Insights on nitrate respiration by Shewanella

*Correspondence: Fengping Wang, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China e-mail: [email protected] †Present address: Ying Chen, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China Shewanellae are well known for their ability to utilize a number of electron acceptors and are therefore considered to have important roles in element cycling in the environment, such as nitrogen cycling through dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA) and denitrification. Possessing two periplasmic nitrate reductase systems (NAP-α and NAPβ) is a special trait of the Shewanella genus, and both enzymes are likely to provide selective advantage to the host. This review relates the current knowledge and aspects of the nitrate respiration system of Shewanella. Specifically, the potential physiological functions and regulation mechanisms of the duo-NAP system are discussed in addition to the evolution of anaerobic respiration systems of Shewanella.