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Evidence for cotransport of nitrate and protons in maize roots : I. Effects of nitrate on the membrane potential.

The electrical response of nitrate-grown maize (Zea mays L.) roots to 0.1 millimolar nitrate was comprised of two sequential parts: a rapid and transient depolarization of the membrane potential, followed by a slower, net hyperpolarization to a value more negative than the original resting potential. The magnitude of the response was smaller in roots of seedlings grown in the absence of nitrate, but, within 3 hours of initial exposure to 0.1 millimolar nitrate, increased to that of nitrate-grown roots. Chloride elicited a separate electrical response with a pattern similar to that of the nitrate response. However, the results presented in this study strongly indicate that the electrical response to nitrate reflects the activity of a nitrate-inducible membrane transport system for nitrate which is distinct from that for chloride. Inhibitors of the plasmalemma H(+)-ATPase (vanadate, diethylstilbestrol) completely inhibited both parts of the electrical response to nitrate, as did alkaline external pH. The magnitude of the initial nitrate-dependent, membrane potential depolarization was independent of nitrate concentration, but the subsequent nitrate-dependent hyperpolarization showed saturable dependence with an apparent K(m) of 0.05 millimolar. These results support a model for nitrate uptake in maize roots which includes a depolarizing NO(3) (-)/H(+) symport. The model proposes that the nitrate-dependent membrane potential hyperpolarization is due to the plasma membrane proton pump, which is secondarily stimulated by the operation of the NO(3) (-)/H(+) symport.

Journal Article↗

The role of nitrate reductase in the regulation of the nitrate assimilation pathway in the yeast Hansenula polymorpha.

The role of nitrate reductase (NR) in the regulation of the nitrate assimilation pathway was evaluated in the yeast Hansenula polymorpha. Posttranscriptional regulation of NR in response to reduced nitrogen sources and the effect of a heterologous NR on the transcriptional regulation of nitrate-assimilatory gene expression was examined. The strain bearing YNR1 (nitrate reductase gene) under the control of the methanol-induced MOX (methanol oxidase) promoter showed that NR is active in the presence of reduced nitrogen sources. In cells incubated with glutamine plus nitrate, rapamycin abolished nitrogen catabolite repression, NR activity being very similar to that in cells induced by nitrate alone. This reveals the involvement of the Tor-signalling pathway in the transcriptional regulation of H. polymorpha nitrate assimilation genes. To assess the role of NR in nitrate-assimilatory gene expression, different strains lacking YNR1, or both YNR1 and YNT1 (high-affinity nitrate transporter) genes, or expressing the tobacco NR under the YNR1 promoter, were used. Tobacco NR abolished the constitutive nitrate-assimilatory gene induction shown by an NR gene disruptant strain. Moreover, in strains lacking the high-affinity nitrate transporter and NR this deregulation disappeared. These facts discard the role of NR protein in the transcriptional induction of the nitrate-assimilatory genes and point out the involvement of the high-affinity nitrate transporter as a part of the nitrate-signalling pathway.

Antifungal Agents↗

Nitrate reductase complex of Escherichia coli K-12: participation of specific formate dehydrogenase and cytochrome b1 components in nitrate reduction.

The participation of distinct formate dehydrogenases and cytochrome components in nitrate reduction by Escherichia coli was studied. The formate dehydrogenase activity present in extracts prepared from nitrate-induced cells of strain HfrH was active with various electron acceptors, including methylene blue, phenazine methosulfate, and benzyl viologen. Certain mutants which are unable to reduce nitrate had low or undetectable levels of formate dehydrogenase activity assayed with methylene blue or phenazine methosulfate as electron acceptor. Of nine such mutants, five produced gas when grown anaerobically without nitrate and possessed a benzyl viologen-linked formate dehydrogenase activity, suggesting that distinct formate dehydrogenases participate in the nitrate reductase and formic hydrogenlyase systems. The other four mutants formed little gas when grown anaerobically in the absence of nitrate and lacked the benzyl viologen-linked formate dehydrogenase as well as the methylene blue or phenazine methosulfate-linked activity. The cytochrome b(1) present in nitrate-induced cells was distinguished by its spectral properties and its genetic control from the major cytochrome b(1) components of aerobic cells and of cells grown anaerobically in the absence of nitrate. The nitrate-specific cytochrome b(1) was completely and rapidly reduced by 1 mm formate but was not reduced by 1 mm reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; ascorbate reduced only part of the cytochrome b(1) which was reduced by formate. When nitrate was added, the formate-reduced cytochrome b(1) was oxidized with biphasic kinetics, but the ascorbate-reduced cytochrome b(1) was oxidized with monophasic kinetics. The inhibitory effects of n-heptyl hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide on the oxidation of cytochrome b(1) by nitrate provided evidence that the nitrate-specific cytochrome is composed of two components which have different redox potentials but identical spectral properties. We conclude from these studies that nitrate reduction in E. coli is mediated by the sequential operation of a specific formate dehydrogenase, two specific cytochrome b(1) components, and nitrate reductase.

