and to survive situations of nitrogen limitation, microorganisms have developed several mechanisms to adapt their metabolism to changes in the nitrogen supply. In this communication, the use of creatinine as an alternative nitrogen source in Corynebacterium glutamicum, the identification of a membrane protein involved in creatinine uptake, the transcriptional regulation of the corresponding gene, and expression regulation of the gene encoding the creatinine deaminase are reported. As shown by mutant analyses, RNA hybridization experiments and real-time PCR, the expression of two genes, crnT and codA, is increased in response to nitrogen limitation, and regulation depends on the global nitrogen regulator AmtR. In addition, synthesis of creatinine deaminase during nitrogen starvation was shown by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF-MS followed by peptide mass fingerprint analysis.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biochemie der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher-Str. 47, 50674, Köln, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bendt
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beckers
authors.forename: Maike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silberbach
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wittmann
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burkovski
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000619:Aminohydrolases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D001692:Biological Transport; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017672:Nitrogen Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: C414398:AmtR protein, Corynebacterium glutamicum; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017672:Nitrogen Compounds; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D003404:Creatinine; D000619:Aminohydrolases; C023157:creatinine deiminase