Dependent Glutamate Dehydrogenase Activity Research Articles

Effect of Tryptophane on Synthesis of Certain Exometabolites by Bacteria of Genus Acinetobacter, Nocardia, and Rhodococcus and Their Properties

The efficiency of integrated microbial biotechnologies for obtaining several practically valuable metabolites in one technological process is determined both by the maximum concentration of these substances and their properties. This is especially true for secondary metabolites, the composition and properties of which vary depending on the cultivation conditions of the producer. Aim. To research the effect of tryptophan (a precursor of auxin biosynthesis) in the culture media on the synthesis of certain exometabolites by Rhodococcus erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus IMV B-7241, and Nocardia vaccinii IMV B-7405 as well as their properties. Methods. R. erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, A. calcoaceticus IMV B-724, and N. vaccinii IMV B-7405 were cultivated in a medium containing refined and waste sunflower oil, biodiesel waste, or ethanol as a carbon source. The concentration of tryptophan in the medium was 300 mg/L. Surfactants were extracted from the supernatant of the cultural liquid with a modified Folch mixture. Phytohormones were isolated from the supernatant by sequential extraction with organic solvents after surfactant extraction. Thin-layer chromatography was used for preliminary purification and concentration of phytohormones. Qualitative and quantitative determination of auxins was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The antimicrobial activity of surfactants was analysed by the minimum inhibitory concentration. The activity of enzymes of surface-active glycoand aminolipids biosynthesis (phosphoenolpyruvate synthetase, phosphoenolcarboxykinase, and NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase) was determined spectrophotometrically during the oxidation of NADH or NADP. Results. It was found that the presence of tryptophan in the culture medium of the strains under study did not affect the number of synthesized surfactants, which was 1.80−1.90, 1.55−1.75, and 1.50−1.65 g/L, respectively. At the same time, cultivation of R. erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, A. calcoaceticus IMV B-724, and N. vaccinii IMV B-7405 in the media with tryptophan increased the number of phytohormones: it was higher than the amount of phytohormones synthesized during cultivation without a precursor. The introduction of tryptophan into the culture medium of the strains was accompanied by the formation of surfactants. These compounds showed 2−4 times higher antimicrobial activity against the phytopathogenic bacteria (Agrobacterium tumefaciens UCM B-1000, Pseudomonas syringae UCM B-1027T, Xanthomonas vesicatoria UCM B-1106, Pectobacterium carotovorum UCM B-1075T, Clavibacter michiganensis IMV B-102 and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato IMV B-9167) than compounds synthesized on a medium without a precursor. The antimicrobial activity of surfactants synthesized by A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 in the presence of tryptophan either did not change compared to that for surfactants obtained without tryptophan, or increased slightly. Data on the activity of surfactant biosynthesis enzymes correlated with the indicators of their antimicrobial activity. In the presence of tryptophan in the culture medium of N. vaccinii IMV B-7405 and R. erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the cells of these strains (a key enzyme for biosynthesis of aminolipids responsible for antimicrobial activity) increased almost by 1.4 times compared to that on a tryptophan-free medium. Conclusions. As a result of this work, it was found that the presence of tryptophan in the culture medium of researched strains did not affect the number of surfactants. The antimicrobial activity of surfactants against phytopathogenic bacteria either increased or remained unchanged compared to that established for surfactants synthesized without a precursor of auxin biosynthesis. The obtained data testify to the high efficiency of the potential use of surfactants complex preparations and phytohormones in crop production to stimulate the growth of plants and biocontrol of phytopathogenic bacteria.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 Surfactants Depending on Monovalent Cations Content in Cultivation Medium

