Plasma Membrane-bound Nitrate Reductase Research Articles

Relationships between nitrate uptake and nitrate reductase activity in Cucumis sativus L.

Anti-NR IgG fragments obtained after papain digestion of polyclonal antibodies gave the positive immunological reaction with both, a soluble and plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase. Anti-NR antibody as well as IgG fragments almost totally inhibited the nitrate reductase activity in cytosol proving a crossreaction of antibody with the catalytic site of a soluble NR. Anti-NR IgG fragments, but not undigested polyclonal antibodies affected the activity of the nitrate reductase associated with plasma membranes. Discrepancy in the action of intact antibodies and fragments obtained after they digestion were interpreted as a consequence of same differences in the ability of those molecules to the penetration through the membrane. Undigested anti-NR antibody have no effect on the nitrate uptake by intact plants, as well as by the right-side plasma membrane vesicles. On the other hand, IgG fragments of polyclonal antibodies abolished almost totally the nitrate uptake in the case of intact seedlings, but have only slight effect on the N03 uptake in plasma membranes. On the basis of above findings, some relations between nitrate uptake and its assimilation inside the cell are suggested. Since IgG fragments only slightly changed the N03 absorption in vesicles whereas the activity of plasmalemma associated nitrate reductase was strongly repressed, we concluded that the PM-NR is not structurally involved in the nitrate transport through the membrane.

FNOCT as a fluorescent probe for in vivo localization of nitric oxide distribution in tobacco roots

The nitric oxide-specific fluorescent probe Fluorescent Nitric Oxide Cheletropic Trap (FNOCT) 8a was applied to intact tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun) roots to detect sites of nitric oxide formation and NO distribution. Three week old tobacco seedlings were gently removed from the sand culture pots with intact roots and transferred to small Petri dishes, whose base was replaced by a thin coverslip. Intact roots were subjected to FNOCT 8a to localize NO-dependent fluorescence in these roots; controls with an exogenous NO donor confirmed the presence and distribution of the probe in the roots. To confirm the NO-dependent fluorescence, roots were incubated with the three different NO scavengers cPTIO {2-(4-Carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-L-oxyl-3-oxide}, methylene blue and sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate (DCC) followed by incubation with FNOCT 8a. Methylene blue and DCC were able to completely quench NO-dependent fluorescence, cPTIO quenched partially. The roots were incubated in the presence of NaNO₂ and NaNO₃, which are substrates for nitrite:nitric oxide reductase (NI-NOR) and plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase (PM-NR), respectively. The NO-dependent fluorescence was more or less same at the root tips upon treatment with NaNO₂, while the overall fluorescence was reduced in the presence of NaNO. Fluorescence from the living roots was visualized by inverted confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) using UV laser (excitation 360 nm and emission 408 nm). A specialized apparatus has been devised by the authors for analysis of intact roots as described in the methods section of this paper. Intact roots were chosen for microscopic observation rather than incised roots to avoid production of NO due to stress or physical injury.

Denitrification by plant roots? New aspects of plant plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase

A specific form of plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase in plants is restricted to roots. Two peptides originated from plasma membrane integral proteins isolated from Hordeum vulgare have been assigned as homologues to the subunit NarH of respiratory nitrate reductase of Escherichia coli. Corresponding sequences have been detected for predicted proteins of Populus trichocarpa with high degree of identities for the subunits NarH (75%) and NarG (65%), however, with less accordance for the subunit NarI. These findings coincide with biochemical properties, particularly in regard to the electron donors menadione and succinate. Together with the root-specific and plasma membrane-bound nitrite/NO reductase, nitric oxide is produced under hypoxic conditions in the presence of nitrate. In this context, a possible function in nitrate respiration of plant roots and an involvement of plants in denitrification processes are discussed.

