Biogenesis of oxalate in plant tissues

Oxalate in Plants: Metabolism, Function, Regulation, and Application

Characterized by strong acidity, chelating ability, and reducing ability, oxalic acid, a low molecular weight dicarboxylic organic acid, plays important roles in the regulation of plant growth and development, the response to both biotic and abiotic stresses such as plant defense and heavy metals detoxification, and food quality. The metabolism of oxalic acid has been well-studied in microorganisms, fungi, and animals but remains less understood in plants. However, excessive accumulation of oxalic acid is detrimental to plants. Therefore, the level of oxalic acid has to be precisely controlled in plant tissues. In this review, we summarize the metabolism, function, and regulation of oxalic acid in plants, and we discuss solutions such as agricultural practices and plant biotechnology to manipulate oxalic acid metabolism to regulate plant responses to both external stimuli and internal developmental cues.

Tomato Oxalyl-CoA Synthetase Degrades Oxalate and Affects Fruit Quality

Acyl activating enzyme 3 (AAE3) encodes oxalyl-CoA synthetase involved in oxalate degradation. In this study, we investigated the role of AAE3 (SlAAE3) in the fruit quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). The purified recombinant SlAAE3 protein from Escherichia coli exhibited a high activity toward oxalate, with a K _m of 223.8 ± 20.03 μm and V _max of 7.908 ± 0.606 μmol mg^-1 protein min^-1. Transient expression of SlAAE3-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion proteins suggests that SlAAE3 is a soluble protein without specific subcellular localization. The expression of SlAAE3 is both tissue- and development-dependent, and increased during fruit ripping. The Slaae3 knockout mutants had improved fruit quality as evidenced by the increased sugar-acid ratio and mineral nutrient content. To find the mechanism by which SlAAE3 affects fruit quality, transcriptome, and metabolome were employed on SlAAE3 over-expressed line and wide type fruits. The transcriptomic and metabolic profiles indicated that SlAAE3 in fruits mainly functions at 20 days post-anthesis (20 DPA) and mature green (MG) stages, resulting in up-regulation of amino acid derivatives, nucleotides, and derivatives, but down-regulation of lipid compounds. However, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched at redox pathways. Taken together, both in vivo and in vitro results suggest that SlAAE3-encoded protein acts as an oxalyl-CoA synthetase, which also participates in redox metabolism. These data provide a further understanding of the mechanism by which SlAAE3 participates in tomato fruit quality.

Regulation of Oxalate Metabolism in Spinach Revealed by RNA-Seq-Based Transcriptomic Analysis

Although spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is considered to be one of the most nutrient-rich leafy vegetables, it is also a potent accumulator of anti-nutritional oxalate. Reducing oxalate content would increase the nutritional value of spinach by enhancing the dietary bioavailability of calcium and other minerals. This study aimed to investigate the proposed hypothesis that a complex network of genes associated with intrinsic metabolic and physiological processes regulates oxalate homeostasis in spinach. Transcriptomic (RNA-Seq) analysis of the leaf and root tissues of two spinach genotypes with contrasting oxalate phenotypes was performed under normal physiological conditions. A total of 2308 leaf- and 1686 root-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the high-oxalate spinach genotype. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of DEGs identified molecular functions associated with various enzymatic activities, while KEGG pathway analysis revealed enrichment of the metabolic and secondary metabolite pathways. The expression profiles of genes associated with distinct physiological processes suggested that the glyoxylate cycle, ascorbate degradation, and photorespiratory pathway may collectively regulate oxalate in spinach. The data support the idea that isocitrate lyase (ICL), ascorbate catabolism-related genes, and acyl-activating enzyme 3 (AAE3) all play roles in oxalate homeostasis in spinach. The findings from this study provide the foundation for novel insights into oxalate metabolism in spinach.

