An electron transport system in maize roots for reactions of glutamate synthase and nitrite reductase : physiological and immunochemical properties of the electron carrier and pyridine nucleotide reductase.

A non-heme iron containing protein which bears an antigenic similarity to ferredoxin from spinach leaves (Spinacia oleracea L.) has been identified in extracts prepared from young roots of maize (Zea mays L., hybrid W64A x W182E). The ferredoxin-like root electron carrier could substitute for ferredoxin in a cytochrome c reduction system in which pyridine nucleotide (NADPH) reduces the root electron carrier in a reaction catalyzed by ferredoxin-NADP(+) reductase (EC 1.6.7.1) from spinach leaves. However, the root electron carrier did not mediate the photoreduction of NADP(+) in an illuminated reconstituted chloroplast system.A pyridine nucleotide reductase which shares identical immunological determinants with the ferredoxin-NADP(+) reductase from spinach leaves has also been characterized from maize roots. Root pyridine nucleotide reductase mediated the transfer of electrons from either NADPH or NADH to cytochrome c via ferredoxin or the root electron carrier. Under chemical reducing conditions with sodium dithionite and bicarbonate, the ferredoxin-like root electron carrier served as an electron carrier for the ferredoxin-requiring glutamate synthase (EC 1.4.7.1) and nitrite reductase (EC 1.7.7.1) obtained from maize roots or leaves. In the presence of root pyridine nucleotide reductase and root electron carrier, either NADPH or NADH served as the primary electron donor for glutamate synthesis in extracts from maize roots or leaves. The electron transport system originating with NADH or NADPH, was, however, not able to mediate the reduction of NO(2) (-) to NH(3).