The role of malate in the synthesis of glutamate in Pisum arvense roots

Abstract

The in vivo and in vitro activities of NADH-dependent glutamate synthase in excised Pisum arvense roots increased several-fold under the influence of malate while pyruvate oxaloacctate. citrate and succinate inhibited this entyme. The plastids isolated from Pisum arvense root,. ahen incubated with glutamine and α-ketoglutarate, released glutamate into the medium Malate clearly stimulated this process. Albizziin (25 mM) completely reduced the presence of glutamate in the incubation mixture. These results indicate that reduced pyridine nucleotides arising in P. arvense root plastids during oxidation of malic acid may constitute the indispensable source of electrons for glutamic acid synthesis.

Keywords

• roots
• NADH-glutamate
• synthase
• malate