Evidence for a cytosolic-dependent light induction of chloroplastic glutamine synthetase during greening of etiolated rice leaves

Root- and shoot-specific responses of individual glutamine synthetase genes of maize to nitrate and ammonium

The responses of the five cytosolic-type glutamine synthetase (GS1) genes of maize to treatment of hydroponically grown seedlings with 10 mM KNO3 or 10 mM NH4Cl were analyzed. Non-coding 3' gene-specific hybridization probes and radioanalytic imaging were used to quantitate individual gene transcript levels in excised roots and shoots before treatment and at selected times after treatment. Genes GS1-1 and GS1-2 exhibited distinct organ-specific responses to treatment with either nitrogen source. The GS1-1 transcript level increased over three-fold in roots, but changed little if any in shoots. In contrast, the GS1-2 transcript level increased over two-fold in shoots, but decreased in roots after treatment. Increased transcript levels were evident at 4 h after treatment with either nitrogen source, with maximum accumulations present at 8 h after treatment with ammonium and at 10-12 h after treatment with nitrate. The GS1-3 gene transcript level showed little or no change after treatment with either nitrogen source. The GS1-4 gene transcript level remained constant in shoots of treated seedlings, whereas in roots, it exhibited relatively minor, but complex responses to these two nitrogen sources. The GS1-5 gene transcript is present in very small amounts in seedlings, making it difficult to analyze its response to metabolites in young plants. These results provide support for the possibility that different cytosolic GS genes of maize play distinct roles in nitrogen metabolism during plant growth and differentiation.

Nucleotide sequence of a tobacco cDNA encoding plastidic glutamine synthetase and light inducibility, organ specificity and diurnal rhythmicity in the expression of the corresponding genes of tobacco and tomato

A full-length cDNA encoding glutamine synthetase (GS) was cloned from a lambda gt10 library of tobacco leaf RNA, and the nucleotide sequence was determined. An open reading frame accounting for a primary translation product consisting of 432 amino acids has been localized on the cDNA. The calculated molecular mass of the encoded protein is 47.2 kDa. The predicted amino acid sequence of this precursor shows higher homology to GS-2 protein sequences from other species than to a leaf GS-1 polypeptide sequence, indicating that the cDNA isolated encodes the chloroplastic isoform (GS-2) of tobacco GS. The presence of C- and N-terminal extensions which are characteristic of GS-2 proteins supports this conclusion. Genomic Southern blot analysis indicated that GS-2 is encoded by a single gene in the diploid genomes of both tomato and Nicotiana sylvestris, while two GS-2 genes are very likely present in the amphidiploid tobacco genome. Western blot analysis indicated that in etiolated and in green tomato cotyledons GS-2 subunits are represented by polypeptides of similar size, while in green tomato leaves an additional GS-2 polypeptide of higher apparent molecular weight is detectable. In contrast, tobacco GS-2 is composed of subunits of identical size in all organs examined. GS-2 transcripts and GS-2 proteins could be detected at high levels in the leaves of both tobacco or tomato. Lower amounts of GS-2 mRNA were detected in stems, corolla, and roots of tomato, but not in non-green organs of tobacco. The GS-2 transcript abundance exhibited a diurnal fluctuation in tomato leaves but not in tobacco leaves. White or red light stimulated the accumulation of GS-2 transcripts and GS-2 protein in etiolated tomato cotyledons. Far-red light cancelled this stimulation. The red light response of the GS-2 gene was reduced in etiolated seedlings of the phytochrome-deficient aurea mutant of tomato. These results indicate a phytochrome-mediated light stimulation of GS-2 gene expression during greening in tomato.

The glutamine synthetase gene family of Arabidopsis thaliana: light-regulation and differential expression in leaves, roots and seeds

Glutamine synthetase (GS) plays an important role in the assimilation of nitrogen by higher plants. We present here a molecular analysis of the GS polypeptides, mRNAs, and genes of Arabidopsis thaliana. Western blot analysis of leaf and root protein extracts revealed at least two distinct GS polypeptides; 43 kDa and 39 kDa GS polypeptides were present in leaves, while only a 39 kDa GS was detected in roots. The 43 kDa GS polypeptide is light-inducible. In etiolated seedlings only the 39 kDa GS was detected. However, upon greening the 43 kDa GS increased to levels comparable to those observed in light-grown plants. Four distinct GS cDNA clones, lambda Atgsl1, lambda Atgsr1, lambda Atgsr2 and lambda Atkb6 were isolated and characterized. Their complete nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences are presented. The coding sequences of the four clones are 70-88% similar while their 5' and 3' untranslated regions exhibit less than 50% similarity. Northern blots of leaf, root and germinated seed RNA revealed that the four cDNAs hybridize to mRNAs which are differentially expressed in the organs of Arabidopsis thaliana. lambda Atgsl1 is leaf-specific and hybridizes to a 1.6 kb mRNA. Both lambda Atgsr1 and lambda Atgskb6 hybridize to 1.4 kb mRNAs which are expressed in both roots and germinated seeds. lambda Atgsr2 hybridizes to a 1.4 kb mRNA, which is primarily expressed in roots with low levels of expression in seeds and leaves. lambda Atgsl1, which represents the leaf-specific mRNA, is induced by light. lambda Atgsl1 mRNA levels increase during the greening of etiolated seedlings while lambda Atgsr1 levels remain constant. Southern blot analysis indicated that the Arabidopsis genome contains at least four and possibly five distinct GS genes.