Microbial surfactants (biosurfactants) are multifunctional preparations due to a combination of physicochemical (reduction of surface and interfacial tension, emulsifying activity) and biological (antimicrobial and antiadhesive activity, the ability to destroy biofilms) properties. However, the disadvantage of biosurfactants synthesized as a complex of compounds is the possibility of changing the biological activity depending on the conditions of producer cultivation. Aim. To study the effect of potassium and sodium cations on the NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity of cell-free extract of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ІМV B-7241 with subsequent appropriate modification of the nutrient medium composition and determination of antimicrobial and anti-adhesive activity of surfactant synthesized. Methods. A. calcoaceticus ІМV B-7241 strain was grown in media containing 2% of sunflower oil waste as a carbon source, as well as various concentrations of potassium and sodium chloride (basal – 1.0 g/l NaCl, medium #1 that did not contains NaCl, medium #2 in which the concentration of NaCl was 2.0 g/l, medium #3 in which the concentration of NaCl and KCl was 1.0 g/l each). The surfactants were extracted from the supernatant liquid culture with a modified Folch mixture. Antiadhesive activity and the degree of biofilms degradation were determined by spectrophotometric method, antimicrobial activity − by the indicator of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Activity of enzymes of surface-active aminolipids biosynthesis (NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase) and glycolipids (phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase, PEP-synthetase, PEP-carboxykinase, trehalose phosphate synthase) were analyzed in cell-free extracts obtained after the destruction of cells by ultrasound. Results. It was found that potassium and sodium cations in concentrations of 50 and 100 mM are inhibitors of NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase, and in lower concentrations (5–20 mM) – activators of this enzyme, as well as PEP-carboxykinase and PEP-synthetase. The increase in the biosurfactant concentration to 6.1−7.7 g/l during cultivation of A. calcoaceticus ІМV B-7241 in medium #1 and #3 was due to the predominant synthesis of glycolipids under such conditions, which was evidenced by the increase in 1.8−6.5 times in the activity of PEP-carboxylase, PEP-carboxykinase, PEP-synthetase and trehalose phosphate synthetase compared to the indicators on the basal medium. The concentration of surfactants synthesized in the basal medium was 3.6 g/l, but such surfactants were characterized by the highest antimicrobial and anti-adhesive activity. Their MIC against the test-cultures of studied bacteria (Pseudomonas sp. MI-2, Bacillus subtilis BT-2, Escherichia coli IEM-1, Staphylococcus aureus BMS-1, Enterobacter cloaceae C-8) and fungi (Candida albicans D-6, Rhizopus nigricans P1, Aspergillus niger P-3, Fusarium culmorum T-7) were 0.88−56 μg/ml and were by 2−3 orders of magnitude lower compared to established for surfactants synthesized in modified media #1–3. In the case of treatment of abiotic materials with surfactant solutions obtained on the basal medium, the adhesion of bacteria and fungi was on average 10–20% lower than after surface treatment by the surfactant synthesized in modified media. In the presence of 148−296 μg/ml of surfactants obtained in the basal medium, destruction of S. aureus BMS-1 and B. subtilis BT-2 biofilms was 45−66%, and C. albicans D-6 yeast – 39−44%. Under the action of similar concentrations of surfactants synthesized in modified media, the destruction of bacterial and yeast biofilms was lower: 6-52 and 20–46%, respectively. Conclusions. The obtained results are consistent with the data of our previous studies on the possibility of regulating the antimicrobial and antiadhesive activity of surfactants in the process of producer cultivation by changing the content of cations in the medium, which are inhibitors/activators of enzymes responsible for the synthesis of components of the surfactants complex, which have certain biological properties.

Introduction of a fungal NADP(H)-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (gdhA) improves growth, grain weight and salt resistance by enhancing the nitrogen uptake efficiency in forage rice

We report the effect of the introduction of a fungal glutamate dehydrogenase gene (gdhA) into forage rice (cv. Momiroman) by analyzing the transgenic rice plants in terms of growth, source function, and nitrogen contents. NADP (H)-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activities in the gdhA-transgenic lines were markedly higher than those in non-transgenic control plants. Plant growth analysis at the seedling stage revealed that the leaf area and shoot and root dry weights of the high gdhA-expressors were higher than those of control plants under both high (high N) and low nitrogen (low N) conditions. These results suggested that the source ability was enhanced by the gdhA introduction. This was supported by the fact that the net photosynthesis rate at the heading stage was also higher in transgenic than in control leaves. Furthermore, under both high and low N conditions, the nitrogen contents in the shoots and roots, at seedling and grain-harvest stages, were significantly higher in high gdhA-expressors than in control plants, indicating that nitrogen uptake was higher in transgenic than in control plants. At the harvest stage, the high gdhA-expressors exhibited greater panicle and spikelet numbers per plant compared with control plants, resulting in higher grain weight, under the high N conditions. In addition, gdhA expression in forage rice significantly enhanced their tolerance to salt stress compared to control plants. The present study showed that the introduction of a fungal gdhA into forage rice could lead to higher source ability, better growth and higher grain weight by enhancing nitrogen uptake efficiency.

