Estimation of ammonium concentration in the cytosol of soybean nodules

Analysis of ammonium concentration in the cytosol of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) root nodules gave high levels of error variation. When the separation of cytosol and bacteroids was deliberately delayed following nodule maceration, a large increase in ammonium concentration was found in the cytosol. When a series of samples was subjected to delay intervals of 0 to 60 minutes, extrapolation of the regression line to time zero indicated that the ammonium concentration in cytosol at the time of nodule maceration was essentially nil. The source of ammonium buildup following maceration was not found, but hydrolysis of free amino acids or ureides was ruled out. An extremely low concentration of ammonium in the cytosol is consistent with a model for movement of ammonia (or ammonium) from bacteroids to host cytoplasm by diffusion.