Open AccessRegulation of Nodule Glutamine Synthetase by CO2 Levels in Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Author(s) -
José-Luis Ortega,
Federico Sánchez,
Mário Soberón,
Miguel Lara Flores
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
plant physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.554
H-Index - 312
eISSN - 1532-2548
pISSN - 0032-0889
DOI - 10.1104/pp.98.2.584
Subject(s) - phaseolus , glutamine synthetase , nitrogenase , biology , nitrogen fixation , rhizobium , glutamine , inoculation , mutant , specific activity , biochemistry , isozyme , strain (injury) , enzyme , botany , bacteria , horticulture , gene , amino acid , genetics , anatomy
Nodulated bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants were grown for 17 days after infection in normal (0.02%) CO(2) and from day 8 to 17 in high (0.1%) CO(2) in order to increase nitrogen fixation and define how nodule glutamine synthetase (GS) isoforms are regulated by the ammonia derived from the bacteroid. Nitrogenase activity was detected by day 10, and by day 17 activity was over twofold higher in 0.1% of CO(2) compared with plants grown in 0.02% CO(2) and inoculated with Rhizobium wild-type strain CE3. Likewise, plant fresh weight increased in response to increased CO(2), particularly in plants inoculated with the Rhizobium phaseoli mutant strain CFN037. Glutamine synthetase specific activity increased 2.5- to 6.5-fold from day 11 to 17. However, increased CO(2) did not appear to have an effect on GS specific activity. Analysis of the nodule GS polypeptide composition revealed that the gamma polypeptide was significantly reduced in response to high CO(2), whereas the beta polypeptide was not affected. The significance of this result in relation to the regulation of GS isoforms and their role in the assimilation of ammonia in the nodule is discussed in this paper.