Reassimilation of Photorespiratory Ammonium in Lotus japonicus Plants Deficient in Plastidic Glutamine Synthetase.

It is well established that the plastidic isoform of glutamine synthetase (GS2) is the enzyme in charge of photorespiratory ammonium reassimilation in plants. The metabolic events associated to photorespiratory NH4 + accumulation were analyzed in a Lotus japonicus photorespiratory mutant lacking GS2. The mutant plants accumulated high levels of NH4 + when photorespiration was active, followed by a sudden drop in the levels of this compound. In this paper it was examined the possible existence of enzymatic pathways alternative to GS2 that could account for this decline in the photorespiratory ammonium. Induction of genes encoding for cytosolic glutamine synthetase (GS1), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and asparagine synthetase (ASN) was observed in the mutant in correspondence with the diminishment of NH4 +. Measurements of gene expression, polypeptide levels, enzyme activity and metabolite levels were carried out in leaf samples from WT and mutant plants after different periods of time under active photorespiratory conditions. In the case of asparagine synthetase it was not possible to determine enzyme activity and polypeptide content; however, an increased asparagine content in parallel with the induction of ASN gene expression was detected in the mutant plants. This increase in asparagine levels took place concomitantly with an increase in glutamine due to the induction of cytosolic GS1 in the mutant, thus revealing a major role of cytosolic GS1 in the reassimilation and detoxification of photorespiratory NH4 + when the plastidic GS2 isoform is lacking. Moreover, a diminishment in glutamate levels was observed, that may be explained by the induction of NAD(H)-dependent GDH activity.

Determination of glutamate dehydrogenase activity and its kinetics in mouse tissues using metabolic mapping (quantitative enzyme histochemistry).

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) catalyses the reversible conversion of glutamate into α-ketoglutarate with the concomitant reduction of NAD(P)+ to NAD(P)H or vice versa. GDH activity is subject to complex allosteric regulation including substrate inhibition. To determine GDH kinetics in situ, we assessed the effects of various glutamate concentrations in combination with either the coenzyme NAD+ or NADP+ on GDH activity in mouse liver cryostat sections using metabolic mapping. NAD+-dependent GDH Vmax was 2.5-fold higher than NADP+-dependent Vmax, whereas the Km was similar, 1.92 mM versus 1.66 mM, when NAD+ or NADP+ was used, respectively. With either coenzyme, Vmax was determined at 10 mM glutamate and substrate inhibition was observed at higher glutamate concentrations with a Ki of 12.2 and 3.95 for NAD+ and NADP+ used as coenzyme, respectively. NAD+- and NADP+-dependent GDH activities were examined in various mouse tissues. GDH activity was highest in liver and much lower in other tissues. In all tissues, the highest activity was found when NAD+ was used as a coenzyme. In conclusion, GDH activity in mice is highest in the liver with NAD+ as a coenzyme and highest GDH activity was determined at a glutamate concentration of 10 mM.

NAD(H)-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase is essential for the survival ofArabidopsis thalianaduring dark-induced carbon starvation

