Nickel and Al-excess inhibit nitrate reductase but upregulate activities of aminating glutamate dehydrogenase and aminotransferases in growing rice seedlings

The present study was undertaken to examine the influence of toxic levels of Ni and Al, on the activities of key nitrogen assimilatory enzymes in roots and shoots of growing rice seedlings. When seedlings of two inbred rice (Oryza sativa L.) cvs. Malviya-36 and Pant-12, sensitive to both Ni and Al, were raised in sand cultures containing 200 and 400 μM NiSO₄ or 80 and 160 μM Al₂(SO₄)₃, a marked inhibition in the activities of NO₃ ⁻ assimilatory enzymes NR and GS was observed in roots as well as shoots during a 5–20 day growth period. Both Ni and Al treatments, in growth medium, stimulated the activity of aminating glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-GDH) whereas the activity of deaminating GDH (NAD⁺-GDH) decreased under metal toxicities. The activities of the aminotransferases studied; alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT) and aspartate amino transferase (AspAT) increased due to Ni and Al treatments. Results suggest that both Ni and Al treatments impair N assimilation in rice seedlings by inhibiting the activities of NR and GS and that GDH appears to play a role in assimilation of NH₄ ⁺ in metal stress conditions. Further, higher activity of aminotransferases in metal stressed seedlings might be helpful in meeting higher demand of amino acids under stressed conditions.     

Development of nitrogen-assimilating enzymes in sunflower cotyledons during germination as affected by the exogenous nitrogen source

Activities of nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.1), nitrite reductase (NiR; EC 1.7.7.1), glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.3) were measured in cotyledons of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv Peredovic) seedlings during germination and early growth under various external nitrogen sources. The presence of NO ₃ ^- in the medium promoted a gradual increase in the levels of NR and NiR activities during the first 7 d of germination. Neither NR nor NiR activities were increased in a nitrogen-free medium or in media with either NH ₄ ⁺ or urea as nitrogen sources. Moreover, the presence of NH ₄ ⁺ did not abolish the NO ₃ ^- -dependent appearance of NR and NiR activities. The increase of NR activity was impaired both by cycloheximide and chloramphenicol, which indicates that both cytoplasmic 80S and plastidic 70S ribosomes are involved in the synthesis of the NR molecule. By contrast, the appearance of NiR activity was only inhibited by cycloheximide, indicating that NiR seems to be exclusively synthesized on the cytoplasmic 80S ribosomes. Glutamine-synthetase activity was also strongly increased by external NO ₃ ^- but not by NH ₄ ⁺ or urea. The appearance of GS activity was more efficiently suppressed by cycloheximide than chloramphenicol. This indicates that GS is mostly synthesized in the cytoplasm. The cotyledons of the dry seed contain high levels of GDH activity which decline during germination independently of the presence or absence of a nitrogen source. Cycloheximide, but not chloramphenicol, greatly prevented the decrease of GDH activity.Abbreviations GDH glutamate dehydrogenase - GS glutamine synthetase - NiR nitrite reductase - NR nitrate reductase     

Photorespiration Process and Nitrogen Metabolism in Lettuce Plants (Lactuca sativa L.): Induced Changes in Response to Iodine Biofortification

Iodine is vital to human health, and iodine biofortification programs help improve human intake through plant consumption. There is no research on whether iodine biofortification influences basic plant physiological processes. Because nitrogen (N) uptake, utilization, and accumulation are determining factors in crop yield, the aim of this work was to establish the effect of the application of different doses (20, 40, and 80 μM) and forms of iodine (iodate [IO₃ ⁻] vs. Iodide [I⁻]) on N metabolism and photorespiration. For this study we analyzed shoot biomass and the activities of nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), aspartate aminotransferase (AAT), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), glycolate oxidase (GO), glutamate:glyoxylate aminotransferase (GGAT), serine:glyoxylate aminotransferase (SGAT), hydroxypyruvate reductase (HR) and catalase (CAT), nitrate (NO₃ ⁻), ammonium (NH₄ ⁺), organic and total N, amino acids, proteins, serine (ser), malate, and α-ketoglutaric acid in edible lettuce leaves. Application of I⁻ at doses of at least 40 μM reduced the foliar concentration of NO₃ ⁻ with no decrease in biomass production, which may improve the nutritional quality of lettuce plants. In contrast, the application of 80 μM of I⁻ is phytotoxic for lettuce plants, reducing the biomass, foliar concentration of organic N and NO₃ ⁻, and NR and GDH activities. HR activity is significantly inhibited with all doses of I⁻; the least inhibition was at 80 μM. This may involve a decrease in the incorporation of carbonated skeletons from photorespiration into the Calvin cycle, which may be partially associated with the biomass decrease. Finally, the application of IO₃ ⁻ increases biomass production, stimulates NO₃ ⁻ reduction and NH₄ ⁺ incorporation (GS/GOGAT), and optimizes the photorespiratory process. Hence, this appears to be the most appropriate form of iodine from an agronomic standpoint.     

