ROLE OF CALCIUM IN POTASSIUM UPTAKE BY PLANT ROOTS

The effects of EDTA·Mg or GEDTA·Mg on the uptakeof nutrient ions, the release of Ca⁺⁺ and nucleotides into themedium and the nucleic acid contents in rice and red bean rootswere investigated.

1. Both EDTA and EDTA·Mg induced similarly the release ofCa from roots.
2. EDTA·Mg as well as EDTA brought abouta significant repressionin K uptake, but had an insignificantor no effect on P, NH₄and NO₃ uptakes. EDTA·Ca did notrepress K, P, NH₄ andNO₃ uptakes.
3. EDTA or GEDTA acceleratedthe degradation of nucleic acid andthe release of nucleotides,while EDTA·Mg or GEDTA·Mghad no such effect.

These results indicate that the indispensable role of intracellularCa in K uptake does not appear to be directly associated withRNA metabolism. (Received July 29, 1965; )     

Formation of Hydrogen Peroxide and Oxygen Dependence of Photosynthetic CO2 Assimilation by Intact Chloroplasts

1. Hydrogen peroxide excretion by photosynthesizing intact spinachchloroplasts was determined. The rates were dependent on theoxygen concentration and on the ATP/NADPH requirement of thefinal electron acceptor. Upon CO₂ assimilation a maximum rateof 0.9 µmol H₂O₂/mg chlorophyll/hr and half saturationat 7.5 x 10^–5 M O₂ were found. Excretion of H₂O₂ was considerablyreduced upon photosynthetic reduction of glycerate 3-phosphateor oxaloacetate.
2. Light- and HCO₃-saturated CO₂ assimilationwas inhibited bymore than 50% by anaerobic conditions, whereuponquantum efficiencywas also drastically decreased. However,no anoxic influencewas detected with glycerate 3-phosphateas the terminal electronacceptor and the quantum requirementwith this acceptor wasnot increased by anaerobiosis. Thus theenhancing effect ofoxygen on CO₂ assimilation was ascribedto an improvement ofphotosynthetic ATP supply.
3. Since thestimulation of anaerobic photosynthetic CO₂ assimilationbyoxygen was markedly greater than the concomitant increaseinH₂O₂ evolution, photosynthetic oxygen reduction alone isnotsufficient to produce the required additional ATP for theobservedenhanced CO₂ assimilation. But it provides a meansto avoidthe over-reduction of photosynthetic electron carriersand thusenables aerobic cyclic photophosphorylation. This supportsthehypothesis that cyclic photophosphorylation is not an alternativeto ATP formation by "pseudocyclic" electron transport, but ratherthat it depends on the latter.

(Received January 5, 1981; Accepted March 9, 1981)     

Further Studies on the Acid Metabolism of Aspergillus niger: THE FORMATION AND UTILIZATION OF OXALIC ACID

1. Some recent works on the formation of oxalic acid by variousfungi are critically considered.
2. The present work deals withthe role of oxalic acid in the metabolismof Aspergillus niger.
3. When glucose solutions were supplied to preformed mats ofthefungus oxalic acid accumulated, attaining an equilibriumlevelwhich was not exceeded despite the presence of a considerableconcentration of glucose.
4. When the glucose supplies were depletedthe oxalic acid concentrationfell steeply to a low level.
5. Theconcentration of oxalic acid was dependent on the glucoseconcentration.In three separate series of experiments it wasshown that theoxalic acid concentration diminished with increasingglucoseconcentration.
6. Similar results were obtained when the cultureswere rearedfrom spores on culture solutions with the normalamounts ofnutrient salts but different glucose concentrations.
7. In all cases the CO₂ output increased with the glucose concentration.
8. When cultures were supplied with glucose+oxalic acid, theconcentrationof the latter fell steeply to the equilibriumlevel attainedon glucose only. In a culture receiving glucose+oxalicacid,with the oxalic acid concentration somewhat below thenormalequilibrium concentration, the formation of oxalic acidfromthe glucose ceased as soon as the equilibrium level hadbeenattained.
9. When 1 per cent. oxalic acid only was suppliedto the fungusthe concentration gradually diminished to a lowlevel. When3 per cent. oxalic acid was supplied the rate ofacid utilizationsoon fell to low value.
10. In several experimentsit was shown that the rate of CO₂ outputwas higher from culturessupplied with glucose+excess oxalicacid than from culturessupplied with glucose only.
11. The rate of oxalic acid carbonloss was always below that ofthe CO₂ carbon output both incultures supplied with oxalicacid only and in cultures receivingglucose+oxalic acid.
12. The cultures were incapable of utilizingneutral sodium oxalateand the presence of this substance hadno effecft on the ofCO₂ output.
13. The results indicate thatthe utilization of oxalic acid isassociated with the liberationof at least an equivalent amountof CO₂.
14. It is suggested thatthe utilization of oxalic acid is promotedby the presence ofglucose, thus accounting for the lower oxalicacid concentrationsand higher rates of CO₂ output of cultureswith higher glucoseconcentrations.

