title: Light activation of NADP malic enzyme in leaves of maize: marginal increase in activity, but marked change in regulatory properties of enzyme.
abstract: This article reports the characteristics of light activation of NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME, EC 1.1.1.40) in leaf discs of maize (Zea mays cv. VMH 404) for the first time. The leaf discs were illuminated in the presence of 2 mmol/L bicarbonate, as light activation increases in the presence of bicarbonate. Upon illumination, the Vmax of NADP-ME increased by about 30%. Although small, the increase was consistent and significant. The changes in regulatory properties of NADP-ME were quite pronounced. The extent of light activation was similar when substrate (malate) concentration was either 4 mmol/L (saturating) or 0.01 mmol/L (limiting). There was only a marginal change in the Km for malate, but there was marked change in the response of NADP-ME to activators or inhibitors. The Ki for pyruvate and oxalate increased by 100 and 67% respectively, while the Ka for the citrate and succinate increased by 36 and 32% respectively. These results suggest that the NADP-ME becomes less sensitive to feedback inhibition on illumination. The light-induced change seems to be due, at least partially, to the reduction of dithiols, as incubation of leaf extracts with DTE dampened light activation of NADP-ME. We conclude that the properties of NADP-ME do change on illumination. Although there was only a marginal increase in the activity of the enzyme on illumination of leaf discs, the changes in regulatory properties of NADP-ME were marked.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, India.
authors.forename: Jhadeswar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murmu
authors.forename: Bhaskarrao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chinthapalli
authors.forename: Agepati S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Raghavendra
mesh_terms: D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D005246:Feedback; D007700:Kinetics; D008027:Light; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000201:enzymology / Q000528:radiation effects; D003313:Zea mays / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase; C031917:malate dehydrogenase (oxaloacetate-decarboxylating) (NADP+)