No abstract

Plastids from roots of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedlings were isolated by discontinuous Percoll-gradient centrifugation. Coinciding with the peak of nitrite reductase (NiR; EC 1.7.7.1, a marker enzyme for plastids) in the gradients was a peak of a glucose-6-phosphate (Glc6P) and NADP(+)-linked nitrite-reductase system. High activities of phosphohexose isomerase (EC 5.3.1.9) and phosphoglucomutase (EC 2.7.5.1) as well as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Glc6PDH; EC 1.1.1.49) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH; EC 1.1.1.44) were also present in the isolated plastids. Thus, the plastids contained an overall electron-transport system from NADPH coupled with Glc6PDH and 6PGDH to nitrite, from which ammonium is formed stoichiometrically. However, NADPH alone did not serve as an electron donor for nitrite reduction, although NADPH with Glc6P added was effective. Benzyl and methyl viologens were enzymatically reduced by plastid extract in the presence of Glc6P+ NADP(+). When the plastids were incubated with dithionite, nitrite reduction took place, and ammonium was formed stoichiometrically. The results indicate that both an electron carrier and a diaphorase having ferredoxin-NADP(+) reductase activity are involved in the electron-transport system of root plastids from NADPH, coupled with Glc6PDH and 6PGDH, to nitrite.

Activity of nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.1) in leaves of Komatsuna (Brassica campestris L. ssp. rapifera cv. Osome) was decreased by sudden darkness, and rapidly recovered upon reillumination. However, the amount of NR protein, estimated by western blots, did not fluctuate during short‐term light/dark/light transitions. This suggests that rapid changes of NR activity in response to light/dark regimes are due to reversible modulation of the protein and not to de novo synthesis/degradation. In mannose‐fed leaves, such light/dark changes in NR activity were not observed. When extracts from illuminated leaves were incubated with MgATP, NR activity decreased in a time‐dependent manner. K‐252a, a specific inhibitor of protein kinases, prevented the in vitro inactivation of NR. The radiolabel of [γ‐32P] ATP was incorporated into NR protein in vitro and the labelling of NR was blocked by K‐252a. On the other hand, extractable NR from darkened leaves was activated by incubation at 30°C without further additions. The in vitro activation of NR was prevented by calyculin A, a potent and specific inhibitor of protein phosphatase. Moreover calyculin A abolished the in vivo activation of NR by illumination. Our results confirm a regulatory system by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of NR. The data also suggest that the activity of NR depends on the relative phosphorylation/dephosphorylation activities subtly controlled in response to photon flux density.

The expression of asparagine synthetase (AS; EC 6.3.5.4) in response to externally supplied nitrogen was investigated with respect to enzyme activity and protein levels as detected immunologically in rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings. The asparagine content was very low in leaves and roots of nitrogen-starved rice plants but increased significantly after the supply of 1 mM NH4+ to the nutrient solution. While neither AS activity nor AS protein could be detected in leaves and roots prior to the supply of nitrogen, levels became detectable in roots but not in leaves within 12 h of the supply of 1 mM NH4+ or 10 mM glutamine. Other nitrogen compounds, such as nitrate, glutamate, aspartate and asparagine had no effect. Methionine sulfoximine completely inhibited the NH4+-induced accumulation of AS protein but did not affect the glutamine-induced accumulation of the enzyme. The results suggested that glutamine or glutamine-derived metabolites regulate AS expression in rice roots.

Four bianthraquinones and two monoanthraquinones were isolated as the major soil anthraquinones from a volcanic ash soil in Japan. They were identified as a new natural product 5,5'-biphyscion (named hinakurin) (3) and five known compounds, chrysotalunin (1), (-)-7,7'-biphyscion (2), microcarpin (4), chrysophanol (5), and physcion (6) using MS, 1D NMR, and 2D NMR techniques. Although the dimers (1-4) are rarely found as natural products, they, along with 5 and 6, were ubiquitous and predominant over other anthraquinones in various soils from Japan and Nepal.