     

LIGHT-INDUCED REDUCTION OF NITRATE, NITRITE AND HYDROXYLAMINE IN A BLUE-GREEN ALGA, ANABAENA CYLINDRICA

1. Reduction of nitrate, nitrite and hydroxylamine by intact cellsof Anabaena cylindrica was investigated with special referenceto the stimulating effect of light on these processes.
2. Itwas found that in light and under anaerobic condition thesecompounds are reduced to ammonia, with the production of extraoxygen. The stoichiometry of the reactions under these conditionscan be represented as follows: HNO₂+H₂O=NH₂+2O₂ HNO₂+H₂O=NH₂+1O₂ NH₂OH+H₂O=NH₂+O₂+H₂O
3. Reduction of nitrite and hydroxylaminewas markedly suppressedby CMU in the light but not in the dark.KCN inhibited reductionto the same extent both in the lightand in the dark. Reductionin the light was much less sensitiveto the uncoupling agent,DNP, than was that in the dark.
4. Atlow light intensities, CO_2– was suppressed by 20–30per cent by the simultaneous provision of nitrite, but the nitritereduction was not affected at all by CO₂. At high light intensities,reduction of nitrate and nitrite was considerably acceleratedby CO₂
5. On the basis of these findings, a possible mechanismfor thelight stimulation of the reactions in question was brieflydiscussed.

(Received August 22, 1962; )     

Variations in the Mineral Composition of Herbarium Plant Species Collected During the Last Three Centuries

Mineral content (dry weight basis) was determined for herbariumspecimens of 12 C₃ plants (trees, shrubs and herbs) collectedduring the last 250 years in N.E. Spain. Present values of Al,Ca, Cu, Sr, Fe, P, Mg, Mn, K, Na, S, and Zn were always lowerthan in any other period of the last three centuries. Only oneC₄ plant was analysed. It presented a similar pattern to theC₃ plants. These results are in accordance with experimentalresults that have shown that the mineral content of plants grownin elevated CO₂ is generally lowered. Increased atmosphericCO₂ and other anthropogenic environmental changes are suggestedas possible causes of the changes in mineral content. Key words: Leaf mineral content, Al, Ca, Cu, Sr, Fe, P, Mg, Mn, K, Na, S, Zn, herbaria, last three centuries     

ENZYMIC FORMATION OF GLUTAMINE IN RICE-PLANT SEEDLINGS

1. Purified preparation from rice-plant seedling catalyses a stoichiometricreaction between ATP, glutamate, and NH₂OH in the presence ofMg⁺⁺ to form glutamyl hydroxamate, ADP and inorganic phosphate.
2. The method of purification and some of the properties of theenzyme are described. Co⁺⁺ can be substituted for Mg⁺⁺. Mn⁺⁺,NaF, and PCMB inhibit the enzyme strongly.
3. Inorganic orthophosphateis liberated from ATP by the additionof or cysteine in the presence of glutamate, Mg⁺⁺ andthis preparation. Glutamine was detectedin the reaction productsby paperchromatography.
4. The same preparation catalyses a reactionbetween gluta mineand NH₂OH in the presence of Mg⁺⁺ or Mn⁺⁺,ADP and inorganicphosphate, to form glutamyl hydroxamate.