Formation and possible roles of nitric oxide in plant roots

Nitric oxide has been reported to act as a signalling molecule in different plant tissues and to participate in a variety of physiological processes. It is produced by different enzymes and sources. The root-specific plasma membrane-bound enzymes forming NO from the substrates nitrate and nitrite are of particular interest because roots serve as interfaces between plants and the soil. The co-ordinated activity of the root-specific plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase (PM-NR) and nitrite:NO reductase (NI-NOR) suggests that NO might also be involved in root signalling and development. The rate of enzymatic production of this NO depends largely on the environmental conditions, mainly the availability of nitrate and oxygen and it is proposed that this NO plays a role during anoxia as an indicator of the external nitrate availability and in regulating symbiotic interactions at the root surface.

Aluminium effect on nitrate assimilation in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) roots

In vivo effect of aluminium on nitrate uptake and reduction by cucumber seedlings was investigated. The high-performance liquid chromatography was used to analyse the rate of nitrate uptake. Low (0.5 mM) concentration of AlCl3 in the nutrient solution stimulated nitrate uptake during the first 3 h. On the other hand, 6 h exposure of the cucumber seedlings to 1 or 5 mM of AlCl3 resulted in inhibition of nitrate uptake and at 5 mM concentration of AlCl3 the efflux of nitrate was observed. Furthermore, the amount of nitrate accumulated in cucumber roots after aluminium treatment was decreased. The noteworthy fact was observed, that at all concentrations of aluminium tested on increase of the nitrate reductase activity. This stimulation was concentration depended, but independent of the source of the enzyme. The activity of both the cytosolic and the plasma membrane bound nitrate reductase activity was enhanced in vivo. On the other hand, AlCl3 applied in vitro only slighty decreased nitrate reductase activity.

Diurnal changes in nitrogen assimilation of tobacco roots.

To gain an insight into the diurnal changes of nitrogen assimilation in roots the in vitro activities of cytosolic and plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1), nitrite reductase (EC 1.7.7.1) and cytosolic and plastidic glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) were studied. Simultaneously, changes in the contents of total protein, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium were followed. Roots of intact tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun) were extracted every 3 h during a diurnal cycle. Nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase and glutamine synthetase were active throughout the day-night cycle. Two temporarily distinct peaks of nitrate reductase were detected: during the day a peak of soluble nitrate reductase in the cytosol, in the dark phase a peak of plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase in the apoplast. The total activities of nitrate reduction were similar by day and night. High activities of nitrite reductase prevented the accumulation of toxic amounts of nitrite throughout the entire diurnal cycle. The resulting ammonium was assimilated by cytosolic glutamine synthetase whose two activity peaks, one in the light period and one in the dark, closely followed those of nitrate reductase. The contribution of plastidic glutamine synthetase was negligible. These results strongly indicate that nitrate assimilation in roots takes place at similar rates day and night and is thus differently regulated from that in leaves.

Kinetic characterization of succinate‐dependent plasma membrane‐bound nitrate reductase in tobacco roots 1

Plasma membrane‐bound nitrate reductase (PM‐NR) of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun) roots reduces nitrate with NADH and/or succinate as electron donor. The present paper reports on significant differences of the succinate‐dependent activity (succ‐PM‐NR) to known NADH‐dependent soluble and plasma membrane‐bound NR. The experiments were performed with plasma membrane vesicles containing the hydrophobic PM‐NR. In a temperature course, succ‐PM‐NR activity attained the highest rates of total activity (succinate‐nitrate) at 50°C, NADH‐dependent PM‐NR (NADH‐PM‐NR) only at 30°C. The temperature responses of partial reactions with domains of NR diverged, but indicated that the heme domain was the most sensitive to high temperatures and could limit succ‐PM‐NR. In contrast to NADH, succinate did not supply electrons to ferricyanide reduction. The pH optima of the overall reaction with succinate were 5.6 and 8.0 at 30°C, pH 7.0 at 50°C, with a much higher rate in the latter case. The affinities of succ‐PM‐NR for both substrates (succinate and nitrate) were highest at pH 5.6 and higher at 50°C than at 30°C. Malonate showed competitive inhibition with succinate, but not with NADH as substrate. We assume that structural differences in the flavin domain of at least one of the subunits of root PM‐NR may be responsible for the succinate‐dependent in addition to the NADH‐dependent activity, but a more detailed analysis is necessary.

