Glutamine synthetase in Scots pine seedlings and its control by blue light and light absorbed by phytochrome

The appearance of glutamine synthetase (GS. EC 6.3.1.2) in response to light and nitrogen (NO ₃ ^- , NH ₄ ⁺ ) was studied in the organs (roots, hypocotyl, cotyledonary whorl) of the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedling. Although GS activity was found to be mainly (> 80%) located in the whorl where it increased strongly in response to light, a significant GS synthesis was also detected in dark-grown seedlings. Anion-exchange chromatography was used to resolve two GS isoforms which appeared to be regulated differentially in the cotyledonary whorls. The isoform (presumably plastidic GS2) which eluted from the column at 90 mM KCl increased drastically in response to light. The other isoform (presumably cytosolic GS1), which eluted at 200 mM KCl, was not stimulated by light but tended to disappear during the experimental period (4 to 12 d after sowing). Immunoblotting of pine extract yielded a prominent band with a molecular weight of 43 kDa. The linear correlation between GS activity and immunodetectable GS protein could be extrapolated through zero, showing that any increase of GS2 activity is to be attributed to the de-novo synthesis of GS protein. Gelfiltration chromatography yielded a molecular mass for the GS holoenzyme of 340 kDa, a value which supports an octameric quarternary structure as previously suggested for angiosperms. While supplying seedlings with 10 mM NO ₃ ^- stimulated GS synthesis in the whorl by 12%, 10 mM NH ₄ ⁺ caused an incipient ammonium toxicity. Experiments using dischromatic light (simultaneous treatment with two light beams to vary the level of the physiologically active form of phytochrome, Pfr, in blue light) revealed that synthesis of GS2 was controlled by light in the same way as previously shown for ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (Fd-GOGAT; EC 1.4.7.1). Up to 10 d after sowing the strong light effect could be attributed to phytochrome action whereas between 10 and 12 d after sowing phytochrome control of GS-synthesis failed if no blue/ultraviolet-A light was provided. The data show that blue light is required to maintain responsiveness of GS2 synthesis to phytochrome. Both enzymes, GS2 as well as Fd-GOGAT, appear to be regulated coordinately to meet the demands of ammonium assimilation.Abbreviations and Symbols B blue light - D darkness - Fd-GOGAT ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (EC 1.4.7.1); - GS glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) - R red light - RG9 long-wavelength far-red light defined by the properties of Schott glass filter RG9 - =Pfr/Ptot far-red absorbing form of phytochrome/total phytochrome, wavelength-dependent photoequilibrium of the phytochrome system Research supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 46 and Schwerpunkt Physiologie der Bäume). We thank J.M. Penther, (Institut für Biologie II, Freiburg, FRG) for his advice on the chromatographic techniques.