Interconversion between glutamate and 2-oxoglutarate, which can be catalysed by glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), is a key reaction in plant carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) metabolism. However, the physiological role of plant GDH has been a controversial issue for several decades. To elucidate the function of GDH, the expression of GDH in various tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana was studied. Results suggested that the expression of two Arabidopsis GDH genes was differently regulated depending on the organ/tissue types and cellular C availability. Moreover, Arabidopsis mutants defective in GDH genes were identified and characterized. The two isolated mutants, gdh1-2 and gdh2-1, were crossed to make a double knockout mutant, gdh1-2/gdh2-1, which contained negligible levels of NAD(H)-dependent GDH activity. Phenotypic analysis on these mutants revealed an increased susceptibility of gdh1-2/gdh2-1 plants to C-deficient conditions. This conditional phenotype of the double knockout mutant supports the catabolic role of GDH and its role in fuelling the TCA cycle during C starvation. The reduced rate of glutamate catabolism in the gdh2-1 and gdh1-2/gdh2-1 plants was also evident by the growth retardation of these mutants when glutamate was supplied as the alternative N source. Furthermore, amino acid profiles during prolonged dark conditions were significantly different between WT and the gdh mutant plants. For instance, glutamate levels increased in WT plants but decreased in gdh1-2/gdh2-1 plants, and aberrant accumulation of several amino acids was detected in the gdh1-2/gdh2-1 plants. These results suggest that GDH plays a central role in amino acid breakdown under C-deficient conditions.

Modulation of higher-plant NAD(H)-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity in transgenic tobacco via alteration of beta subunit levels

Modulation of higher-plant NAD(H)-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity in transgenic tobacco via alteration of beta subunit levels

Modulation of higher-plant NAD(H)-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity in transgenic tobacco via alteration of beta subunit levels

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.2-1.4.1.4) catalyses in vitro the reversible amination of 2-oxoglutarate to glutamate. In vascular plants the in vivo direction(s) of the GDH reaction and hence the physiological role(s) of this enzyme remain obscure. A phylogenetic analysis identified two clearly separated groups of higher-plant GDH genes encoding either the alpha- or beta-subunit of the GDH holoenzyme. To help clarify the physiological role(s) of GDH, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) was transformed with either an antisense or sense copy of a beta-subunit gene, and transgenic plants recovered with between 0.5- and 34-times normal leaf GDH activity. This large modulation of GDH activity (shown to be via alteration of beta-subunit levels) had little effect on leaf ammonium or the leaf free amino acid pool, except that a large increase in GDH activity was associated with a significant decrease in leaf Asp (~51%, P=0.0045). Similarly, plant growth and development were not affected, suggesting that a large modulation of GDH beta-subunit titre does not affect plant viability under the ideal growing conditions employed. Reduction of GDH activity and protein levels in an antisense line was associated with a large increase in transcripts of a beta-subunit gene, suggesting that the reduction in beta-subunit levels might have been due to translational inhibition. In another experiment designed to detect post-translational up-regulation of GDH activity, GDH over-expressing plants were subjected to prolonged dark-stress. GDH activity increased, but this was found to be due more likely to resistance of the GDH protein to stress-induced proteolysis, rather than to post-translational up-regulation.

Extremely thermostable glutamate dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophilic archaebacterium Pyrococcus furiosus

The hyperthermophilic archaebacterium Pyrococcus furiosus contains high levels of NAD(P)-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity. The enzyme could be involved in the first step of nitrogen metabolism, catalyzing the conversion of 2-oxoglutarate and ammonia to glutamate. The enzyme, purified to homogeneity, is a hexamer of 290 kDa (subunit mass 48 kDa). Isoelectric-focusing analysis of the purified enzyme showed a pI of 4.5. The enzyme shows strict specificity for 2-oxoglutarate and L-glutamate but utilizes both NADH and NADPH as cofactors. The purified enzyme reveals an outstanding thermal stability (the half-life for thermal inactivation at 100 degrees C was 12 h), totally independent of enzyme concentration. P. furiosus glutamate dehydrogenase represents 20% of the total protein; this elevated concentration raises questions about the roles of this enzyme in the metabolism of P. furiosus.

NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity is impaired in mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that lack aconitase.

A mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking aconitase did not grow on minimal medium (MM) and had five- to tenfold less NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity than the wild-type, although its glutamine synthetase (GS) activity was still inducible. When this mutant was incubated with glutamate as the sole nitrogen source, the 2-oxoglutarate content rose, and the NADP+-dependent GDH activity increased. Furthermore, carbon-limited cultures showed a direct relation between NADP+-dependent GDH activity and the intracellular 2-oxoglutarate content. We propose that the low NADP+-dependent GDH activity found in the mutant was due to the lack of 2-oxoglutarate or some other intermediate of the tricarboxylic acid cycle.