Bottle gourd rootstock-grafting affects nitrogen metabolism in NaCl-stressed watermelon leaves and enhances short-term salt tolerance

The plant growth, nitrogen absorption, and assimilation in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus [Thunb.] Mansf.) were investigated in self-grafted and grafted seedlings using the salt-tolerant bottle gourd rootstock Chaofeng Kangshengwang (Lagenaria siceraria Standl.) exposed to 100 mM NaCl for 3 d. The biomass and NO₃⁻ uptake rate were significantly increased by rootstock while these values were remarkably decreased by salt stress. However, compared with self-grafted plants, rootstock-grafted plants showed higher salt tolerance with higher biomass and NO₃⁻ uptake rate under salt stress. Salinity induced strong accumulation of nitrate, ammonium and protein contents and a significant decrease of nitrogen content and the activities of nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS), and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) in leaves of self-grafted seedlings. In contrast, salt stress caused a remarkable decrease in nitrate content and the activities of GS and GOGAT, and a significant increase of ammonium, protein, and nitrogen contents and NR activity, in leaves of rootstock-grafted seedlings. Compared with that of self-grafted seedlings, the ammonium content in leaves of rootstock-grafted seedlings was much lower under salt stress. Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity was notably enhanced in leaves of rootstock-grafted seedlings, whereas it was significantly inhibited in leaves of self-grafted seedlings, under salinity stress. Three GDH isozymes were isolated by native gel electrophoresis and their expressions were greatly enhanced in leaves of rootstock-grafted seedlings than those of self-grafted seedlings under both normal and salt-stress conditions. These results indicated that the salt tolerance of rootstock-grafted seedlings might (be enhanced) owing to the higher nitrogen absorption and the higher activities of enzymes for nitrogen assimilation induced by the rootstock. Furthermore, the detoxification of ammonium by GDH when the GS/GOGAT pathway was inhibited under salt stress might play an important role in the release of salt stress in rootstock-grafted seedlings.     

Influence of Different Concentrations of NO-3 and NH+4 on the Activity of Glutamine Synthetase and Other Relevant Enzymes of Nitrogen Metabolism in Wheat Roots

Influence of different concentrations of NO3 and NH+ on the activity of glutamine synthetase (GS), asparagine synthetase (AS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), nitrate reductase (NR) and the changes of GS-mRNA in wheat roots have been studied with enzymes activity assay and Northern blot. The results showed that the higher GS activity was found in roots of wheat when NH+4-N was the sole nitrogen source than when NO3-N was the sole nitrogen source. GS-mRNA of Northern blot was simillar to GS activity. 3 mmol/L NO3- promoted the activity of AS. The change of AS was independent of the change of GS. GDH activity was not been detected, and change in regulation of NR activity was not found.     

不同浓度的NO^—3和NH^＋4对小麦根谷氨酰胺合成酶及其相关酶的影响

利用酶活性测定和 Northern分子杂交等技术 ,研究了小麦幼苗根在不同浓度的 Na NO3 和(NH4) 2 SO4的供应下 ,其谷氨酰胺合成酶 (GS)、天冬酰胺合成酶 (AS)、谷氨酸脱氢酶 (GDH)、硝酸还原酶 (NR)以及 GS- m RNA的变化。结果表明 :NH 4 处理的小麦 ,其根部 GS活性比 NO-3 处理的高 ;高浓度处理的比低浓度处理的高 ;Northern杂交结果说明 GS- m RNA转录量与 GS活性一致 ;3mmol/ L NO-3促进了 AS的活性。AS酶活性变化与 GS酶活性变化无明显依赖关系。在实验的条件下 ,没能测出 GDH的活性 ,不同浓度的 NO-3 和 NH 4 处理对 NR活性没有明显的规律。     