Regulation of the appearance of glutamine synthetase in mustard (Sinapis alba L.) cotyledons by light, nitrate and ammonium

During transformation of mustard seedlings cotyledons from storage organs to photosynthetically competent leaves, a process which occurs during the first 4 d after sowing, total glutamine-synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) activity increases from zero to the high level usually observed in green leaves. In the present study we have used ion-exchange chromatography to separate possible isoforms of GS during the development of the cotyledons. The approach failed since we could only detect a single form of GS, presumably plastidic GS, under all circumstances tested. The technique of selective photooxidative destruction of plastids in situ was applied to solve the problem of GS localization. It was inferred from the data that the GS as detected by ion-exchange chromatography is plastidic GS.The regulatory role, if any, of light, nitrate and ammonium in the process of the appearance of GS in the developing cotyledons was investigated. The results show that nitrate and ammonium play only minor roles. Light, operating via phytochrome, is the major regulatory factor.

Development of nitrogen-assimilating enzymes in sunflower cotyledons during germination as affected by the exogenous nitrogen source

Activities of nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.1), nitrite reductase (NiR; EC 1.7.7.1), glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.3) were measured in cotyledons of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv Peredovic) seedlings during germination and early growth under various external nitrogen sources. The presence of NO 3 (-) in the medium promoted a gradual increase in the levels of NR and NiR activities during the first 7 d of germination. Neither NR nor NiR activities were increased in a nitrogen-free medium or in media with either NH 4 (+) or urea as nitrogen sources. Moreover, the presence of NH 4 (+) did not abolish the NO 3 (-) -dependent appearance of NR and NiR activities. The increase of NR activity was impaired both by cycloheximide and chloramphenicol, which indicates that both cytoplasmic 80S and plastidic 70S ribosomes are involved in the synthesis of the NR molecule. By contrast, the appearance of NiR activity was only inhibited by cycloheximide, indicating that NiR seems to be exclusively synthesized on the cytoplasmic 80S ribosomes. Glutamine-synthetase activity was also strongly increased by external NO 3 (-) but not by NH 4 (+) or urea. The appearance of GS activity was more efficiently suppressed by cycloheximide than chloramphenicol. This indicates that GS is mostly synthesized in the cytoplasm. The cotyledons of the dry seed contain high levels of GDH activity which decline during germination independently of the presence or absence of a nitrogen source. Cycloheximide, but not chloramphenicol, greatly prevented the decrease of GDH activity.

Changes in the activities of chloroplast and cytosolic isoenzymes of glutamine synthetase during normal leaf growth and plastid development in wheat

Soluble protein extracts and chloroplasts from a serial sequence of transverse sections of a 7-d-old wheat leaf (Triticum aestivum cv. Maris Huntsman) were used to study changes in the activity of glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) during cell and chloroplast development. Glutamine synthetase activity increased more than 50-fold per cell from the base to the tip of the wheat leaf. Two isoenzymes of GS were separated using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). Glutamine synthetase localized in the cytoplasm (GS1) eluted at about 0.21 M NaCl, and the isoenzyme localized in the chloroplast (GS2) eluted at about 0.33 M NaCl. The increase in GS activity during leaf development was found to be caused primarily by an increase in the activity of the chloroplast GS2. The activity of the cytoplasmic GS1 remained constant as the cells were displaced from the base to the tip of the leaf, whereas GS2 activity increased within the chloroplast throughout development. At the base of the leaf, 26% of total GS activity was cytoplasmic; the remaining 74% was in the chloroplast. At 10 cm from the base, only 4% of the activity was cytoplasmic, and 96% was in the chloroplast. The results indicate that the chloroplast GS2 is probably responsible for most of the ammonia assimilation in the mature wheat leaf, whereas cytoplasmic GS1 may serve a role in immature developing leaf cells.

Glutamine synthetase in ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase deficient tobacco mutants in cell suspension culture

In two tobacco mutants lacking ribulose, 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase the amount of glutamine synthetase and its activity were determined and compared with the wild type green cells. It was shown that in these two mutants glutamine synthetase protein content was six times lower than in the wild type. This situation was comparable to that found in etiolated cells where ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase was absent. These observations suggest that a common regulatory mechanism might control the dual light dependent biosynthesis of both enzymes. The results have also implications concerning the efficiency of the reassimilation of ammonia by chloroplastic glutamine synthetase during the photorespiratory process.

Cytosolic glutamine synthetase in higher plants. A comparative immunological study

Cytosolic glutamine synthetase (GS1) was purified to homogeneity from etiolated barley leaves by DEAE-Sephacel and hydroxyapatite chromatography, gel filtration and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Specific antibodies against the purified protein were raised by the immunization of rabbits. Immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that cytosolic glutamine synthetases isolated from the leaves of different plant species were very similar proteins. Good recognition of other cytosolic glutamine synthetases from roots, root nodular tissue and seeds by barley GS1 antibodies was obtained, suggesting that they too are all quite similar proteins. In contrast, chloroplast glutamine synthetase (GS2) was considered to be a different protein in view of its low level of recognition by barley GS1 antibodies.