Morphology-associated expression nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase in Mucorracemosus.

The in vivo regulation of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) was studied in Mucor racemosus as a function of nutritional conditions and morphological state. Both nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP)-dependent GDH activities were found. The effect of carbon and nitrogen source on the specific activity of the NAD-dependent GDH suggests that its role is primarily catabolic. The NAD-dependent activity was generally an order of magnitude greater in mycelial cells than in yeast-phase cells grown on the same medium. During yeast-to-hyphal morphogenesis the increase in NAD-dependent activity preceded the appearance of hyphal cells both under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Exogenous dibutyryl-cyclic AMP prevented the increase in NAD-dependent GDH concomitantly with the suppression of morphological differentiation. The NADP-dependent activity did not change appreciably during morphogenesis.

Regulation of Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Nitrate Reductase Levels in Excised Pea Roots by Exogeneously Supplied Sugar

The activities of NADH2 dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and nitrate reductase were followed in excised pea roots cultured in liquid medium with or without sucrose. Whilst the persistance of nitrate reductase activity in excised pea roots depends directly on the presence of sugar in the medium and whilst in its absence nitrate reductase activity drops to the initial value before the induction with nitrate, both NADH9 dependent GDH and NADPH2 dependent GDH activities rise in excised pea roots in the absence of sugar in the medium, and vice versa, their activities are maintained at approximately the same level as in corresponding parts of roots on intact seedlings in the presence of sugar in the medium. The increase in NADH2 dependent GDH activity is inhibited by actidione which indicates that de novo synthesis of the enzyme is probably responsible for the increase. Glucose and fructose are in their effects equivalent to sucrose. The omission of sugar from the medium causes also a change in the ratio of the activities of individual isoenzymes of NAD+ dependent GDH. Physiological concentrations of ammonium and nitrate ions neither influence GDH level in the presence of sugar nor in the absence of it. The above mentioned sugars are apparently involved in the regulation of these enzymes directly and not indirectly by means of their metabolites formed during respiration. This is indicated by the results obtained in the experiments with exogenously supplied metabolites of glycolysis, pentose phosphate cycle and Krebs cycle, which did not show any significant effect on GDH and nitrate reductase levels. The increase in GDH level observed after the addition of sublethal concentrations of some respiratory inhibitors to the medium containing sugar was probably caused by decreased sugar uptake and transport. The regulation of GDH level controlled by sugars is in isolated pea roots independent of some other regulatory mechanisms (controlled by acids, nitrite and hydroxylamine), and vice versa. On the other hand, the results of our experiments indicate that the increase in the level of NADH2 dependent GDH observed by other authors in the roots of whole intact plants after their exposure to high concentrations of ammonium salts, may be, at least partly, caused indirectly by changes in the level of sugars in these roots.

The effect of exogenously supplied hydroxylamine on glutamate dehydrogenase, nitrate reductase, and nitrite reductase in isolated pea roots

Hydroxylamine added to the nutrient medium in sublethal concentrations (0.2 to 1.0 mN) enhanced NADH2 dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity in isolated pea roots. The increase in activity depended on proteosynthesis and was lower in the presence of NO3 − and NH4 + ions. The induction of nitrate reductase and of nitrite reductase was partly inhibited by sublethal hydroxylamine concentrations.

Enzyme Activities in Urtica dioica: Effects of Daylength and Leaf Age on Glutamate Dehydrogenase, Aspartate Aminotransferase and Alanine Aminotransferase

AbstractEnzymes, important to protein synthesis, were investigated in young and old leaves of Urtica dioica. The plants, divided into two groups, were exposed to either 18‐hour or 12‐hour photo‐periods. One group of plants from each photoperiodic regime was subjected to an irradiance of 28 W × m‐2, and the other group of plants to 42 W × m‐2. The enzymes investigated were glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), aspartate aminotransferase (glutamate‐oxaloacetate transaminase, GOT), and alanine aminotransferase (glutamate‐pyruvate transaminase, GPT), GDH and GOT were determined by means of electrophoretic separation on polyacrylamide and spectrophotometric measurements. GPT was determined only by the latter method.Plants exposed to 18‐hour photoperiods showed much higher GDH activity than did those exposed to 12‐hour photoperiods. The activity of GDH also increased with leaf age. Besides one uniform NAD+‐dependent GDH, two other NAD+‐independent enzymes, showing GDH activity, were identified on polyacryl‐amide gel electrophoresis. The distribution of NADH and NAD+‐dependent GDH activity between young and old leaves was similar under different growth conditions.The activity of GOT was insensitive to environmental changes. The results regarding GPT indicate that this enzyme responded to different photoperiods in the same way as GDH. A correlation coefficient of 0.928 was obtained for the relationship between GDH and GPT activity.

