English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Background  Asparagine is a very important nitrogen transport and storage compound in plants due to its high nitrogen/carbon ratio and stability. Asparagine intracellular concentration depends on a balance between asparagine biosynthesis and degradation. The main enzymes involved in asparagine metabolism are asparagine synthetase (ASN), asparaginase (NSE) and serine-glyoxylate aminotransferase (SGAT). The study of the genes encoding for these enzymes in the model legume  Lotus japonicus  is of particular interest since it has been proposed that asparagine is the principal molecule used to transport reduced nitrogen within the plant in most temperate legumes.    Results  A differential expression of genes encoding for several enzymes involved in asparagine metabolism was detected in  L. japonicus . ASN is encoded by three genes,  LjASN1  was the most highly expressed in mature leaves while  LjASN2  expression was negligible and  LjASN3  showed a low expression in this organ, suggesting that  LjASN1  is the main gene responsible for asparagine synthesis in mature leaves. In young leaves,  LjASN3  was the only ASN gene expressed although at low levels, while all the three genes encoding for NSE were highly expressed, especially  LjNSE1 . In nodules,  LjASN2  and  LjNSE2  were the most highly expressed genes, suggesting an important role for these genes in this organ. Several lines of evidence support the connection between asparagine metabolic genes and photorespiration in  L. japonicus : a) a mutant plant deficient in  LjNSE1  showed a dramatic decrease in the expression of the two genes encoding for SGAT; b) expression of the genes involved in asparagine metabolism is altered in a photorespiratory mutant lacking plastidic glutamine synthetase; c) a clustering analysis indicated a similar pattern of expression among several genes involved in photorespiratory and asparagine metabolism, indicating a clear link between  LjASN1  and  LjSGAT  genes and photorespiration.    Conclusions  The results obtained in this paper indicate the existence of a differential expression of asparagine metabolic genes in  L. japonicus  and point out the crucial relevance of particular genes in different organs. Moreover, the data presented establish clear links between asparagine and photorespiratory metabolic genes in this plant.    Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4200-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Genes for asparagine metabolism in Lotus japonicus: differential expression and interconnection with photorespiration