Wild Soybean Oxalyl-CoA Synthetase Degrades Oxalate and Affects the Tolerance to Cadmium and Aluminum Stresses

Acyl activating enzyme 3 (AAE3) was identified as being involved in the acetylation pathway of oxalate degradation, which regulates the responses to biotic and abiotic stresses in various higher plants. Here, we investigated the role of Glycine sojaAAE3 (GsAAE3) in Cadmium (Cd) and Aluminum (Al) tolerances. The recombinant GsAAE3 protein showed high activity toward oxalate, with a Km of 105.10 ± 12.30 μM and Vmax of 12.64 ± 0.34 μmol min-1 mg-1 protein, suggesting that it functions as an oxalyl-CoA synthetase. The expression of a GsAAE3-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein in tobacco leaves did not reveal a specific subcellular localization pattern of GsAAE3. An analysis of the GsAAE3 expression pattern revealed an increase in GsAAE3 expression in response to Cd and Al stresses, and it is mainly expressed in root tips. Furthermore, oxalate accumulation induced by Cd and Al contributes to the inhibition of root growth in wild soybean. Importantly, GsAAE3 overexpression increases Cd and Al tolerances in A. thaliana and soybean hairy roots, which is associated with a decrease in oxalate accumulation. Taken together, our data provide evidence that the GsAAE3-encoded protein plays an important role in coping with Cd and Al stresses.

Changes in size and composition of pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus L.) calcium oxalate crystals under CO2 starvation conditions

The functional role(s) of plant calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals are still poorly understood. Recently, it was shown that crystals function as dynamic carbon pools whose decomposition could provide CO₂ to photosynthesis when stomata are closed (e.g. under drought conditions) and CO₂ starvation conditions may be created within the mesophyll. This biochemical process, named as 'alarm photosynthesis', can become crucial for plant survival under adverse conditions. Here, we study crystal decomposition under controlled CO₂ starvation conditions (either in the shoot or in the root) to obtain a better insight into the process of crystal formation and function. Hydroponically grown pigweed plants were kept in CO₂ -free air and/or CO₂ -free nutrient medium for 9 days. Crystal volume was monitored daily, and carbon stable isotope composition (δ¹³ C) and Fourier transformation Raman spectra were obtained at the end of the experiment. A considerable reduction in the leaf crystal volume was observed in shoot-CO₂ -starved plants at the end of the experiment. The smallest crystals were isolated from the plants in which carbon was excluded from both the shoot and the root and contained potassium nitrate. Crystal δ¹³ C of CO₂ -starved plants was altered in a predicted way. Specifically, it depended on the average calculated isotope fractionation of all carbon fixation processes considered to be contributing in each experimental treatment. The results of the present study confirmed the correlation between CO₂ starvation conditions and the CaOx crystal decomposition. Inorganic carbon fixed in the root may represent a major carbon source for CaOx formation.

Expression Analysis of Oxalate Metabolic Pathway Genes Reveals Oxalate Regulation Patterns in Spinach

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is one of most important leafy vegetables because of its high nutritional value and high oxalate content, which can be toxic with negative effects on human nutrition. Ammonium and nitrate can effectively regulate oxalate accumulation, although the mechanisms underlying the oxalate biosynthesis and regulation are still undetermined in plants. In the present study, we identified 25 putative genes that are involved in the oxalate biosynthetic and degradation pathway, before analyzing the oxalate content and the expression levels of the corresponding proteins under normal growth conditions, with or without ammonium and nitrate treatments, using high and low oxalate-accumulated spinach genotypes. The two cultivars exhibited different profiles of total oxalate and soluble oxalate accumulation. The high oxalate concentrations in spinach were as a result of the high transcription levels of the genes that are involved in oxalate biosynthesis under normal growth conditions, such as SoGLO2, SoGLO3, three SoOXACs, SoMLS, SoMDH1, SoMDH2, and SoMDH4. The results revealed that the ammonium and nitrate were able to control the oxalate content in leaves, possibly because of the different transcription levels of the genes. The oxalate content is regulated by complex regulatory mechanisms and is varied in the different varieties of spinach. The results from this research may be used to assist the investigation of the mechanism of oxalate regulation and breeding for reduced oxalate content in spinach.

Over-expression of the Arabidopsis formate dehydrogenase in chloroplasts enhances formaldehyde uptake and metabolism in transgenic tobacco leaves

