title: Nitrogen metabolism and nitrogen control in corynebacteria: variations of a common theme.
abstract: The published genome sequences of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium efficiens, Corynebacterium glutamicum and Corynebacterium jeikeium were screened for genes encoding central components of nitrogen source uptake, nitrogen assimilation and nitrogen control systems. Interestingly, the soil-living species C. efficiens and C. glutamicum exhibit a broader spectrum of genes for nitrogen transport and metabolism than the pathogenic species C. diphtheriae and C. jeikeium. The latter are characterized by gene decay and loss of functions like urea metabolism and nitrogen-dependent transcription control. The global regulator of nitrogen regulation AmtR and its DNA-binding motif are conserved in C. diphtheriae, C. efficiens and C. glutamicum, while in C. jeikeium, an AmtR-encoding gene as well as putative AmtR-binding motifs are missing.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nurnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hänssler
authors.forename: Jörn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kalinowski
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burkovski
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D009584:Nitrogen