Expression of the nir and nor genes for denitrification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa requires a novel CRP/FNR-related transcriptional regulator, DNR, in addition to ANR.

A gene, designated dnr, was identified in the vicinity of the structural genes for nitrite reductase (nirS) and nitric oxide reductase (norCB), and the gene for activation of the reductases (nirQ) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It encodes a protein of 227 amino acids homologous with the CRP/FNR-family transcriptional regulators. Promoter activities for nirS, nirQ and norCB were considerably reduced in the dnr mutant as well as in the mutant of anr, the other fnr-like regulatory gene from P. aeruginosa. This is the first finding that two CRP/FNR-related regulators are involved in denitrification in one strain.