MAIN CONCLUSION

Over-expression of AtFDH controlled by the promoter of Rubisco small subunit in chloroplasts increases formaldehyde uptake and metabolism in tobacco leaves. Our previous study showed that formaldehyde (HCHO) uptake and resistance in tobacco are weaker than in Arabidopsis. Formate dehydrogenase in Arabidopsis (AtFDH) is a key enzyme in HCHO metabolism by oxidation of HCOOH to CO2, which enters the Calvin cycle to be assimilated into glucose. HCHO metabolic mechanism in tobacco differs from that in Arabidopsis. In this study, AtFDH was over-expressed in the chloroplasts of transgenic tobacco using a light inducible promoter. 13C-NMR analysis showed that the carbon flux from H13CHO metabolism was not introduced into the Calvin cycle to produce glucose in transgenic tobacco leaves. However, the over-expression of AtFDH significantly enhanced the HCHO metabolism in transgenic leaves. Consequently, the productions of [4-13C]Asn, [3-13C]Gln, [U-13C]oxalate, and H13COOH were notably greater in transgenic leaves than in non-transformed leaves after treatment with H13CHO. The increased stomatal conductance and aperture in transgenic leaves might be ascribed to the increased yield of oxalate in the guard cells with over-expressed AtFDH in chloroplasts. Accordingly, the transgenic plants exhibited a stronger capacity to absorb gaseous HCHO. Furthermore, the higher proline content in transgenic leaves compared with non-transformed leaves under HCHO stress might be attributable to the excess formate accumulation and Gln production. Consequently, the HCHO-induced oxidative stress was reduced in transgenic leaves.

Metabolomic analysis of tomato seed germination

INTRODUCTION

Seed germination is inherently related to seed metabolism, which changes throughout its maturation, desiccation and germination processes. The metabolite content of a seed and its ability to germinate are determined by underlying genetic architecture and environmental effects during development.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess an integrative approach to explore genetics modulating seed metabolism in different developmental stages and the link between seed metabolic- and germination traits.

METHODS

We have utilized gas chromatography-time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) metabolite profiling to characterize tomato seeds during dry and imbibed stages. We describe, for the first time in tomato, the use of a so-called generalized genetical genomics (GGG) model to study the interaction between genetics, environment and seed metabolism using 100 tomato recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum pimpinellifolium.

RESULTS

QTLs were found for over two-thirds of the metabolites within several QTL hotspots. The transition from dry to 6 h imbibed seeds was associated with programmed metabolic switches. Significant correlations varied among individual metabolites and the obtained clusters were significantly enriched for metabolites involved in specific biochemical pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Extensive genetic variation in metabolite abundance was uncovered. Numerous identified genetic regions that coordinate groups of metabolites were detected and these will contain plausible candidate genes. The combined analysis of germination phenotypes and metabolite profiles provides a strong indication for the hypothesis that metabolic composition is related to germination phenotypes and thus to seed performance.

Organic Acids: The Pools of Fixed Carbon Involved in Redox Regulation and Energy Balance in Higher Plants

Organic acids are synthesized in plants as a result of the incomplete oxidation of photosynthetic products and represent the stored pools of fixed carbon accumulated due to different transient times of conversion of carbon compounds in metabolic pathways. When redox level in the cell increases, e.g., in conditions of active photosynthesis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in mitochondria is transformed to a partial cycle supplying citrate for the synthesis of 2-oxoglutarate and glutamate (citrate valve), while malate is accumulated and participates in the redox balance in different cell compartments (via malate valve). This results in malate and citrate frequently being the most accumulated acids in plants. However, the intensity of reactions linked to the conversion of these compounds can cause preferential accumulation of other organic acids, e.g., fumarate or isocitrate, in higher concentrations than malate and citrate. The secondary reactions, associated with the central metabolic pathways, in particularly with the TCA cycle, result in accumulation of other organic acids that are derived from the intermediates of the cycle. They form the additional pools of fixed carbon and stabilize the TCA cycle. Trans-aconitate is formed from citrate or cis-aconitate, accumulation of hydroxycitrate can be linked to metabolism of 2-oxoglutarate, while 4-hydroxy-2-oxoglutarate can be formed from pyruvate and glyoxylate. Glyoxylate, a product of either glycolate oxidase or isocitrate lyase, can be converted to oxalate. Malonate is accumulated at high concentrations in legume plants. Organic acids play a role in plants in providing redox equilibrium, supporting ionic gradients on membranes, and acidification of the extracellular medium.

