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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #68760
Title: REDUCTION OF NODULE-ENHANCED NADH-GLUTAMATE SYNTHASE ACTIVITY IN TRANSGENIC ALFALFA

Author
item SCHOENBECK, MARK - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item Samac, Deborah - Debby
item GANTT, J - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item Vance, Carroll

Submitted to: Plant Physiology Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: NADH-dependent glutamate synthase (GOGAT) catalyzes the transamination of the amide nitrogen of glutamate to alpha-ketoglutarate to produce two molecules of glutamate. In root nodules of Medicago sativa, a nodule enhanced form of NADH-GOGAT is responsible for the second step in the assimilation of symbiotically produced ammonia. To determine whether this represents a limited step in symbiotic nitrogen fixation, we have transformed alfalfa with an antisense NADH-GOGAT cDNA fragment driven by the nodule-enhanced aspartate aminotransferase-2 promoter. Among the transformed regenerated plants, most have nodule NADH-GOGAT activity comparable to transformed control plants. One genotype, however, has nodule NADH-GOGAT activity reduced to approximately 50 percent of the control activity. This reduced activity corresponds to a reduction in the amount of NADH-GOGAT protein, as determined by Western blots, and a significant reduction in shoot dry matter. We report also the effect of this reduced activity on plant total N and nodule free amino acid metabolite pools.