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Chloroplast nitrite uptake is enhanced in Arabidopsis PII mutants
Author(s) -
Ferrario-Méry Sylvie,
Meyer Christian,
Hodges Michael
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2008.02.056
Subject(s) - arabidopsis , chloroplast , mutant , nitrite , biochemistry , ammonium , biosynthesis , arabidopsis thaliana , arginine , biology , plastid , chemistry , amino acid , enzyme , gene , nitrate , ecology , organic chemistry
In higher plants, the PII protein is a nuclear‐encoded plastid protein that regulates the activity of a key enzyme of arginine biosynthesis. We have previously observed that Arabidopsis PII mutants are more sensitive to nitrite toxicity. Using intact chloroplasts isolated from Arabidopsis leaves and 15 N‐labelled nitrite we show that a light‐dependent nitrite uptake into chloroplasts is increased in PII knock‐out mutants when compared to the wild‐type. This leads to a higher incorporation of 15 N into ammonium and amino acids in the mutant chloroplasts. However, the uptake differences do not depend on GS/GOGAT activities. Our observations suggest that PII is involved in the regulation of nitrite uptake into higher plant chloroplasts.