Oxalate content of foods and its effect on humans

Oxalic acid and its salts occur as end products of metabolism in a number of plant tissues. When these plants are eaten they may have an adverse effect because oxalates bind calcium and other minerals. While oxalic acid is a normal end product of mammalian metabolism, the consumption of additional oxalic acid may cause stone formation in the urinary tract when the acid is excreted in the urine. Soaking and cooking of foodstuffs high in oxalate will reduce the oxalate content by leaching. The mean daily intake of oxalate in English diets has been calculated to be 70-150 mg, with tea appearing to contribute the greatest proportion of oxalate in these diets; rhubarb, spinach and beet are other common high oxalate-content foods. Vegetarians who consume greater amounts of vegetables will have a higher intake of oxalates, which may reduce calcium availability. This may be an increased risk factor for women, who require greater amounts of calcium in the diet. In humans, diets low in calcium and high in oxalates are not recommended but the occasional consumption of high oxalate foods as part of a nuritious diet does not pose any particular problem.

Reduction of oxalate levels in tomato fruit and consequent metabolic remodeling following overexpression of a fungal oxalate decarboxylase

The plant metabolite oxalic acid is increasingly recognized as a food toxin with negative effects on human nutrition. Decarboxylative degradation of oxalic acid is catalyzed, in a substrate-specific reaction, by oxalate decarboxylase (OXDC), forming formic acid and carbon dioxide. Attempts to date to reduce oxalic acid levels and to understand the biological significance of OXDC in crop plants have met with little success. To investigate the role of OXDC and the metabolic consequences of oxalate down-regulation in a heterotrophic, oxalic acid-accumulating fruit, we generated transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants expressing an OXDC (FvOXDC) from the fungus Flammulina velutipes specifically in the fruit. These E8.2-OXDC fruit showed up to a 90% reduction in oxalate content, which correlated with concomitant increases in calcium, iron, and citrate. Expression of OXDC affected neither carbon dioxide assimilation rates nor resulted in any detectable morphological differences in the transgenic plants. Comparative proteomic analysis suggested that metabolic remodeling was associated with the decrease in oxalate content in transgenic fruit. Examination of the E8.2-OXDC fruit proteome revealed that OXDC-responsive proteins involved in metabolism and stress responses represented the most substantially up- and down-regulated categories, respectively, in the transgenic fruit, compared with those of wild-type plants. Collectively, our study provides insights into OXDC-regulated metabolic networks and may provide a widely applicable strategy for enhancing crop nutritional value.

A previously unknown oxalyl-CoA synthetase is important for oxalate catabolism in Arabidopsis

Oxalate is produced by several catabolic pathways in plants. The best characterized pathway for subsequent oxalate degradation is via oxalate oxidase, but some species, such as Arabidopsis thaliana, have no oxalate oxidase activity. Previously, an alternative pathway was proposed in which oxalyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.8) catalyzes the first step, but no gene encoding this function has been found. Here, we identify acyl-activating enzyme3 (AAE3; At3g48990) from Arabidopsis as a gene encoding oxalyl-CoA synthetase. Recombinant AAE3 protein has high activity against oxalate, with K(m) = 149.0 ± 12.7 μM and V(max) = 11.4 ± 1.0 μmol/min/mg protein, but no detectable activity against other organic acids tested. Allelic aae3 mutants lacked oxalyl-CoA synthetase activity and were unable to degrade oxalate into CO(2). Seeds of mutants accumulated oxalate to levels threefold higher than the wild type, resulting in the formation of oxalate crystals. Crystal formation was associated with seed coat defects and substantially reduced germination of mutant seeds. Leaves of mutants were damaged by exogenous oxalate and more susceptible than the wild type to infection by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which produces oxalate as a phytotoxin to aid infection. Our results demonstrate that, in Arabidopsis, oxalyl-CoA synthetase encoded by AAE3 is required for oxalate degradation, for normal seed development, and for defense against an oxalate-producing fungal pathogen.

Glyoxylate rather than ascorbate is an efficient precursor for oxalate biosynthesis in rice