¹ Present address: The Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science,Kanazawa University, Kanazawa. (Received October 31, 1960; )     

The Absorption of Ions by Excised Root Systems: II. OBSERVATIONS ON ROOTS OF BARLEY GROWN IN SOLUTIONS DEFICIENT IN PHOSPHORUS, NITROGEN, OR POTASSIUM

1. Barley plants were grown in complete culture solution and indeficiencies of phosphorus, nitrogen, or potassium for a periodof about 6 weeks. Excised roots of these plants were treatedwith a complete, aerated culture solution at 25? C. for varyingperiods of time, and the changes in respiration rate, phosphorus,nitrogen, potassium, sugars, and starch contents measured.
2. Therewere changes in fresh weight and dry weight of the excisedrootsduring treatment. The dry weight decreased with time butthewater-content changes were variable. There was a gain orlossof water by the roots according to the treatment.
3. In all casesthe deficient roots increased in content of theelement in whichthey were originally deficient. The roots ofthe plants suppliedwith full nutrient usually decreased incontent of phosphorus,nitrogen, and potassium, but exceptionsoccurred and the reasonsare discussed.
4. In most of the experiments described simultaneousloss of oneion and gain of another occurred.
5. Nitrogen-deficientroots accumulated nitrate when exposed toa complete nutrientsolution, and some of this was assimilatedwith formation ofprotein. Under similar conditions nitrogen-richroots decreasedin nitrogen content and proteolysis took place.
6. There wasa rapid fall in sucrose and reducing sugar contentof the excise'roots. The starch content was initially verysmall and showedlittle change with time.
7. The respiration rate declined withtime in all treatments exceptwhere a nitrogen deficiency existed.Here the respiration rateincreased to a maximum value at about8 hours and then fell.This increase in rate is attributed toprotein synthesis. Noevidence of a ‘salt respiration’was observed evenwhen active uptake of phosphorus or potassiumwas occurring.
8. In most instances the carbon dioxide evolvedin respirationgreatly exceeded the carbon dioxide equivalentof the sugarconsumed in the same period. Exceptions were foundwith thenitrogen-deficient roots where less carbon dioxidewas evolvedthan the equivalent of sugar consumed. It is probablethat apart, at least, of the sugar unaccounted for was usedin proteinsynthesis.
9. Where the carbon dioxide of respirationwas in excess of theequivalent of sugar consumed, protein oramino-acid is the mostprobable substrate. Respiration rateis found to be relatedboth to nitrogen and sugar content.

     

Mineral nutrition of cultured chlorophyllous cells of tobacco IV. Kinetic studies of K and Mg uptake by the cells

1. When applying the adsorption theory to the selectivity coefficient,K and Mg uptakes by cells in a K-Mg replacement series of mediaare not regulated only by a common mechanism, under the assumptionthat b values, which indicate the affinities between the ionand the adsorptive surface, do not change.
2. Regulation of Kand Mg uptakes by a common multiphasic mechanismin the cellsis possible when the selectivity coefficient b_K/b_Mgvaries inverselywith the M_K/M_Mg ratio in the external medium.
3. K and Mg uptakesare not regulated only by their respectivesingle specific mechanisms.
4. Another possibility is regulation of K and Mg uptakes bothbycommon and specific mechanisms. The common mechanism maybemultiphasic.

