ISSN:
1399-3054
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2), a key enzyme in nitrogen assimilation, was investigated in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Hellfrucht Frühstamm) leaves infected with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) or treated with the herbicide phosphinothricin (PPT), an irreversible inhibitor of GS. GS activity decreased markedly when Pst infection occurred in illuminated leaves, but only a slight decrease in relation to control leaves was observed under non-photosynthetic conditions. In leaves treated with PPT, a rapid inhibition of GS activity was observed under all experimental conditions. When bacterial infection or herbicide treatment was carried out in the light, cytosolic GS (GS1) appeared as the predominant GS polypeptide; however, under non-photosynthetic conditions GS2 remained the most abundant molecular GS species as occurs in non-stressed plants. These results suggest a close correlation between the photosynthetic process and changes in the relative proportions of GS polypeptides during infection or herbicide treatment. Ammonium has been described as an inducer of GS genes, but as ammonium accumulated during all treatments, other light-dependent factors could be involved in GS regulation of stressed leaves.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-3054.1998.1020306.x
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