Cytochromes↗

Molecular oxygen controls nitrate transport of Escherichia coli nitrate-respiring cells.

Escherichia coli cells grown anaerobically in the presence of nitrate reduce the nitrate as a terminal electron acceptor in place of molecular oxygen by an induced respiratory-type electron transferring system residing in the inner membrane structure. When oxygen is introduced to a suspension of nitrate-respiring cells, the oxygen is immediately reduced preferentially and the cellular uptake of nitrate ceases abruptly. In contrast, we found that the cells exhibited no oxygen control on uptake of chlorate, a competitive substrate analogue, indicating operation of an oxygen-sensitive transport system specific to nitrate. This was further evidenced by the fact that chlorate inhibition of reduction of nitrate was brought about only when the transport of both chlorate and nitrate was facilitated by the aid of carrier-type chlorate (or nitrate) ionophore. We demonstrated that oxygen inhibition on reduction of nitrate was abolished within the cells treated by octyl glucoside resulting in a removal of permeability barrier specific to nitrate. We conclude that the transient control by molecular oxygen is primarily due to the inhibition of nitrate transport into the cytoplasmic side. Since nitrate induces the nitrate-respiring system, the repression of the nitrate reductase operon by molecular oxygen is consistently interpreted on the basis of the "inducer exclusion mechanism."

Aerobiosis↗

The activity of the high-affinity nitrate transport system I (NRT2;1, NAR2) is responsible for the efficient signalling of nitrate assimilation genes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

The expression of nitrite uptake activity and the induction of transcripts from several nitrate assimilation genes (Nii1, Nrt2;1, Nrt2;3, and Nar1) have been analysed in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dang. strains bearing several sets of genes encoding nitrate transport systems. Different nitrate concentrations resulted in a differential induction pattern of nitrite uptake activity depending on which particular nitrate transport system was present in the cells, and that was directly related to their relative efficiency for nitrate transport. The presence of the high-affinity nitrate transport system I (NRT2;1, NAR2) made cells able to sense the very low concentrations of nitrate present in culture medium with no added nitrate and to express optimally Nii1, Nrt2;1, Nrt2;3, and Nar1 genes involved in nitrate/nitrite assimilation. In addition, strains lacking nitrate reductase activity overexpressed these gene transcripts as a result of continuous signalling by nitrate, but only those bearing an active system I. This study supports the hypothesis that signalling of nitrate assimilation genes occurs intracellularly in a process dependent on the nitrate uptake activity. The bispecific nitrate/nitrite transport system I with the highest affinity for nitrate is the most efficient one for signalling the expression of nitrate/nitrite assimilation genes in C. reinhardtii.

Algal Proteins↗

Nitrate-independent expression of plant nitrate reductase in Lotus japonicus root nodules.

Nitrate-independent nitrate reductase (NR) activity is generally found in legume root nodules. Therefore, the effects of nitrate on plant NR activity and mRNA were investigated in the root nodules of Lotus japonicus (L. japonicus). Both NR activity and mRNA levels in roots and root nodules were up-regulated by the addition of nitrate. In the absence of nitrate, NR activity and mRNA were detected in root nodules but not in roots. Southern blotting analysis indicates that NR is encoded by a single gene in L. japonicus. No nitrate was detected in the root nodules or roots of plants grown in the absence of nitrate, while its accumulation was observed in plants supplied with exogenous nitrate. These results indicate that inducible-type NR can be expressed in root nodules in the absence of nitrate. The activation state of the nitrate-independent activity of NR was as high as that of NR activity induced by nitrate. NR mRNA expressed independently of nitrate in root nodules without nitrate was localized in the infected regions of the root nodules. Thus, the expression could be related to the specific structure and environment of root nodules.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The activation state of nitrate reductase is not always correlated with total nitrate reductase activity in leaves

