The copper-responsive regulator CsoR is indirectly involved in Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens denitrification.

The soybean endosymbiont Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens harbours the complete denitrification pathway that is catalysed by a periplasmic nitrate reductase (Nap), a copper (Cu)-containing nitrite reductase (NirK), a c-type nitric oxide reductase (cNor), and a nitrous oxide reductase (Nos), encoded by the napEDABC, nirK, norCBQD, and nosRZDFYLX genes, respectively. Induction of denitrification genes requires low oxygen and nitric oxide, both signals integrated into a complex regulatory network comprised by two interconnected cascades, FixLJ-FixK2-NnrR and RegSR-NifA. Copper is a cofactor of NirK and Nos, but it has also a role in denitrification gene expression and protein synthesis.

Effect of Copper on Expression of Functional Genes and Proteins Associated with Denitrification.

Nitrous oxide (NO) is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Denitrification is one of the largest sources of NO in soils. The soybean endosymbiont is a model for rhizobial denitrification studies since, in addition to fixing N, it has the ability to grow anaerobically under free-living conditions by reducing nitrate from the medium through the complete denitrification pathway.