Nitrogen Metabolism of Lemna minor. II. Enzymes of Nitrate Assimilation and Some Aspects of Their Regulation

In L. minor grown in sterile culture, the primary enzymes of nitrate assimilation, nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) change in response to nitrogen source. NR and NiR levels are low when grown on amino acids (hydrolyzed casein) or ammonia; both enzymes are rapidly induced on addition of nitrate, while addition of nitrite induces NiR only. Ammonia represses the nitrate induced synthesis of both NR and NiR.NADH dependent GDH activity is low when grown on amino acids and high when grown on nitrate or ammonia, but the activities of NADPH dependent GDH and Alanine dehydro-genase (AIDH) are much less affected by nitrogen source. NADH-GDH and AIDH are induced by ammonia, and it is suggested that these enzymes are involved in primary nitrogen assimilation.     

Changes in the activity of enzymes involved with primary nitrogen metabolism due to ectomycorrhizal symbiosis on jack pine seedlings

Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) seedlings were inoculated with either one of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, Laccaria bicolor (Maire) Orton or Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker and Couch, and grown for 16 weeks in a growth chamber along with non-ECM controls. Five enzymes involved with the assimilation of nitrogen or the synthesis of amino acids were measured in the 3 jack pine root systems as well as in the pure fungal cultures. Pisolithus tinctorius in pure culture had no detectable activity of nitrate reductase (NR. EC 1.6.6.1), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH. EC 1.4.1.2), glutamate decarboxylase (GDCO. EC 4.1.1.15) or glutamate oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GOGAT, EC 1.4.1.13) but did have some glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) activity. Laccaria bicolor in pure culture had no NR activity, small levels of GDCO activity, and high GS, GDH and GOGAT activity. The high levels of enzymatic activity present in L. bicolor indicate that it may play a greater role in the nitrogen metabolism of its host plant than P. tinctorius. ECM infection clearly altered the enzymatic activity in jack pine roots but the nature of these changes depended on the fungal associate. Non-ECM root systems had higher specific activities than ECM root systems for NR, GS, GDH and GDCO but GOGAT activites were the same for both the ECM and non-ECM roots. Root systems infected with L. bicolor had significantly greater NR and GDCO activity than those infected with P. tinctorius. Differences in the GS activity of the two fungi in pure culture corresponded to the GS activity of jack pine roots in symbiotic association with these fungi. While the free amino acid profiles in roots were significantly affected by ECM infection, the profile of free amino acids exported to the stem was the same for all treatments. High asparagine and low glutamine in roots infected with P. tinctorius indicates that asparagine synthetase (EC x.x.x.x) activity should be higher within this symbiotic association than in the L. bicolor association or in the non-mycorrhizal roots.     

Nitrogen assimilation in plants: current status and future prospects

Nitrogen (N) is the driving force for crop yields; however, excessive N application in agriculture not only increases production cost, but also causes severe environmental problems. Therefore, comprehensively understanding the molecular mechanisms of N use efficiency (NUE) and breeding crops with higher NUE is essential to tackle these problems. NUE of crops is determined by N uptake, transport, assimilation, and remobilization. In the process of N assimilation, nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS), and glutamine-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GOGAT, also known as glutamate synthase) are the major enzymes. NR and NiR mediate the initiation of inorganic N utilization, and GS/GOGAT cycle converts inorganic N to organic N, playing a vital role in N assimilation and the final NUE of crops. Besides, asparagine synthetase (ASN), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPSase) are also involved. In this review, we summarize the function and regulation of these enzymes reported in three major crops—rice, maize, and wheat, also in the model plant Arabidopsis, and we highlight their application in improving NUE of crops via manipulating N assimilation. Anticipated challenges and prospects toward fully understanding the function of N assimilation and further exploring the potential for NUE improvement are discussed.     

Effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid on nitrogen metabolism and ion distribution of watermelon seedlings under salt stress

The effects of foliar spray application of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) on the growth, nitrogen metabolism, and ion distribution of salt-stressed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai) seedlings were investigated. Supplementation of the nutrient solution with 100 mM NaCl significantly reduced leaf and root biomass of watermelon plants. Foliar application of 1.25 mM ALA significantly alleviated the inhibition of plant growth under salt stress. Salinity induced significant accumulation of nitrate, ammonium, and soluble protein and a significant decrease in the activities of nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) in watermelon plants. However, ALA significantly increased the activities of NR, GS, GOGAT, and GDH, but decreased the ammonium content and NiR activity. In addition, salt stress resulted in significant accumulation of Na⁺ and Cl^? in plants, but decreased the contents of K⁺ and Mg²⁺. Application of ALA alleviated the salt stress-induced ion toxicity, and increased the contents of K⁺ and Mg²⁺. ALA also increased soluble protein and proline contents in salt-stressed watermelon plants. These results indicated that application of ALA alleviated the accumulation of Na⁺ and Cl^? in salt-stressed watermelon plants, especially through regulating nitrogen metabolism and ion distribution, which were associated with an improvement in plant growth.     

Response of Ammonia Assimilation in Cucumber Seedlings to Nitrate Stress

The influence of increased nitrate concentration—14 (control) and 140 mmol L⁻¹ (T)—in hydroponic culture on ammonia assimilation in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Xintaimici) seedlings was investigated. The results showed that NH₃ accumulation in the roots and leaves of T seedlings increased significantly, indicating that NH₃ toxicity might be involved in nitrate stress. Under control conditions, GS and GOGAT activity were much higher in the leaves than in the roots, whereas GDH activity was much higher in the roots than in the leaves. Correlation analysis showed that NH₃ concentration had a strong negative linear relationship with GDH activity in the roots but had a strong negative linear relationship with GS and GOGAT activity in the leaves. These results indicate that NH₃ might be assimilated primarily via GDH reaction in the roots and via GS/GOGAT cycle in the leaves. Short-term nitrate stress resulted in the increase of GS and GOGAT activity in the roots and GDH activity in the leaves of T seedlings, indicating possible shifts in ammonia assimilation from the normal GDH pathway to GS/GOGAT pathway in the roots and from the normal GS/GOGAT pathway to the GDH pathway in the leaves under nitrate stress, but with the increase of treatment time, GS, GOGAT, and GDH activity in the roots and leaves of T seedlings decreased possibly due to low water potential and NH₃ toxicity.     

Appearance of nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase and glutamine synthetase in different organs of the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) seedling as affected by light, nitrate and ammonium

Appearance of nitrate reductase (NR, EC 1.6.6.1–3), nitrite reductase (NiR, EC 1.7.7.1) and glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) under the control of nitrate, ammonium and light was studied in roots, hypocotyls and needles (cotyledonary whorl) of the Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) seedling. It was found that appearance of NiR was mainly controlled by nitrate whereas appearance of GS was strongly controlled by light. In principle, the NR activity level showed the same dependency on nitrate and light as that of NiR. In the root, both nitrate and ammonium had a stimulatory effect on GS activity whereas in the whorl the induction was minor. The level of NiR (NR) activity is high in the root and hypocotyl and low in the cotyledonary whorl, whereas the GS activity level per organ increases strongly from the root to the whorl. Thus, in any particular organ the operation of the glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase (GS/GOGAT) cycle is not closely connected to the operation of the nitrate reduction pathway. The strong control of GS/GOGAT by light and the minor sensitivity to induction by nitrate or ammonium indicate a major role of the GS/GOGAT cycle in reassimilation of endogeniously generated ammonium.     

Concentration-Dependent inhibition and enhancement of glutamine synthetase,glutamate dehydrogenase and nitrate reductase activities in pea roots by some respiratory inhibitors and uncouplers

The effect of 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), NaN₃, and iodoacetic acid (IDA) on glutamine synthetase (GS) and the effect of arsenate on GS, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and nitrate reductase (NR) was studied in isolated pea roots. In sucrose supplied roots, GS level is depressed by higher concentrations of all the inhibitors tested and increased by lower (2 × and 3 × 10⁻ M) concentrations of 2,4-DNP; the decrease in GS level caused by sugar starvation is enhanced by all but IDA. GDH is enhanced by arsenate in a wider range of concentrations in sucrose-supplied roots than in roots cultivated without sucrose. NR is affected by arsenate similarly as GS.     