Relationship of nitrate supply with growth rate, plasma membrane‐bound and cytosolic nitrate reductase, and tissue nitrate content in tobacco plants

cNR, cytosolic nitrate reductase PM‐NR, plasma membrane‐bound nitrate reductase Activities of plasma membrane‐bound nitrate reductase (PM‐NR) and cytosolic nitrate reductase (cNR) in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun) are regulated differently, depending upon the nitrate supply to the culture medium (in sand culture). The cNR activity of roots was higher at low nitrate concentrations with the maximum at 5 mM nitrate supply and declined to low values beyond 5 mM. In contrast, the PM‐NR activity of roots increased with higher nitrate concentrations with the maximum at 25 mM nitrate and clearly decreased only at 40 mM. This high PM‐NR activity correlated with a low growth rate and might be one of the responses to excess nitrate. Internal nitrate and total nitrogen content of the tissues, however, showed a relative minimum in shoots and in roots of between 15 and 25 mM external nitrate. With declining PM‐NR activities beyond 25 mM external nitrate, the nitrate content in the tissue increased indicating an inverse relationship between tissue nitrate content and root PM‐NR activity. In leaves both NR activities (cNR and PM‐NR) correlated with the internal nitrate content, but with a different response at low nitrate.

A succinate-oxidising nitrate reductase is located at the plasma membrane of plant roots

Plasma-membrane-bound nitrate reductase (PM-NR) is located in roots and leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun) and reduces nitrate with NADH as electron donor. When plasma membranes were prepared under specific protecting conditions, a PM-NR of roots was detected that accepts electrons from succinate to reduce nitrate. Comparison between the succinate dehydrogenase of mitochondria and the succinate-oxidising PM-NR of roots indicated that they are two different enzymes. Partial purification of the nitrate reductase forms by anion-exchange chromatography indicated that succinate and NADH supply electrons to the same plasma-membrane-bound protein.

Existence and characteristics of nitrate reductase in plasma membrane of maize roots

The existence and characteristics of nitrate reductase (NR) have been investigated with microsomes and purified plasma membrane vesicles (RV and IV) from the primary root tips of maize (Zea mays L.). An integral membrane protein capable of reducing nitrate is presented in the plasma membrane which is obviously different from the soluble cytoplasmic NR in respect of NO3- induction and Triton X-100 activation Plasma membrane-bound NR did not have direct coupling relationship with the transmembrane H-transport, however, it could inhibit the electron transmission from NADH to K3[Fe(CN)6]. The possible action mode of plasma membrane redox system that the membrane-bound NR is involved in is discussed.

Nitrate reductase activity of plasma membranes from cultured carrot cells

Cultured carrot cells (Daucus carota L.) reduced nitrate to nitrite at a slow rate (0.4 μmoles/g dry wt · h) without any additions to the reaction medium. This rate was doubled or tripled in presence of 100 μM NADH. Ethanol and other alcohols stimulated the basal rate 8–10-fold. Isolated carrot plasma membranes also reduced nitrate to nitrite at a rate of 80 nmoles/mg protein · h. This plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase activity was estimated to be 1.7% of the total activity. Nitrate reduction by carrot cells was inhibited 56% by sodium tungstate, 57% by potassium cyanide, and 87% by gold chloride. It was stimulated by plasma membrane electron transport inhibitors (retinoic acid and chloroquine) and ATPase inhibitors (diethylstilbestrol). From differential effects of some stimulators or inhibitors in the presence or absence of NADH, it can be implied that the nitrate reductase activity of cultured carrot cells was due to a transmembrane enzyme exhibiting an exogenous nitrate reductase activity when NADH was added.