The relation between nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.1) activity, activation state and NR protein in leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedlings was investigated. Maximum NR activity (NRA(max)) and NR protein content (Western blotting) were modified by growing plants hydroponically at low (0.3 mM) or high (10 mM) nitrate supply. In addition, plants were kept under short-day (8 h light/16 h dark) or long-day (16 h light/8 h dark) conditions in order to manipulate the concentration of nitrate stored in the leaves during the dark phase, and the concentrations of sugars and amino acids accumulated during the light phase, which are potential signalling compounds. Plants were also grown under phosphate deficiency in order to modify their glucose-6-phosphate content. In high-nitrate/long-day conditions, NRA(max) and NR protein were almost constant during the whole light period. Low-nitrate/long-day plants had only about 30% of the NRA(max) and NR protein of high-nitrate plants. In low-nitrate/long-day plants, NRA(max) and NR protein decreased strongly during the second half of the light phase. The decrease was preceded by a strong decrease in the leaf nitrate content. Short daylength generally led to higher nitrate concentrations in leaves. Under short-day/low-nitrate conditions, NRA(max) was slightly higher than under long-day conditions and remained almost constant during the day. This correlated with maintenance of higher nitrate concentrations during the short light period. The NR activation state in the light was very similar in high-nitrate and low-nitrate plants, but dark inactivation was twice as high in the high-nitrate plants. Thus, the low NRA(max) in low-nitrate/long-day plants was slightly compensated by a higher activation state of NR. Such a partial compensation of a low NR(max) by a higher dark activation state was not observed with phosphate-depleted plants. Total leaf concentrations of sugars, of glutamine and glutamate and of glucose-6-phosphate did not correlate with the NR activation state nor with NRA(max).

Journal Article↗

Characteristics of a Nitrate Reductase in a Barley Mutant Deficient in NADH Nitrate Reductase.

A barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) mutant, nar1a (formerly Az12), deficient in NADH nitrate reductase activity is, nevertheless, capable of growth with nitrate as the sole nitrogen source. In an attempt to identify the mechanism(s) of nitrate reduction in the mutant, nitrate reductase from nar1a was characterized to determine whether the residual activity is due to a leaky mutation or to the presence of a second nitrate reductase. The results obtained indicate that the nitrate reductase in nar1a differs from the wild-type enzyme in several important aspects. The pH optima for both the NADH and the NADPH nitrate reductase activities from nar1a were approximately pH 7.7, which is slightly greater than the pH 7.5 optimum for the NADH activity and considerably greater than the pH 6.0 to 6.5 optimum for the NADPH activity of the wild-type enzyme. The nitrate reductase from nar1a exhibits greater NADPH than NADH activity and has apparent K(m) values for nitrate and NADH that are approximately 10 times greater than those of the wild-type enzyme. The nar1a nitrate reductase has apparent K(m) values of 170 micromolar for NADPH and 110 micromolar for NADH. NADPH, but not NADH, inhibited the enzyme at concentrations greater than 50 micromolar.Unlike that of the wild-type, the nitrate reductase from nar1a did not bind to blue dextran-Sepharose. The nar1a enzyme did bind to Affi Gel Blue, but recoveries were low. The NADH and NADPH nitrate reductase activities of nar1a were not separated by affinity chromatography. The nitrate reductase in nar1a is a different enzyme than the wild-type NADH nitrate reductase and appears to be a NAD(P)H-bispecific enzyme.

Journal Article↗

Effects of a nitrate reductase inactivating enzyme and NAD(P)H on the nitrate reductase from higher plants and Neurospora.

