Subcellular Location of NADPH-Dependent Hydroxypyruvate Reductase Activity in Leaf Protoplasts of Pisum sativum L. and Its Role in Photorespiratory Metabolism

Abstract

Protoplasts purified from pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaves were lysed and fractionated to assess the subcellular distribution of NADPH-dependent hydroxypyruvate reductase (NADPH-HPR) activity. Rate-zonal centrifugation and sucrose-gradient experiments demonstrated that most (about 70%) of the NADPH-HPR activity was located in the supernatant or cytosol fraction. Detectable, but relatively minor activities were associated with the chloroplast fraction (up to 10% on a chlorophyll basis when compared to the lysate) and with peroxisomes. The minor NADPH-HPR activity in the peroxisomes could be fully accounted for by the secondary NADPH-dependent activity of NADH-dependent HPR. The subcellular distribution of NADPH-HPR followed closely that previously determined for NADPH-dependent glyoxylate reductase (NADPH-GR), an enzyme localized predominantly in the cytosol of pea leaf protoplasts (CV Givan et al. 1988 J Plant Physiol 132: 593-599). Low activities of both NADPH-HPR and NADPH-GR were also found in purified chloroplasts prepared by mechanical homogenization of Pisum and Spinacia leaves. In pea and spinach chloroplasts, rates of both NADPH-HPR and NADPH-GR were lower than the activity of the NADH-dependent GR. The results are discussed in relation to a possible role for NADPH-HPR in the oxidative carbon pathway of photorespiration. Both NADPH-HPR and the GRs could function as auxiliary reactions to photorespiration, utilizing hydroxypyruvate and/or glyoxylate ;leaked' or otherwise exported from peroxisomes. NADPH-HPR function might be especially significant under conditions of limiting NADH supply to peroxisomes, with extraperoxisomal reduced pyridine nucleotide acting as the reductant.