fixK, a gene homologous with fnr and crp from Escherichia coli, regulates nitrogen fixation genes both positively and negatively in Rhizobium meliloti.

Nitrogen fixation genes are shown to undergo a complex positive and negative regulation in Rhizobium meliloti. Activation of fixN by fixLJ is shown to require a third regulatory gene, fixK. As fixK is activated by fixLJ, we propose a cascade model for fixN regulation such that fixLJ activates fixN via fixK. In addition fixK negatively regulates expression of the nif-specific activator nifA as well as its own expression by autoregulation. Thus nifA and fixK are subject to a mixed regulation, positive (by fixLJ) and negative (by fixK). The sequence of fixK shows homology with the Escherichia coli regulators fnr and crp, which makes fixK the third characterized member of this family of prokaryotic regulators.