Sources of reducing equivalents for nitrite reductase in Pisum arvense roots

Abstract

Glucose-6-phosphate and NADP+ as well as malic acid and NADP+ present in the incubation mixture enhanced nitrite reductase (EC 1.6.6.4) activity in Pisum arvense roots. This was manifested by a depression of the nitrite level in the tissues and an increased reduction of nitrites by plastids isolated from P. arvense roots. A marked stimulation of plastid malate dehydrogenase was also observed under the influence of nitrates present in the medium. These results suggest that pyridin nucleotides utilised by NiR during nitrite reduction may be formed not only in processes of glucose-6-phosphate oxidation in the pentosephosphate cycle, but also of malic acid by NADP+-dependent malate dehydrogenase.

Keywords

• nitrite reductase
• reducing equivalents
• Pisum arvense
• roots