(Received December 2, 1975; )     

Organic Acid Metabolism of Sedum praealtum

1. The organic acids present are citric, isocitric, and l-malic,with a small residue of unidentified acids.
2. The diurnal variationin acidity is due chiefly to changes,in malic acid, with aparallel fluctuation shown by citric acid.Under these conditionsisocitric acid shows little change.
3. The importance of carbondioxide during acidification is confirmed,and it is shown thatat room temperatures or higher the CO₂produced in respirationis sufficient to produce maximum acidification.At lower temperaturesthe supply of CO₂ limits acid production.
4. In the absence ofoxygen no acidification occurs, but even smallquantities (approx.1 per cent.) are sufficient to cause someacid production.
5. Completebalance-sheets are presented for acids, carbohydrates,CO₂ andoxygen for leaves maintained in the dark at high andlow temperatures.As acids are produced there is a correspondingloss of carbohydrate(chiefly starch). A scheme of reactionsis suggested to explainthe experimental results.

     

Salt-induced alterations of the fluorescence yield and of emission spectra in Chlorella pyrenoidosa

1. The addition of salts to the suspending medium induces a decreasein the yield of chlorophyll a fluorescence in normal and DCMU-poisonedintact algal cells of Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Potassium and sodiumacetate cause a pronounced lowering of the fluorescence at relativelylow concentrations (0.01–0.1 M). MgCl₂ and KCl cause asimilar lowering of fluorescence but at much higher concentrations(0.1–0.4 M). In contrast to sodium acetate, ammonium acetatedoes not cause any significant change in the fluorescence transient.
2. Unlike the case in isolated chloroplasts, MgCl₂ decreasestheratio of short wavelength (mainly system 2) to long wavelength(mainly system 1) emission bands in both DCMU poisoned and normalcells. Since these salt-induced changes do not appear to berelated to the redox reactions of photosynthesis, the saltsmight have caused a decrease in the mutual distance betweenthe two photosystems by changing the microstructure of the chloroplastsin vivo thereby facilitating the spillover of excitation energyfrom strongly fluorescent system 2 to weakly fluorescent system1.
3. The light induced turbidity changes in intact algal cells,asmeasured by the increase in optical density at 540 nm, isreducedin the presence of these salts. However, MgCl₂ producesthegreatest reduction while Na acetate the least, even thoughbothof these salts (at the concentrations used) cause largesuppressionof the fluorescence transient. Moreover, the lightinduced turbiditychanges were, essentially irreversible.
4. Ashigh concentrations of salts increase the osmotic potentialof the bathing medium, it seems that the osmotic changes aswell as the ionic changes in the intact algal cells are responsiblefor the fluorescence quenching and changes in the mode of excitationtransfer observed in this study. In the case of low concentrationsof salts (e.g., 0.1 M Na or K acetate) the effects are predominantlyionic, and in the case of very high concentrations of MgCl₂(0.4 M), the osmotic effects play a much larger role.

(Received July 30, 1973; )     

Light-induced changes in the fluorescence yield of chlorophyll a in Anacystis nidulans II. The fast changes and the effect of photosynthetic inhibitors on both the fast and slow fluorescence induction