纯化腐植酸对氮胁迫下黄瓜幼苗生长和氮代谢的影响

为研究纯化腐植酸(PHA)在不同水平氮胁迫下对黄瓜植株生长和氮代谢的影响,探明PHA对逆境胁迫的缓解作用机制,采用水培方式,选用新泰密刺为供试品种,以正常氮水平(11 mmol·L^-1 NO₃^-)为对照,进行低氮(1.0 mmol·L^-1 NO₃^-)和高氮(101 mmol·L^-1 NO₃^-)胁迫处理,研究纯化腐植酸对氮胁迫下黄瓜幼苗生长和氮代谢的影响.结果表明: 低氮和高氮胁迫均抑制了黄瓜幼苗生长,株高、茎粗、叶面积、干物质积累量均低于正常氮水平处理.施用纯化腐植酸促进了正常氮水平及低氮胁迫下黄瓜干物质积累,在高氮胁迫下差异不显著.PHA影响了黄瓜幼苗NO₃^-的吸收,呈低氮下促进、高氮下抑制吸收的趋势;PHA显著降低了低氮、高氮胁迫下根系和叶片中的铵态氮含量;与正常氮水平相比,低氮、高氮胁迫下根系和叶片的硝酸还原酶(NR)、谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS)、谷氨酸合酶(GOGAT)、谷氨酸脱氢酶(GDH)活性及根系中亚硝酸还原酶(NiR)活性均显著降低,PHA不同程度地提高了NR、NiR、GS、GOGAT、GDH活性,还提高了根系和叶片中游离氨基酸、可溶性蛋白的含量.综上,添加PHA缓解了氮胁迫对黄瓜幼苗生长的抑制作用.     

The influence of exogenously supplied sucrose on glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase levels in excisedPisum sativum roots

Glutamine synthetase (GS) level is positively influenced by exogenously supplied sucrose in isolated pea roots (similarly as nitrate reductase - NR), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) level negatively. Comparison with previous results shows that GS level decreases more slowly than NR level when sucrose is omitted from the medium; the rate of changes in GS level corresponds rather to that in GDH level. The increase in GDH level in the tips of isolated roots cultivated in the medium lacking sucrose stops after approx. 24 h, but continues for at least 72 h in more mature root parts. GS level decreases during the first 24 h in the tips of isolated roots (compared with roots of intact seedlings) cultivated both with sucrose and without it (without sucrose more), however it again rises in the course of further cultivation with sucrose. The differences in GS and GDH levels caused by omission of sucrose are small in isolated roots from which root tips were removed, the difference in NR level in decapitated roots is similar to that found in isolated roots with root tips left. Decapitated isolated roots cultivated without sucrose contain higher amounts of soluble sugars than corresponding roots with root tips left. These facts are dismissed with regard to sugar consumption, transport, and compartmentalisation, and with respect to production in root tips and other plant parts of unknown compounds involved in GS and GDH regulation. The results obtained suggest that GDH functions in pea roots in the deaminating direction.     

氮素水平对花生氮素代谢及相关酶活性的影响

 在大田高产条件下研究了氮素水平对花生(Arachis hypogaea)可溶性蛋白质、游离氨基酸含量及氮代谢相关酶活性的影响, 结果表明, 适当提高氮素水平既能增加花生各器官中可溶性蛋白质和游离氨基酸的含量, 又能提高硝酸还原酶、谷氨酰胺合成酶和谷氨酸脱氢酶等氮素同化酶的活性, 使其达到同步增加; 氮素水平过高虽能提高硝酸还原酶和籽仁蛋白质含量, 但谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS)和谷氨酸脱氢酶(GDH)的活性下降; N素施肥水平不改变花生植株各器官中可溶性蛋白质、游离氨基酸含量以及硝酸还原酶(NR)、谷氨酰胺合成酶、谷氨酸脱氢酶活性的变化趋势, 但适量施N (A2和A3处理)使花生各营养器官中GS、GDH活性提高; 氮素水平对花生各叶片和籽仁中GS、GDH活性的高低影响较大, 但对茎和根中GDH活性大小的影响较小。     

Oscillations in the Activities of Enzymes of Nitrate Reduction and Ammonia Assimilation in Glycine max and Zea mays

