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Published on: January 25, 2018
A soybean plastid-targeted NADH-malate dehydrogenase: cloning and expression analyses
J Imsande1, M Berkemeyer, R Scheibe
1Departments of Agronomy and of Zoology/Genetics, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1010 USA;
American Journal of Botany
|June 15, 2011
Summary
Researchers identified a novel malate dehydrogenase gene in soybean plants. This enzyme is crucial for nitrogen assimilation in root nodules and developing seeds, aiding protein production.
Area of Science:
- Plant Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
- Nitrogen Metabolism
Background:
- Soybean (Glycine max) plants assimilate nitrogen rapidly in root nodules, seeds, and pods.
- Oxaloacetate and 2-ketoglutarate are key ammonia acceptors during nitrogen assimilation.
- Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and malate dehydrogenase are vital for oxaloacetate synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clone and analyze a novel malate dehydrogenase gene in soybean.
- To understand the enzyme's role in nitrogen assimilation and its localization.
Main Methods:
- Gene cloning and sequence analysis.
- Amino acid sequence comparison with related species.
- In vitro protein synthesis and import into chloroplasts.
- Enzyme activity and abundance assays in different tissues.
Main Results:
- A novel soybean malate dehydrogenase gene was cloned and sequenced.
- The enzyme's amino acid sequence shows similarity to nodule-enhanced malate dehydrogenases and plastid-localized NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase.
- The enzyme is abundant in soybean nodules, immature seeds, and pods, but scarce in leaves and nonnodulated roots.
- Import into spinach chloroplasts confirmed processing to a mature subunit of ~34 kDa.
Conclusions:
- The novel soybean malate dehydrogenase facilitates rapid nitrogen assimilation in nodules and protein-rich developing seeds.
- The gene's proximity to a geranylgeranyl hydrogenase gene suggests coordinated function.
- This enzyme is a key component of nitrogen metabolism in soybean.
