Regulation of Nitrate Reductase Activity in Corn (Zea mays L.) Seedlings by Endogenous Metabolites

Abstract

Primary and secondary metabolites of inorganic nitrogen metabolism were evaluated as inhibitors of nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1) induction in green leaf tissue of corn seedlings. Nitrite, nitropropionic acid, ammonium ions, and amino acids were not effective as inhibitors of nitrate reductase activity or synthesis. Increasing alpha-amino nitrogen and protein content of intact corn seedlings by culture techniques significantly enhanced rather than decreased the potential for induction of nitrate reductase activity in excised seedlings.Secondary metabolites, derived from phenylalanine and tyrosine, were tested as inhibitors of induction of nitrate reductase. Of the 9 different phenylpropanoid compounds tested, only coumarin, trans-cinnamic and trans-o-hydroxycinnamic acids inhibited induction of nitrate reductase.While coumarin alone exhibited a relatively greater inhibitory effect on enzyme induction than on general protein synthesis (the latter measured by incorporation of labeled amino acids), this differential effect may have been dependent upon unequal rates of synthesis and accumulation with respect to the initial levels of nitrate reductase and general proteins. Because of the short half-life of nitrate reductase, inhibitors of protein synthesis in general could still achieve differential regulation of nitrogen metabolism. Coumarin did not inhibit nitrate reductase activity when added directly to the assay mixture at 5 mm.Carbamyl phosphate and its chemical derivative, cyanate, were found to be competitive (with nitrate) inhibitors of nitrate reductase. The data suggest that cyanate is the active inhibitor in the carbamyl phosphate preparations.