1. The intensity dependence and spectral variations during thefast transient of chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence have beenanalyzed in the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans. (Unlikethe case of eukaryotic unicellular green or red algae, the fastfluorescence induction characteristics of the prokaryotic blue-greenalgae had not been documented before.)
2. Dark adapted cellsof Anacystis exhibit two types of fluctuationsin the fluorescenceyield when excited with bright orange light(absorbed mainlyin phycocyanin). The first kinetic patterncalled the fast (sec)fluorescence transient exhibits a characteristicoriginal levelO, intermediary hump I, a pronounced dip D, peakP and a transitorysmall decline to a quasi steady state S.After attaining S,fluorescence yield slowly rises to a maximumlevel M. From M,the decline in fluorescence yield to a terminalT level is extremelyslow as shown earlier by Papageorgiou andGovindjee (8). Ascompared with green and red algae, blue-greenalgae seem tohave a small PS decline and a very characteristicslow SM rise,with a M level much higher than the peak P.
3. A prolonged darkadaptation and relatively high intensity ofexciting illuminationare required to evoke DPS type yield fluctuationsin Anacystis.At low to moderate intensities of exciting light,the time forthe development of P depends on light doses, butfor M, thisremains constant at these intensities.
4. Fluorescence emissionwas heterogeneous during the inductionperiod in Anacystis;the P and the M levels were relativelyenriched in short-wavelengthsystem II Chi a emission as comparedto D and S levels.
5. Thefast DPS transient was found to be affected by electrontransportcofactor (methyl viologen), and inhibitors (e.g.,DCMU, NH₂OH)in a manner suggesting that these changes are mostlyrelatedto the oxido-reduction level of intermediates betweenthe twophotosystems. On the other hand, the slow SM changesin fluorescenceyield, as reported earlier (5, 15), paralleloxygen evolution.These changes were found to be resistant toa variety of electrontransport inhibitors (O-phenanthroline,HOQNO, salicylaldoxime,DCMU, NH₂OH and Antimycin a). It issuggested that, in Anacystis,even in the presence of so-calledinhibitors of cyclic electronflow, a "high energy state" isstill produced.
6. Measurementsof Chlorophyll a fluorescence and delayed lightemission inthe presence of both DCMU and NH₂OH indicate thatthe slow SMchanges are not due to the recovery of the reactioncenter IIin darkness preceeding illumination.
7. Our results, thus, suggestthat in Anacystis a net electrontransport supported oxidation-reductionstate of the quencherQ regulates only partially the developmentof the DPS transient,but the development of the slow fluorescenceyield changes seemsnot to be regulated by these reactions.It appears, from datapresented elsewhere, that the slow risein the yield resultsdue to a structural modification of thethylakoid membrane.

¹We are grateful to the National Science Foundation for financialsupport. (Received November 21, 1972; )     

Absorption and Assimilation of Inorganic Nitrogen from Different Sources by Storage Root-Tissue

1. The rate of ammonium and nitrate absorption and assimilationby storage tissues of sweet potato tubers, radish, and carrotroots cultured in aerated dilute solutions (5 mg. eq./1.) ofNH₄Cl, KNO₃ or NH₄NO₂ at 25° C. and the effect of the sourceof nitrogen on the nitrogenous composition of the tissues werestudied.
2. Both ions were absorbed at more or less equal ratesunder theprevailing experimental conditions by cells of thedifferentplant materials used.
3. The rate of nitrate assimilationwas lower than absorption,leading to the accumulation of nitrate-Nin the cells of alltissues examined. Ammonium-N, on the otherhand, was assimilatedalmost as soon as it entered the cellsof sweet potato tubersand carrot roots, and there was onlya small increase in thelevel of arnmonium-N; but in radishroot cells ammonium assimilationlagged very much behind absorption,resulting in a great increasein the level of arnmonium-N.
4. Sweetpotato tubers and carrot tissues were shown to be adaptedtothe utilization of more ammonium than nitrate nitrogen, butradish root tissues are adapted to the utilization of more nitratenitrogen.
5. Ammonium or nitrate-N caused similar increases inthe complexorganic-N level (protein-+rest-N) in radish root,but the rateof synthesis was higher with ammonium in sweetpotato tubersand with nitrate in carrot roots.

Furthermore, with both sources changes in the content of amideand amino-N were negligible in radish tissues of both series.In contrast to radish, carrot tissues showed marked increasesin the two fractions. The increase of these fractions in sweetpotato tuber tissues was much lower. The marked contrast in nitrogenous composition in the threedifferent plant materials fed with ammonium and nitrate saltsseparately indicated that the actual course of protein metabolismis most probably dependent on the source of nitrogen utilized.     