Evidence is presented which suggests that the NAD(P)H-cytochrome c reductase component of nitrate reductase is the main site of action of the inactivating enzyme. When tested on the nitrate reductase (NADH) from the maize root and scutella, the NADH-cytochrome c reductase was inactivated at a greater rate than was the FADH2-nitrate reductase component. With the Neurospora nitrate reductase (NADPH) only the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase was inactivated. p-Chloromercuribenzoate at 50 muM, which gave almost complete inhibition of the NADH-cytochrome c reductase fraction of the maize nitrate reductase, had no marked effect on the action of the inactivating enzyme. A reversible inactivation of the maize nitrate reductase has been shown to occur during incubation with NAD(P)H. In contrast to the action of the inactivating enzyme, it is the FADH2-nitrate reductase alone which is inactivated. No inactivation of the Neurospora nitrate reductase was produced by NAD(P)H alone and also in the presence of FAD. The lack of effect of the inactivating enzyme and NAD(P)H on the FADH2-nitrate reductase of Neurospora suggests some differences in its structure or conformation from that of the maize enzyme. A low level of cyanide (0.4 mu M) markedly enhanced the action of NAD(P)H on the maize enzyme; Cyanide at a higher level (6 mu M) did give inactivation of the Neurospora nitrate reductase in the presence of NADPH and FAD. The maize nitrate reductase, when partially inactivated by NADH and cyanide, was not altered as a substrate for the inactivating enzyme. The maize root inactivating enzyme was also shown to inactivate the nitrate reductase (NADH) in the pea leaf. It had no effect on the nitrate reductase from either Pseudomonas denitrificans or Nitrobacter agilis.

Cytochrome Reductases↗

Analysis of C2-C4 peroxyacyl nitrates and C1-C5 alkyl nitrates with a non-polar capillary column.

Analysis of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), peroxypropionyl nitrate, peroxy-n-butyryl nitrate, and peroxyisobutyryl nitrate (PiBN) with a non-polar capillary column indicated PAN not to coelute with PiBN. Isopropyl nitrate coeluted with PAN, n-butyl nitrate with PiBN and ethyl nitrate with chloroform, at oven temperature 30 degrees C. In addition methyl nitrate, n-propyl nitrate, 2-butyl nitrate, 2-methyl-2-butyl nitrate, 3-pentyl nitrate and 2-pentyl nitrate were studied. Their response factors in the electron-capture detector were also determined. Tetrachloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride and chloroform whose vapors occur in the atmosphere were also examined.

Chromatography, Gas↗

Nitrate Absorption by Barley: II. Influence of Nitrate Reductase Activity.

The influence of protein synthesis and nitrate reductase activity on nitrate absorption by barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was investigated. Cycloheximide decreased nitrate absorption. Pretreatment studies showed that cycloheximide affects either energy transfer or nitrate reductase activity or both.Illumination increased plant capacity for nitrate absorption, possibly through increased energy supply and/or increased nitrate reductase activity. There was a positive correlation between nitrate reductase activity and light. Inhibiting the development of nitrate reductase activity by tungstate decreased nitrate absorption.AT LEAST TWO NITRATE TRANSPORT SYSTEMS ARE THUS PROPOSED IN BARLEY: one operating in the dark, with little nitrate reductase activity detectable; and one closely correlated with nitrate reductase activity. Total absorption is the sum of dark absorption and absorption facilitated by nitrate reductase.

Journal Article↗

Sequences necessary for nitrate-dependent transcription of Arabidopsis nitrate reductase genes.

Nitrate increases the transcription of the two Arabidopsis thaliana nitrate reductase genes. We demonstrated previously that 238 and 330 bp of the 5' flanking regions, designated as NP1 and NP2, of the two nitrate reductase genes NR1 and NR2, respectively, are sufficient for nitrate-dependent transcription (Y. Lin, C.-F. Hwang, J.B. Brown, C.-L. Cheng [1994] Plant Physiol 106: 477-484). Here we identify the cis-acting elements of NP1 and NP2 that are necessary for nitrate-dependent transcription by linker-scanning (LS) analysis. In transgenic plants one LS mutant of NP1 and two LS mutants of NP2 exhibited significantly lower nitrate-induced reporter gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity. To distinguish which of these three mutants lost nitrate inducibility, competitive reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase mRNA levels before and after nitrate induction. The single LS mutant in NP1 lost its response to nitrate, whereas the two LS mutants in NP2 partially lost their response to nitrate. A 12-bp sequence is conserved between the NP1 site and the two NP2 sites. This sequence motif is also conserved in the 5' flanking regions of other nitrate-inducible plant genes. Gel mobility shift experiments indicate that these three regions bind to similar proteins. The binding is constitutive with respect to nitrate treatment and was observed in both nonphotosynthetic suspension cells and green leaves.

