The Control of Sulphate Reduction in Bacteria

An enzyme from Escherichia coli 9723 that reduces adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-sulphatophosphate to inorganic sulphite is described. Extracts of E. coli K(12) and Bacillus subtilis 1379 contain a similar enzyme. 2. This reductase and sulphite reductase (EC 1.8.1.2) of E. coli 9723, E. coli K(12) and of B. subtilis are repressed by growth in the presence of l-cystine. Cysteine synthase (EC 4.2.1.22) is unaffected. 3. Growth of E. coli 9723 on inorganic sulphite represses the sulphate-activating enzymes (EC 2.7.7.4 and 2.7.1.25) almost completely but has little effect on sulphite reductase. Growth on 0.042-0.056mm-l-cystine gives a similar result. 4. Such differential repression by cyst(e)ine prevents E. coli, when growing on sulphite, from synthesizing unnecessary enzymes.