The Absorption of Ions by Excised Root Systems: III. OBSERVATIONS ON ROOTS OF PEA PLANTS GROWN IN SOLUTIONS DEFICIENT IN PHOSPHORUS, NITROGEN, OR POTASSIUM

1. Pea plants were grown in complete culture solution and in deficienciesof phosphorus, nitrogen, or potassium for a period of about5 weeks. Excised roots of these plants were treated with a complete,aerated culture solution for varying periods of time and thechanges in respiration rate, phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium,sugar, and starch contents measured.
2. There were changes infresh weight and dry weight of the excisedroots during treatment.The dry weight decreased with time butthe water content changeswere variable. Uptake of water wascorrelated with uptake ofpotassium and sucrose content in someinstances.
3. There wasno evidence of a ‘salt respiration’ inthose caseswhere active accumulation occurred.
4. The rates of gain or lossof phosphorus, nitrogen, or potassiumat 0 hours, 8 hours, and16 hours were calculated and it wasfound that the rate dependedboth on content of element in theroot and the sugar cotent.There was very little evidence thatone element affected therate of uptake of another. Simultaneousloss of one elementand gain of another occurred in some instances.
5. The observationsappear to be best explained on the assumptionthat the absorbedions are fixed in the cells in the form ofloosely bound compoundsand that these compounds are formedfrom sugars.

     

Accumulation of tartaric acid in the ripening process of grapes

1. 1. Tartaric acid content in grapes gradually increased withripening and reached a plateau about 50 days after flowering.
2. 2. Tartaric acid synthesis from ^14C0₂ was predominant in anearly ripening stage. When the berries were exposed to ^14CO₂8 days after flowering and examined two days later, 30% of thetotal ¹⁴C fixed was found in tartaric acid. Subsequently, apart of the tartaric acid decomposed, but the greater part remainedin the berries in a salt form. At the last stage of the ripeningprocess (82-100 days after flowering), some of the tartaratewas again converted to free acid. No ^14CO₂ was incorporatedinto tartaric acid when berries were exposed 61 days after flowering.
3. 3. L(+)-Tartaric acid-l,4-¹⁴C fed to the berries was catabolizedto ¹⁴CO₂. The ratio of radio activity recovered as ^{14 CO₂} tothat fed was nearly constant throughout the ripening process.
4. The cause of tartaric acid accumulation in grape berries isnot thought to be due to a lack of catabolizable enzymes, butto formation of an insoluble salt which is scarcely effectedby such enzymes.

(Received May 2, 1968; )     

Apparatus for the Measurement of Gaseous Conditions inside an Apple Fruit

1. Two forms of apparatus are described, one for the routine analysisof the internal atmosphere of an apple fruit and another forthe measurement of (i) carbon dioxide output, (ii) internalgas concentrations, (iii) atmospheric pressure within the fruit,(iv) permeability of the fruit to gases.
2. The use of thesetwo apparatuses to follow changes within thefruit as a resultof the application of a skin-coating is describedand the resultsobtained are discussed.
3. It is shown that the fall in pressurewhich occurs as a resultof the cooling of the fruit due toevaporation of the appliedcoating can only form a small fractionof the total fall inpressure observed as a result of the applicationof the coating.
4. It is shown that coating the fruit with anoil-water emulsioncauses a deficit in the combined concentrationof CO₂ and O₂within the fruit below the 21 per cent, observedin similaruncoated fruit.
5. An explanation of this phenomenonis advanced, and it is suggestedthat the modification of theinternal atmosphere brought aboutby the skin-coating, if itcan be suitably controlled, willprove valuable in increasingthe cold-storage life of apples.

The work described in this paper was carried out as part ofthe programme of the Food Investigation Organization of theDepartment of Scientific and Industrial Research.     