The activities of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), glutamine synthetase (GS), and nitrate reductase (NR) and the levels of soluble protein and NO^-₃ were assayed in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) leaves over a 48-h period with the initial 24 h under a light-dark cycle (LD 16:8) followed by 24 h of continuous light (LL). Plants had been entrained for 30 days under the LD regime. Maize (Zea mays) leaves (10 days old) under a LD 15:9 cycle were assayed only for NR and nitrite reductase (NiR). Data were subjected to frequency analysis by the least squares method to determine probabilities for cosine function periods (τ's) between 10 and 30 h. NR activities for both soybean and Zea leaves had 24 h τ's with P values < 0.05 indicating circadian periodicity. GDH in soybeans had a 24-h rhythm under LD conditions which lengthened under LL conditions. The 24-h rhythm of GDH displayed maximal activity toward the end of the dark period of the LD cycle whereas the highest activity of NR was early in the light period. Total soluble protein displayed a rhythm with a best fitting τ of greater than 24 h under both LD and LL. GDH, GS, NR, NO₃, and soluble protein in soybeans and NiR in Zea, all displayed that were ultradian (10–18 h), indicating that a τ of about one half a circadian periodicity may be a common characteristic of the enzymes of primary nitrogen metabolism in higher plants. These data also demonstrate that although both NR and GDH are circadian in their activity, the 24-h rhythm may be greatly influenced by ultradian oscillations in activity.     

Inheritance of nitrite reductase and regulation of nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, and glutamine synthetase isozymes

Banding patterns of nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), and glutamine synthetase (GS) from leaves of diploid barley (Hordeum vulgare), tetraploid wheat (Triticum durum), hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum), and tetraploid wild oats (Avena barbata) were compared following starch gel electrophoresis. Two NR isozymes, which appeared to be under different regulatory control, were observed in each of the three species. The activity of the more slowly migrating nitrate reductase isozyme (NR1) was induced by NO3- in green seedlings and cycloheximide inhibited induction. However, the activity of the faster NR isozyme (NR2) was unaffected by addition of KNO3, and it was not affected by treatments of cycloheximide or chloramphenicol. Only a single isozyme of nitrite reductase was detected in surveys of three tetraploid and 18 hexaploid wheat, and 48 barley accessions; however, three isozymes associated with different ecotypes were detected in the wild oats. Inheritance patterns showed that two of the wild oat isozymes were governed by a single Mendelian locus with two codominant alleles; however, no variation was detected for the third isozyme. Treatment of excised barely and wild oat seedlings with cycloheximide and chloramphenicol showed that induction of NiR activity was greatly inhibited by cycloheximide, but only slightly by chloramphenicol. Only a single GS isozyme was detected in extracts of green leaves of wheat, barley, and wild oat seedlings. No electrophoretic variation was observed within or among any of these three species. Thus, this enzyme appears to be the most structurally conserved of the three enzymes.     

外源γ-氨基丁酸对Ca(NO3)2胁迫下甜瓜幼苗NO3--N同化的影响

以盐敏感型甜瓜品种‘一品天下208’为试材,用80 mmol·L^-1 Ca(NO₃)₂模拟设施土壤盐渍化,采用深液流水培,研究外源 γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)对Ca(NO₃)₂胁迫下甜瓜幼苗硝态氮(NO₃^--N)同化的影响.结果表明: Ca(NO₃)₂胁迫显著降低了甜瓜幼苗体内硝酸还原酶(NR)、谷氨酰胺合酶(GS)和谷氨酸合酶(GOGAT)活性,增强了谷氨酸脱氢酶(GDH)、谷草转氨酶(GOT)和谷丙转氨酶(GPT)活性,导致铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)和游离氨基酸含量增加,NO₃^--N和可溶性蛋白质含量下降,植株生长和光合作用受到严重抑制.Ca(NO₃)₂胁迫下,外源喷施GABA有效促进了甜瓜根系对NO₃^--N的吸收及其向地上部的转运,并通过增强NR、GS和GOGAT活性提高了甜瓜幼苗对NH₄⁺的同化力;通过抑制GDH脱氨作用减少了甜瓜幼苗体内NH₄⁺的释放量,从而缓解了盐诱导产生的NH₄⁺-N积累所造成的氨毒害作用;外源喷施GABA也能调节甜瓜组织中氨基酸代谢途径,促进蛋白质的合成.表明外源GABA能增强甜瓜幼苗对NO₃^--N的同化能力,调控氨基酸代谢,进而有效缓解Ca(NO₃)₂胁迫对甜瓜幼苗的盐伤害作用.