Oxalate is widely distributed in the plant kingdom. While excess oxalate in food crops is detrimental to animal and human health, it may play various functional roles in plants, particularly for coping with environmental stresses. Understanding its biosynthetic mechanism in plants, therefore, becomes increasingly important both theoretically and practically. However, it is still a matter of debate as to what precursor and pathway are ultimately used for oxalate biosynthesis in plants. In this study, both physiological and molecular approaches were applied to address these questions. First, it was observed that when glycolate or glyoxylate was fed into detached leaves, both organic acids were equally effective in stimulating oxalate accumulation. In addition, the stimulation could be completely inhibited by cysteine, a glyoxylate scavenger that forms cysteine-glyoxylate adducts. To verify the role of glyoxylate further, various transgenic plants were generated, in which several genes involved in glyoxylate metabolism [i.e. SGAT (serine-glyoxylate aminotransferase), GGAT (glutamate-glyoxylate aminotransferase), HPR (hydroxypyruvate reductase), ICL (isocitrate lyase)], were transcriptionally regulated through RNAi or over-expression. Analyses on these transgenic plants consistently revealed that glyoxylate acted as an efficient precursor for oxalate biosynthesis in rice. Unexpectedly, it was found that oxalate accumulation was not correlated with photorespiration, even though this pathway is known to be a major source of glyoxylate. Further, when GLDH (L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase), a key enzyme gene for ascorbate biosynthesis, was down-regulated, the oxalate abundance remained constant, despite ascorbate having been largely reduced as expected in these transgenic plants. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that glyoxylate rather than ascorbate is an efficient precursor for oxalate biosynthesis, and that oxalate accumulation and regulation do not necessarily depend on photorespiration, possibly due to the occurrence of the anaplerotic reaction that may compensate for glyoxylate formation in rice.

Oxaloacetate hydrolase, the C-C bond lyase of oxalate secreting fungi

Oxalate secretion by fungi is known to be associated with fungal pathogenesis. In addition, oxalate toxicity is a concern for the commercial application of fungi in the food and drug industries. Although oxalate is generated through several different biochemical pathways, oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase (OAH)-catalyzed hydrolytic cleavage of oxaloacetate appears to be an especially important route. Below, we report the cloning of the Botrytis cinerea oahA gene and the demonstration that the disruption of this gene results in the loss of oxalate formation. In addition, through complementation we have shown that the intact B. cinerea oahA gene restores oxalate production in an Aspergillus niger mutant strain, lacking a functional oahA gene. These observations clearly indicate that oxalate production in A. niger and B. cinerea is solely dependent on the hydrolytic cleavage of oxaloacetate catalyzed by OAH. In addition, the B. cinera oahA gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the purified OAH was used to define catalytic efficiency, substrate specificity, and metal ion activation. These results are reported along with the discovery of the mechanism-based, tight binding OAH inhibitor 3,3-difluorooxaloacetate (K(i) = 68 nM). Finally, we propose that cellular uptake of this inhibitor could reduce oxalate production.

The role of peroxisomes in the integration of metabolism and evolutionary diversity of photosynthetic organisms

The peroxisome is a metabolic compartment serving for the rapid oxidation of substrates, a process that is not coupled to energy conservation. In plants and algae, peroxisomes connect biosynthetic and oxidative metabolic routes and compartmentalize potentially lethal steps of metabolism such as the formation of reactive oxygen species and glyoxylate, thus preventing poisoning of the cell and futile recycling. Peroxisomes exhibit properties resembling inside-out vesicles and possess special systems for the import of specific proteins, which form multi-enzyme complexes (metabolons) linking numerous reactions to flavin-dependent oxidation, coupled to the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by catalase. Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide originating in peroxisomes are important mediators in signal transduction pathways, particularly those involving salicylic acid. By contributing to the synthesis of oxalate, formate and other organic acids, peroxisomes regulate major fluxes of primary and secondary metabolism. The evolutionary diversity of algae has led to the presence of a wide range of enzymes in the peroxisomes that are only similar to higher plants in their direct predecessors, the Charophyceae. The appearance of seed plants was connected to the acquirement by storage tissues, of a peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation function linked to the glyoxylate cycle, which is induced during seed germination and maturation. Rearrangement of the peroxisomal photorespiratory function between different tissues of higher plants led to the appearance of different types of photosynthetic metabolism. The peroxisome may therefore have played a key role in the evolutionary formation of metabolic networks, via establishing interconnections between different metabolic compartments.

