Skip to main content
Log in

Interrelationships between carbohydrate metabolism and nitrogen assimilation in cultured plant cells

II. The effect of the nitrogen source and concentration on nutrient uptake and respiratory activity in cultured sycamore cells

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The effect of the nature and concentration of the nitrogen source on respiratory activity and removal of carbohydrate from the medium in suspension cultured sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) cells was determined. Comparison was also made of the rates of uptake of the two alternative nitrogen sources, nitrate and glutamate, at differing initial nitrogen concentrations within the range 7–14 mM. The initial pH of the culture medium before inoculation was 5.2; after inoculation the pH of both nitrate and glutamate cultures rose to reach an eventual level in the range 7.0–7.1. Glutamate was removed from the medium more slowly than nitrate. Under the particular conditions of culture used the growth of the cells was nitrogen limited. Sugar uptake from the medium continued for some time after the nitrogen in the medium was depleted. The data show that although cell division and protein content are nitrogen-limited, dry weight and fresh weight yields may also be determined in a complex interaction through carbohydrate availability. There were no obvious differences in respiratory activity between cultures grown on nitrate or glutamate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bernt, E., Bergmeyer, H.N.: L-Glutamate UV assay with glutamate dehydrogenase and NAD. In: Methods of enzymic analysis, 4, 2nd edition pp. 1704–1706. Ed.: Bergmeyer, H.N., New York-London: Academic Press 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, M.W.: Studies on the growth in culture of plant cells. XIV. Carbohydrate oxidation during the growth of Acer pseudoplatanus L. cells in suspension culture. J. Exp. Bot. 22, 715–724 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, M.W.: Carbohydrate metabolism and differentiation in seedling roots. New Phytol. 75, 461–478 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, M.W., Clifton, A.: Activities of enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in cells of Acer pseudoplatanus L. maintained in continuous (chemostat) culture. Europ. J. Biochem. 45, 445–450 (1974)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Givan, C.V., Collin, H.A.: Studies on the growth in culture of plant cells. II. Changes in respiration rate and nitrogen content associated with the growth of Acer pseudoplatanus L. cells in suspension culture. J. exp. Bot. 18, 321–331 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gamborg, O.L., Shyluk, J.P.: The culture of plant cells with ammonia as the sole nitrogen source. Plant Physiol. 45, 598–600 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hahlbrock, K., Kuhlen, E.: Relationship between growth of parsley and soybean cells in suspension cultures and changes in the conductivity of the culture medium. Planta (Berl.) 108, 271–278 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Heimer, Y.M., Filner, P.: Regulation of the nitrate assimilation pathway in cultured tobacco cells. III. The nitrate uptake system. Biochim. biophys. Acta 230, 362–372 (1971)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henshaw, G.G., Jha, K.K., Mehta, A.R., Shakeshaft, D.J., Street, H.E.: Studies on the growth in culture of plant cells. I. Growth patterns in batch propogated suspension cultures. J. Exp. Bot. 17, 362–377 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessup, W., Fowler, M.W.: Effect of the nitrogen source on the activities of key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in cultured plant cell in vitro. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 3, 1001–1003 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessup, W., Fowler, M.W.: Interrelationships between carbohydrate metabolism and nitrogen assimilation in plant cells grown in culture. I. Effect of glutamate and nitrate as alternative nitrogen sources on cell growth. Planta (Berl.) 132, 119–123 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • King, J.: The uptake of nitrate by sycamore cells. 3rd International Congress of Plant Tissue and Cell Culture, Leicester. Abstract 133 (1974)

  • King, J., Hirji, R.: Amino acid transport systems of cultured soybean root cells. Canad. J. Bot. 53, 2088–2091 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • King, P.J., Mansfield, K.J., Street, H.E.: Control of growth and cell division in plant cell suspension cultures. Canad. J. Bot. 51, 1807–1823 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nash, D.T., Davies, M.E.: Some aspects of growth and metabolism of Paul's scarlet rose cell suspensions. J. Exp. Bot. 23, 75–91 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarkissian, G.S., Fowler, M.W.: Interrelationship between nitrate assimilation and carbohydrate metabolism in plant roots. Planta (Berl.) 119, 335–349 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpkins, I., Street, H.E.: Studies on the growth in culture of plant cells VII. Effects of kinetin on the carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism of Acer pseudoplatanus L. cells grown in suspension culture. J. Exp. Bot. 21, 170–185 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Somogyi, M.: Notes on sugar determination. J. Biol. Chem. 195, 19–23 (1952)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Street, H.E., Gould, A.R., King, J.: Nitrogen assimilation and protein synthesis in plant cell cultures. In: Perspectives in experimental biology, 2, Botany pp. 337–356. Ed.: Sunderland, N. Oxford-New York: Pergammon 1976

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuart, R., Street, H.E.: Studies on the growth in culture of plant cells. IV. The initiation of division in suspensions of stationary phase cells of Acer pseudoplatanus L. J. Exp. Bot. 20, 556–571 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, G.: Nutrition and differentiation of cells of Acer pseudoplatanus L. in suspension culture. Ph.D. thesis, University of Birmingham, England (1971)

  • Young, M.: Studies on the growth in culture of plant cells. XVI. Nitrogen assimilation during nitrogen limited growth of Acer pseudoplatanus L. cells in chemostat culture. J. Exp. Bot. 24, 1172–1185 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jessup, W., Fowler, M.W. Interrelationships between carbohydrate metabolism and nitrogen assimilation in cultured plant cells. Planta 132, 125–129 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388893

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388893

Keywords

Navigation