The regulation of glutamate dehydrogenase, nitrite reductase, and nitrate reductase in excised pea roots by nitrite

Both nitrite reductase and nitrate reductase were induced by nitrite, but there were differences in the time course of induction and in the response to different NO2 - concentrations between these enzymes. NH4 + depressed the induction of nitrite reductase. NADH2 dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity was enhanced by those NO2-concentrations in the medium at which unmetabolized NO2 - occurred in the roots. NADPH2 and NAD+ dependent GDh activities were not affected. In vivo modification and (or) in vivo activation were probably responsible for the increase in NADH2 dependent GDH activity.

Ammonium repression in a mutant of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis lacking NADP dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity

FEBS LettersVolume 32, Issue 2 p. 265-266 Full-length articleFree Access Ammonium repression in a mutant of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis lacking NADP dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity K.W. van de Poll, K.W. van de Poll Van't Hoff Laboratory, Sterrenbos 19, Utrecht, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this author K.W. van de Poll, K.W. van de Poll Van't Hoff Laboratory, Sterrenbos 19, Utrecht, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this author First published: June 01, 1973 https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-5793(73)80848-8Citations: 28AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume32, Issue2June 01, 1973Pages 265-266 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Activity of the hexose monophosphate shunt in a mutant of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis lacking NADP dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity

Activity of the hexose monophosphate shunt in a mutant of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis lacking NADP dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity

OBSERVATIONS ON THE NITROGEN METABOLISM OF PROTOTHECA KRÜGER

SummaryFour strains of the putative apochlorotic algal genus Prototheca Krüger (P. chlorelloides, P. moriformis, P. portoricensis and P. zopfii), could utilize either ammonium sulphate or adenine as sole nitrogen source for growth but neither potassium nitrate nor sodium nitrite could be utilized. P. zopfii could also utilize the purines hypoxanthine and guanine, and both P. zopfii and P. chlorelloides could utilize a wide range of l‐ and d‐amino acids as sole nitrogen sources for growth in media containing glucose. P. zopfii and P. chlorelloides behave similarly to one another in the experiments and may, therefore, not be separate species, while P. moriformis and P. portoricensis behaved differently from them and from each other.Cell‐free extracts of P. zopfii had transaminase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activities. An attempt to show that ammonium assimilation involves a coupling between the NADP glutamate dehydrogenase and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway was complicated by the fact that uptake of exogenously supplied glucose was inhibited during ammonium assimilation. The production of [14C] carbon dioxide from [1‐14C] glucose was inhibited less than both the uptake of glucose and the production of [14C] carbon dixoide from [6‐14C] glucose, suggesting that the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway provides the reduced coenzyme for ammonium assimilation.

Nitrogen metabolis of Lemna minor. II. Enzymes of nitrate assimilation and some aspects of their regulation.

In L. minor grown in sterile culture, the primary enzymes of nitrate assimilation, nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) change in response to nitrogen source. NR and NiR levels are low when grown on amino acids (hydrolyzed casein) or ammonia; both enzymes are rapidly induced on addition of nitrate, while addition of nitrite induces NiR only. Ammonia represses the nitrate induced synthesis of both NR and NiR.NADH dependent GDH activity is low when grown on amino acids and high when grown on nitrate or ammonia, but the activities of NADPH dependent GDH and Alanine dehydro-genase (AIDH) are much less affected by nitrogen source. NADH-GDH and AIDH are induced by ammonia, and it is suggested that these enzymes are involved in primary nitrogen assimilation.