The Time Factor in Studies of Growth Inhibition in Excised Organ Sections

1. Apprehension over the adequncy of current techniques stimulateda detailed study of the time factor in the arsenate inhibitionof growth and respiration in excised stem and root sectionsof Pisum sativum.
2. Growth inhibition by arsenate sets in veryslowly, its rateof onset being related to the molar concentration(C) of arsenateate by the relation where T₅₀ is the time taken in hours to reduce the growthrateto 50 per cent of the control and K is a constant. An explanationof the physiological basis of this relationship is attempted.
3. Estimates were made of the final steady growth rate (relativeto control) in various arsenate concentrations. The inhibitionscalculated from this rate are held to approximate to the truearsenate effect and are shown to be very different from thosecalculated from ‘total growth’ measures.
4. Respirationof growing stem sections is not inhibited by thelow arsenateconcentrations that inhibit growth. Some inhibitionis indicatedat high concentrations (3 ? 10^–4M. and over)but onlyafter 15-20 hours of exposure.
5. Two per cent sucrose has noeffect on the arsenate inhibiitionof stem growth. Sucrose,however, markedly stimulates respirationin stem sections, butthis stimulation is prevented by arsenate.
6. The misinterpretationswhich may arise as a result of ignoringthe time factor in inhibitionstudies in excised organ sectionsare discussed and the desirabilityof constructing completegrowth curves in all such studies isstressed.

     

Inhibition of Nitrate Assimilation in Roots in the Presence of Ammonium: The Moderating Influence of Potassium

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of concentrationof NH₄⁺ in nutrient solution on root assimilation of NO₃^–and to determine whether the NH₄⁺NO₃^– interaction wasmodified in the presence of K⁺. Dark-grown, detopped corn seedlings(cv. Pioneer 3369A) were exposed for 8 h to 0.15 mM Ca(NO₃)₂and varying concentrations of (NH₄)₂SO₄ in the absence or presenceof 0.15 mM K₂SO₄. The accelerated phase of NO₃^– uptakeappeared most sensitive to restriction by additions of 0.15mM (NH₄)₂SO₄. In the absence of K⁺, the restriction increasedonly slightly even when solution (NH₄)₂SO₄, was increased from0.15 mM to 12.5 mM which was accompanied by an increase of NH₄⁺in the tissue from about 7.0 to 35 µmol g^–1 fr.wt. of root. Increasing concentrations of solution NH₄⁺ progressivelyinhibited net K+ uptake. At the highest solution NH₄⁺ concentrations,there was an initial net efflux of K⁺ and no net influx occurredduring the treatment period. The severity of the NH₄)SO₄ restrictionof NO₃^– uptake was moderated considerably in the presenceof K⁺ as long as a net influx of K⁺ occurred. However, net influxof K⁺ was not associated with alteration of NH₄⁺ uptake, assimilation,or accumulation in the root tissue. The lack of correlationbetween the severity of restriction of NO₃^– uptake andendogenous NHJ suggested the restriction resulted from an effectexerted by exogenous NH₄⁺ which tended to saturate at lowersolution NHJ concentrations or by inhibitory factors generatedduring assimilation of NH₄⁺. Several mechanisms were postulatedto account for the moderating influence of K⁺. In all experiments,root NO₃^– reduction was restricted by the presence ofambient NH₄⁺. The quantitative decreases in reduction tendedto be less than decreases in NO₃^– uptake and therefore,could result from inhibition solely of uptake with subsequentlimitation in availability of substrate for the reduction process,but the possibility of a direct effect on reduction could notbe excluded.     

Microbiological Synthesis of Fat: THE EFFECTS OF NITROGEN LEVEL ON THE METABOLISM OF PENICILLIUM LILACINUM THOM IN A SUCROSE MEDIUM

1. A study has been made of the relationships between the synthesesof carbohydrate, protein, and fat by Penicillium lilacinum Thomin presence of different amounts of sodium nitrate us a definedsucrose salts medium.
2. Under the defined experimental conditionsincreases in the concentrationof NO^–₂ in the medium werefollowed by increases in therates at which nitrogen and sugarwere taken up by the fungus,in the quantities assimilated,and in total and protein nitrogenin the felt. These conditionsprevailed so long as unassimilatedsugar was available.
3. Mediaof lower NO^–₃ concentration (for example, 0·32or 0·64 per cent. (w/v) NaNO^–₂;) yielded feltsricher in carbohydrate than were those grown in media of higherNO^–₂; content (0·96 or 1·28 per cent. (w/v)NaNO₃ The carbohydrate content of the felts increased graduallyuntil the sugar in the medium was exhausted; carbohydrate contentthen decreased.
4. Media of lower NO^–₃; concentration weremore conduciveto fat synthesis than those of higher NO^–₃;content.