The mechanism of oxalate biosynthesis in higher plants: investigations with the stable isotopes 18 O and 13 C

Substantial incorporation of 18 O 2 into photorespiratory carbon oxidation cycle intermediates in illuminated Spinacia oleracea leaves confirms that oxygenase activity of the enzyme ribulose biphosphate carboxylase–oxygenase is a major source of glycollate in illuminated leaves. No 18 O 2 incorporation into oxalate was detected in these experiments, although 13 C incorporation from 13 CO 2 shows that oxalate synthesis is occurring under the experimental conditions. This result tends to minimize the role of a direct oxidation of glyoxylate derived (via phosphoglycollate and glycollate) from ribulose biphosphate oxygenase activity in oxalate synthesis in Spinacia . Measurements of δ 13 C show (in confirmation of earlier reports) that oxalate from Spinacia is less depleted in 13 C than is bulk organic C in the plant; it is possible the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase is involved in the production of the oxalate precursor. Of the plants tested, Mercurialis and Pelargonium shared with Spinacia the high δ 13 C value, while Chenopodium (closely related to Spinacia ), Oxalis (more distantly related to Pelargonium ) and two members of the Polygonaceae had oxalate δ 13 C values close to the whole-leaf δ 13 C value, which suggests derivation of both oxalate C atoms from carboxylase activity of the enzyme ribulose biphosphate carboxylase–oxygenase.

Phytolith analysis on dental calculus, enamel surface, and burial soil: information about diet and paleoenvironment

Silica phytoliths (microscopic remains originating in plant tissues) have been identified on the enamel surface and dental calculus of a sample of teeth selected from well preserved skeletons from a Late Roman necropolis in Tarragona (Spain). Phytoliths were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and their siliceous nature was confirmed by X-ray microanalysis. The phytoliths were compared to those of soil samples from both the areas of the tombs corresponding to the abdomen and the periphery of the skeletons, and were classified taxonomically by comparison with a large collection of silica particles from modern plants in the Mediterranean area. Most of the phytoliths identified on the enamel and the dental calculus belong to the family of Poaceae, while the phytoliths from the abdominal area belong to Poaceae, Leguminosae, Cyperaceae, and Chenopodiaceae. Results are concordant with archaeological, ecological, and historical data from the same site, and with the human Mediterranean diet. If done properly, the study of phytoliths can provide direct information about the vegetable diet of past human populations, and could be applied to the study of human fossils.

Absence of CeCl3-detectable peroxisomal glycolate-oxidase activity in developing raphide crystal idioblasts in leaves of Psychotria punctata Vatke and roots of Yucca torreyi L

Three peroxisomal enzymes, glycolate oxidase, urate oxidase and catalase were localized cytochemically in Psychotria punctata (Rubiaceae) leaves and Yucca torreyi (Agavaceae) seedling root tips, both of which contain developing and mature calcium-oxalate raphide crystal idioblasts. Glycolate-oxidase (EC 1.1.3.1) and catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) activities were present within leaftype peroxisomes in nonidioblastic mesophyll cells in Psychotria leaves, while urate-oxidase (EC 1.7.3.3) activity could not be conclusively demonstrated in these organelles. Unspecialized peroxisomes in cortical parenchyma of Yucca roots exhibited activities of all three enzymes. Reactionproduct deposits attributable to glycolate-oxidase activity were never observed in peroxisomes of any developing or mature crystal idioblasts of Psychotria or Yucca. Catalase localization indicates that idioblast microbodies are functional peroxisomes. The apparent absence of glycolate oxidase in crystal idioblasts of Psychotria and Yucca casts serious doubt that pathways involving this enzyme are operational in the synthesis of the oxalic acid precipitated as calcium-oxalate crystals in these cells.

Synthesis of oxalic Acid by enzymes from lettuce leaves

A rapid purification of lactate dehydrogenase and glycolate oxidase from lettuce (Lactuca sativa) leaves is described. The kinetics of both enzymes are reported in relation to their possible roles in the production of oxalate. Lettuce lactate dehydrogenase behaves like mammalian dehydrogenase, catalyzing the dismutation of glyoxylate to glycolate and oxalate. A model is proposed in which glycolate oxidase in the peroxisomes and lactate dehydrogenase in the cytosol are involved in the production of oxalate. The effect of pH on the balance between oxalate and glycolate produced from glyoxylate suggests that in leaves lactate dehydrogenase may function as part of an oxalate-based biochemical, pH-stat.

Vacuolar Deposition of Ascorbate-derived Oxalic Acid in Barley

l-[1-(14)C]Ascorbic acid was supplied to detached barley seedlings to determine the subcellular location of oxalic acid, one of its metabolic products. Intact vacuoles isolated from protoplasts of labeled leaves contained [(14)C]oxalic acid which accounted for about 70% of the intraprotoplast soluble oxalic acid. Tracer-labeled oxalate accounted for 36 and 72% of the (14)C associated with leaf vacuoles of seedlings labeled for 22 and 96 hours, respectively.

