Liberation of ammonia by cyanobacteria
Photoheterotrophic nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria release ammonia when treated with methionine sulfoximine (MSX) to inhibit nitrogen incorporation into protein. This released ammonia can be derived from recently fixed nitrogen (nitrogen atmosphere) or endogenous reserves (argon atmosphere). Anaerobic ammonia release requires light and is stimulated by the photosystem II herbicides DCMU and Atrazine, regardless of the source of ammonia. As much as one quarter of the total cellular nitrogen can be released as ammonia by cyanbacteria treated with MSX and DCMU under argon in light. Chromatography of cell extracts indicates that virtually all cellular proteins are degraded. DCMU and Atrazine, at very low concentration, inhibit sustained uptake of the ammonia analog /sup 14/C methylamine. These data indicate that the herbicides interrupt ammonia uptake and retention by the cells, and support a role for photosystem II in ammonia metabolism.
- Research Organization:
- Dept. of Agriculture, Peoria, IL
- OSTI ID:
- 5431686
- Journal Information:
- Plant Physiol.; (United States), Vol. 80:4; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Physiologists, Baton Rouge, LA, USA, 8-12 Jun 1986
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMMONIA
METABOLISM
CYANOBACTERIA
HERBICIDES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN FIXATION
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
UPTAKE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
PESTICIDES
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
SYNTHESIS
560302* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Microorganisms- (-1987)
550701 - Microbiology- Tracer Techniques