     

The Influence of NO-3 and NH+4 Nutrition on the Gas Exchange Characteristics of the Roots of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Maize (Zea mays) Plants

Respiratory oxygen consumption by roots was 1·4- and1·6-fold larger in NH⁺₄-fed than in NO^-₃-fed wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) plants respectively. Higherroot oxygen consumption in NH⁺₄-fed plants than in NO^-₃-fedplants was associated with higher total nitrogen contents inNH⁺4-fed plants. Root oxygen consumption was, however, not correlatedwith growth rates or shoot:root ratios. Carbon dioxide releasewas 1·4- and 1·2-fold larger in NO⁺3-fed thanin NH⁺₄-fed wheat and maize plants respectively. Differencesin oxygen and carbon dioxide gas exchange rates resulted inthe gas exchange quotients of NH^-₄-fed plants (wheat, 0·5;maize, 0·6) being greatly reduced compared with thoseof NO^-₃-fed plants (wheat, 1·0; maize, 1·1). Measuredrates of HCO^-₃ assimilation by PEPc in roots were considerablylarger in 4 mM NH⁺₄-fed than in 4 NO^-₃ plants (wheat, 2·6-fold;maize, 8·3-fold). These differences were, however, insufficientto account for the observed differences in root carbon dioxideflux and it is probable that HCO^-₃ uptake is also importantin determining carbon dioxide fluxes. Thus reduced root extension in NH⁺₄-fed compared with NO^-₃-fedwheat plants could not be ascribed to differences in carbondioxide losses from roots.Copyright 1993, 1999 Academic Press Triticum aestivum, wheat, Zea mays, maize assimilation, ammonium assimilation, root respiration     

Influence of the Form of Nitrogen Supply on Root Uptake and Translocation of Cations in the Xylem Exudate of Maize (Zea mays L)

Concentrations of inorganic cations are often lower in plantssupplied with NH₄⁺ as compared with NO₃^–. To examine whetherthis is attributable to impaired root uptake of cations or lowerinternal demand, the rates of uptake and translocation of K,Mg, and Ca were compared in maize plants (Zea mays L.) withdifferent growth-related nutrient demands. Plants were grownin nutrient solution with either 1·0 mol m^–3 NO₃^–or NH₄⁺ and the shoot growth rate per unit weight of roots wasmodified by varying the temperature of the shoot base (SBT)including the apical shoot meristem. The shoot growth rate per unit weight of roots, which was takenas the parameter for the nutrient demand imposed on the rootsystem, was markedly lower at 12°C than at 24°C SBT.As a consequence of the lower nutrient demand at 12°C SBT,uptake rates of NO₃^– and NH₄⁺ declined by more than 50%Compared with NO₃^– supply, NH₄⁺ nutrition depressed theconcentrations of K and particularly of Ca in the shoot, bothin plants with high and with low nutrient demand. This indicatesa control of cation concentration by internal demand ratherthan by uptake capacity of the roots. Translocation rates of K, Mg and Ca in the xylem exudate werelower in NH₄⁺- than in NO₃^–-fed plants. Net accumulationrates of Ca in the shoot were also decreased, whereas net accumulationrates of K in the shoot were even higher in NH₄⁺-fed plants.It is concluded that reduced cation concentrations in the xylemsap of plants supplied with NH₄⁺ are due to the lower demandof cations for charge balance. The lower K translocation tothe shoot is compensated by reduced retranslocation to the roots.For Ca, in contrast, decreased translocation rates in NH₄⁺-fedplants result in lower shoot concentration. Key words: Nitrogen form, cation nutrition, charge balance, xylem exudate, recirculation