Transport of the herbicide 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole by cultured tobacco cells and leaf protoplasts

Transport of the herbicide amitrole (3-amino-1,2,4-triazole) by suspension cultured cells and leaf protoplasts of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Wisconsin 38 has been investigated. Cells were batch-cultured and routinely assayed 3 days after subculturing. Uptake rate was pH-independent, energy independent, and culture growth phase-dependent, with growing cells exhibiting the highest rates. At a concentration of 0.2 millimolar amitrole, uptake rates yielded a Q(10) of 1.6 in the 18 to 28 degrees C temperature range. Amitrole was not concentrated over a 48-hour period and showed unsaturable kinetics over the concentration range of 0.01 to 50.0 millimolar. Uptake was not significantly influenced by a 100-fold higher concentration of several amino acids (l-Asp, gamma-amino-n-butyric acid, l-His, l-Leu, l-Met, l-Trp), sucrose, glucose, fructose, and oxaloacetic acid. Uptake rate inhibition by malic acid and stimulation by NH(4)SCN were statistically significant. Amitrole was bound to cellular material, but uptake of amitrole by tobacco leaf protoplasts demonstrated that cell walls did not qualitatively influence uptake. These results indicate that amitrole enters the cells via simple diffusion.