Arabidopsis↗

The negative effect of nitrate on gametogenesis is independent of nitrate assimilation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

The effect of nitrate on gamete differentiation as well as on the expression of genes involved in gametogenesis, nitrogen scavenging, and nitrate assimilation has been analyzed in wild-type and mutant strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Nitrate prevented gamete formation from wild-type strains and caused a strong reduction in the number of zygotes recovered in genetic crosses between nitrate-assimilation-deficient mutants, thus suggesting that nitrate by itself is providing a negative regulatory signal for the sexual differentiation of the alga. Addition of nitrate at low concentrations to wild-type cells, after an initial period of nitrogen starvation, resulted in a drastic decrease in transcript levels of both nitrate-assimilation genes (NIA1 and NRT2;1) and genes induced after N-starvation (NCG2 and NCG4). This strong effect of nitrate was due to its assimilation products since it was not evident in nitrate-assimilation mutants. A slight negative effect of nitrate on NCG4 expression was only observed in the mutant. Nitrate by itself was also found to provide a negative signal for the expression of gamete-specific genes (GAS3 and GAS18) in mutants incapable of assimilating nitrate.

Animals↗

Xanthine oxidase catalyzes anaerobic transformation of organic nitrates to nitric oxide and nitrosothiols: characterization of this mechanism and the link between organic nitrate and guanylyl cyclase activation.

Organic nitrates have been used clinically in the treatment of ischemic heart disease for more than a century. Recently, xanthine oxidase (XO) has been reported to catalyze organic nitrate reduction under anaerobic conditions, but questions remain regarding the initial precursor of nitric oxide (NO) and the link of organic nitrate to the activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC). To characterize the mechanism of XO-mediated biotransformation of organic nitrate, studies using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, chemiluminescence NO analyzer, NO electrode, and immunoassay were performed. The XO reducing substrates xanthine, NADH, and 2,3-dihydroxybenz-aldehyde triggered the reduction of organic nitrate to nitrite anion (NO2-). Studies of the pH dependence of nitrite formation indicated that XO-mediated organic nitrate reduction occurred via an acid-catalyzed mechanism. In the absence of thiols or ascorbate, no NO generation was detected from XO-mediated organic nitrate reduction; however, addition of L-cysteine or ascorbate triggered prominent NO generation. Studies suggested that organic nitrite (R-O-NO) is produced from XO-mediated organic nitrate reduction. Further reaction of organic nitrite with thiols or ascorbate leads to the generation of NO or nitrosothiols and thus stimulates the activation of sGC. Only flavin site XO inhibitors such as diphenyleneiodonium inhibited XO-mediated organic nitrate reduction and sGC activation, indicating that organic nitrate reduction occurs at the flavin site. Thus, organic nitrite is the initial product in the process of XO-mediated organic nitrate biotransformation and is the precursor of NO and nitrosothiols, serving as the link between organic nitrate and sGC activation.

Anions↗

Removal of nitrate from groundwater by cyanobacteria: quantitative assessment of factors influencing nitrate uptake.

The feasibility of biologically removing nitrate from groundwater was tested by using cyanobacterial cultures in batch mode under laboratory conditions. Results demonstrated that nitrate-contaminated groundwater, when supplemented with phosphate and some trace elements, can be used as growth medium supporting vigorous growth of several strains of cyanobacteria. As cyanobacteria grew, nitrate was removed from the water. Of three species tested, Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 displayed the highest nitrate uptake rate, but all species showed rapid removal of nitrate from groundwater. The nitrate uptake rate increased proportionally with increasing light intensity up to 100 micromol of photons m(-2) s(-1), which parallels photosynthetic activity. The nitrate uptake rate was affected by inoculum size (i.e., cell density), fixed-nitrogen level in the cells in the inoculum, and aeration rate, with vigorously aerated, nitrate-sufficient cells in mid-logarithmic phase having the highest long-term nitrate uptake rate. Average nitrate uptake rates up to 0.05 mM NO(3-) h(-1) could be achieved at a culture optical density at 730 nm of 0.5 to 1. 0 over a 2-day culture period. This result compares favorably with those reported for nitrate removal by other cyanobacteria and algae, and therefore effective nitrate removal from groundwater using this organism could be anticipated on large-scale operations.

