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Increased β‐cyanoalanine synthase and asparaginase activity in nitrogen‐deprived wheat exposed to cyanide
Author(s) -
Machingura Marylou,
Ebbs Stephen D.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of plant nutrition and soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 1436-8730
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.201000164
Subject(s) - cyanide , nitrogen , chemistry , enzyme , limiting , biochemistry , enzyme assay , asparaginase , nitrogen deficiency , biology , organic chemistry , mechanical engineering , lymphoblastic leukemia , leukemia , engineering , genetics
Abstract The β‐cyanoalanine pathway in plants detoxifies cyanide by assimilating this metabolic poison. Given the possibility that cyanide in soil could serve as an alternate source of nitrogen for plant nutrition, this study investigated whether nitrogen deprivation of wheat seedlings altered the activity of the first enzyme of the pathway (β‐cyanoalanine synthase) or asparaginase. The results suggest that ambient, nontoxic concentrations of soil cyanide may serve as an alternate source of nitrogen for plants under nitrogen‐limiting conditions.