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Nitrogen metabolism in Lignifying Pinus taeda cell culturesThe primary metabolic fate of phyenylalanine, following its deamination in plants, is conscription of its carbon skeleton for lignin, suberin, flavonoid, and related metabolite formation. Since this accounts for approximately 30-40% of all organic carbon, an effective means of recycling the liberated ammonium ion must be operative. In order to establish how this occurs, the uptake and metabolism of various 15N-labeled precursors (15N-Phe, 15NH4Cl, 15N-Gln, and 15N-Glu) in lignifying Pinus taeda cell cultures was investigated, using a combination of high performance liquid chromatography, 15N NMR, and gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry analyses. It was found that the ammonium ion released during active phenylpropanoid metabolism was not made available for general amino acid/protein synthesis. Rather it was rapidly recycled back to regenerate phenylalanine, thereby providing an effective means of maintaining active phenylpropanoid metabolism with no additional nitrogen requirement. These results strongly suggest that, in lignifying cells, ammonium ion reassimilation is tightly compartmentalized.
Document ID
20040173212
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
van Heerden, P. S.
(Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University Pullman 99164-6340, United States)
Towers, G. H.
Lewis, N. G.
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
May 24, 1996
Publication Information
Publication: The Journal of biological chemistry
Volume: 271
Issue: 21
ISSN: 0021-9258
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Discipline Number 40-50
Non-NASA Center
NASA Discipline Plant Biology
NASA Program Space Biology

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