Contribution of Malate and Amino Acid Metabolism to Cytoplasmic pH Regulation in Hypoxic Maize Root Tips Studied Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

³¹P-, ¹³C-, and ¹⁵N-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to determine the roles of malate, succinate, Ala, Asp, Glu, Gln, and γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) in the energy metabolism and regulation of cytoplasmic pH in hypoxic maize (Zea mays L.) root tips. Nitrogen status was manipulated by perfusing root tips with ammonium sulfate prior to hypoxia; this pretreatment led to enhanced synthesis of Ala early in hypoxia, and of GABA at later times. We show that: (a) the ability to regulate cytoplasmic pH during hypoxia is not significantly affected by enhanced Ala synthesis. (b) Independent of nitrogen status, decarboxylation of Glu to GABA is greatest after several hours of hypoxia, as metabolism collapses. (c) Early in hypoxia, cytoplasmic malate is in part decarboxylated to pyruvate (leading to Ala, lactate, and ethanol), and in part converted to succinate. It appears that activation of malic enzyme serves to limit cytoplasmic acidosis early in hypoxia. (d) Ala synthesis in hypoxic root tips under these conditions is due to transfer of nitrogen ultimately derived from Asp and Gln, present in oxygenated tissue. We describe the relative contributions of glycolysis and malate decarboxylation in providing Ala carbons. (e) Succinate accumulation during hypoxia can be attributed to metabolism of Asp and malate; this flux to succinate is energetically negligible. There is no detectable net flux from Glc to succinate during hypoxia. The significance of the above metabolic reactions relative to ethanol and lactate production, and to flooding tolerance, is discussed. The regulation of the patterns of metabolism during hypoxia is considered with respect to cytoplasmic pH and redox state.