Biomass↗

Does the evidence about health risks associated with nitrate ingestion warrant an increase of the nitrate standard for drinking water?

Several authors have suggested that it is safe to raise the health standard for nitrate in drinking water, and save money on measures associated with nitrate pollution of drinking water resources. The major argument has been that the epidemiologic evidence for acute and chronic health effects related to drinking water nitrate at concentrations near the health standard is inconclusive. With respect to the chronic effects, the argument was motivated by the absence of evidence for adverse health effects related to ingestion of nitrate from dietary sources. An interdisciplinary discussion of these arguments led to three important observations. First, there have been only a few well-designed epidemiologic studies that evaluated ingestion of nitrate in drinking water and risk of specific cancers or adverse reproductive outcomes among potentially susceptible subgroups likely to have elevated endogenous nitrosation. Positive associations have been observed for some but not all health outcomes evaluated. Second, the epidemiologic studies of cancer do not support an association between ingestion of dietary nitrate (vegetables) and an increased risk of cancer, because intake of dietary nitrate is associated with intake of antioxidants and other beneficial phytochemicals. Third, 2-3 % of the population in Western Europe and the US could be exposed to nitrate levels in drinking water exceeding the WHO standard of 50 mg/l nitrate, particularly those living in rural areas. The health losses due to this exposure cannot be estimated. Therefore, we conclude that it is not possible to weigh the costs and benefits from changing the nitrate standard for drinking water and groundwater resources by considering the potential consequences for human health and by considering the potential savings due to reduced costs for nitrate removal and prevention of nitrate pollution.

Diet↗

Influence of nar (nitrate reductase) genes on nitrate inhibition of formate-hydrogen lyase and fumarate reductase gene expression in Escherichia coli K-12.

In Escherichia coli, aerobiosis inhibits the synthesis of enzymes for anaerobic respiration (e.g., nitrate reductase and fumarate reductase) and for fermentation (e.g., formate-hydrogen lyase). Anaerobically, nitrate induces nitrate reductase synthesis and inhibits the formation of both fumarate reductase and formate-hydrogen lyase. Previous work has shown that narL+ is required for the effects of nitrate on synthesis of both nitrate reductase and fumarate reductase. Another gene, narK (whose function is unknown), has no observable effect on formation of these enzymes. We report here our studies on the role of nar genes in fumarate reductase and formate-hydrogen lyase gene expression. We observed that insertions in narX (also of unknown function) significantly relieved nitrate inhibition of fumarate reductase gene expression. This phenotype was distinct from that of narL insertions, which abolished this nitrate effect under certain growth conditions. In contrast, insertion mutations in narK and narGHJI (the structural genes for the nitrate reductase enzyme complex) significantly relieved nitrate inhibition of formate-hydrogen lyase gene expression. Insertions in narL had a lesser effect, and insertions in narX had no effect. We conclude that nitrate affects formate-hydrogen lyase synthesis by a pathway distinct from that for nitrate reductase and fumarate reductase.

Aldehyde Oxidoreductases↗

Nitrate reductase from squash: cDNA cloning and nitrate regulation.

The assimilation of nitrate in plants involves the reduction of nitrate to ammonia in two steps. The first step requires nitrate reductase, a nitrate-inducible enzyme. When seedlings of squash (Cucurbita maxima L.) were treated with nitrate, both nitrate reductase activity and protein were induced in the cotyledons. Poly(A)(+) RNA was prepared from cotyledons of nitrate-treated seedlings and was used to construct a lambdagt11 cDNA library. Using antibodies from mice immunized against purified nitrate reductase from squash, a recombinant lambda phage was isolated that encoded part of the nitrate reductase mRNA. The antigens produced by the recombinant phage were used to affinity purify anti-nitrate reductase antibody from ascites fluid of immunized mice. The purified antibody bound to nitrate reductase protein on immunoblots and immunoprecipitated the enzyme from squash protein extracts. The cDNA insert (1.2 kilobases) hybridized to a 3.2-kilobase RNA that was 120-fold more abundant in nitrate-induced cotyledons compared with the uninduced tissue.

Journal Article↗