Partial purification and some properties of oxalacetase from Aspergillus niger

1. Oxalacetase from Asperigillus niger was found to be an inducible enzyme, the induction being dependent not only on neutralisation of the acidic growth medium but also on the presence of carbonate. An explanation is proposed. 2. Three methods were established for the quantitative determination of oxalacetase activity. These are based on the determination of the product acetate, on the absorbance of oxaloacetate and on coupling the hydrolysis of oxaloacetate to the oxidation of malate by NAD in the presence of malate dehydrogenase. 3. Oxalacetase was purified about 50-fold from cell-free extracts of A. niger and used to determine some of its properties such as kinetic constants. 4. 2S-[U-14C, 3-2H2] Malate in the presence of oxalacetase, NAD and malate dehydrogenase was partially converted to acetate and oxalate. The 3H/14C ratio of the isolated acetate was nearly twice as high as that of the malate used initially. The result demonstrates that the keto form of oxaloacetate, not the enol, is the substrate of the enzyme. 5. Equimolecular mixtures of 2S, 3S-[3-2H1] malate + 2S-[2-2H1] malate (mixture 1) and 2S, 3R-[3-2H1, 3H1] malate + 2S, 3R-[2-2H1, 3-3H1] malate (mixture 2) were prepared from 2S-[3-3H2] malate by incubation with fumarase in normal and tritiated water, respectively. The isolated mixture 1, in the presence of oxalacetase, NAD and malate dehydrogenase was incubated in tritiated water for formation of acetate and oxalate; the isolated mixture 2 was treated likewise in normal water. 6. The mixtures of symmetrically labelled [3H1] acetate and chiral acetates thus produced were isolated and the configuration of the [3H1, 3H1] acetate specimens was determined in the sequence acetate leads to malate leads to fumarate, as usual. The [2H1, 3H1] acetate derived from 2S, 3S-[3-2H1] malate (present in mixture 1( yielded a malate which on incubation with fumarase retained 65.0% of its total tritium content. This chiral acetate, therefore, had the R configuration. The [2H1, 3H1] acetate derived from 2S, 3R-[2-2H1, 3-3H1] malate produced a malate which retained 35% of its total tritium content, and therefore had the S configuration. 7. It was concluded that the detachment of the oxaloyl residue from oxaloacetate and its replacement by a proton proceed with inversion of configuration at the methylene group which becomes methyl during the hydrolysis.

Metabolic Conversion of l-Ascorbic Acid to Oxalic Acid in Oxalate-accumulating Plants

l-Ascorbic acid-1-(14)C and its oxidation product, dehydro-l-ascorbic acid, produced labeled oxalic acid in oxalate-accumulating plants such as spinach seedlings (Spinacia oleracea) and the detached leaves of woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta and O. oregana), shamrock (Oxalis adenopylla), and begonia (Begonia evansiana). In O. oregana, conversion occurred equally well in the presence or absence of light. This relationship between l-ascorbic acid metabolism and oxalic acid formation must be given careful consideration in attempts to explain oxalic accumulation in plants.

On the formation of the pattern of crystal idioblasts - in Canavalia ensiformis DC : IV. The fine structure of the crystal cells

Light and electron-microscope observations were made of the crystal idioblasts in the leaves of Canavalia. The crystal-containing cells occur as pairs in which the crystals, nuclei, and the majority of the chloroplasts are symmetrically arranged with regard to the common wall. The chloroplasts are found in the cytoplasm along this wall.The crystals originate in a vacuole. The space in which the young crystal develops is delimited by a membrane. One to several additional membranes surround the crystal inside the vacuole. Numerous vesicles are distributed between these vacuolar membranes. Dense groups of tubules or fibrils are oriented toward a portion of the crystal surface, suggesting that the material forming the crystal might be transported to the surface by these structures.The cytoplasm of the young idioblasts contains many mitochondria and dictyosomes with associated vesicles. Concentrations of what is assumed to be protein are present in the cytoplasm. These protein accumulations are not seen in neighboring cells, suggesting that protein synthesis is especially high in the idioblasts.In older crystal cells, layers of wall material are deposited on the wall between the two crystals of the pair and towards the cell wall adjacent to the mesophyll. Not only does the original wall become thickened but a new wall develops at the border of the crystal vacuole. Eventually this wall material becomes continuous and the crystal becomes, on two sides, directly connected with the wall.