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Initial organic products of assimilation of (/sup 13/N)ammonium and (/sup 13/N)nitrate by tobacco cells cultured on different sources of nitrogen. [Glutamine]

Journal Article · · Plant Physiol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6777307

Glutamine is the first major organic product of assimilation of /sup 13/NH/sub 4//sup +/ by tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi) cells cultured on nitrate, urea, or ammonium succinate as the sole source of nitrogen, and of /sup 13/NO/sub 3//sup -/ by tobacco cells cultured on nitrate. The percentage of organic /sup 13/N in glutamate, and subsequently, alanine, increases with increasing periods of assimilation. /sup 13/NO/sub 3//sup -/, used for the first time in a study of assimilation of nitrogen, was purified by new preparative techniques. During pulse-chase experiments, there is a decrease in the percentage of /sup 13/N in glutamine, and a concomitant increase in the percentage of /sup 13/N in glutamate and alanine. Methionine sulfoximine inhibits the incorporation of /sup 13/N from /sup 13/NH/sub 4//sup +/ into glutamine more extensively than it inhibits the incorporation of /sup 13/N into glutamate, with cells grown on any of the three sources of nitrogen. Azaserine inhibits glutamate synthesis extensively when /sup 13/NH/sub 4//sup +/ is fed to cells cultured on nitrate. These results indicate that the major route for assimilation of /sup 13/NH/sub 4//sup +/ is the glutamine synthetase-glutamate synthase pathway, and that glutamate dehydrogenase also plays a role, but a minor one. Methionine sulfoximine inhibits the incorporation of /sup 13/N from /sup 13/NO/sub 3//sup -/ into glutamate more strongly than it inhibits the incorporation of /sup 13/N into glutamine, suggesting that the assimilation of /sup 13/NH/sub 4//sup +/ derived from /sup 13/NO/sub 3//sup -/ may be mediated solely by the glutamine synthetase-glutamate synthase pathway.

Research Organization:
Michigan State Univ., East Lansing
OSTI ID:
6777307
Journal Information:
Plant Physiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Plant Physiol.; (United States) Vol. 62; ISSN PLPHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English