Comparative genomic and physiological analysis of nutrient response to NH4+, NH4+:NO3- and NO3- in barley seedlings.
Long-term differences in photosynthesis, respiration and growth of plants receiving distinct nitrogen (N) sources imply that N metabolism generates signals that regulate metabolism and development. The molecular basis of these signals remains unclear. Here we studied the gene expression profiles of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Graphic) seedlings fertilized either with ammonium (NH4+), with ammonium and nitrate (NH4+:NO3-), or with nitrate (NO3-) only. Our transcriptome analysis after 48 h of growth in these N sources showed major changes in the expression of genes involved in N metabolism (nitrate reductase), signalling (protein kinases and protein phosphatases), photosynthesis (chlorophyll a/b-binding protein and a PsbQ domain), where increases in NO3- as compared with NH4+ were observed. Moreover, NH4+ assimilation induced genes participating in C and sugars metabolism (phosphoglycerate kinase, glucosyltranferase and galactokinase), respiration (cytochrome c oxidase), protein fate (heat shock proteins) and development (MTN3-like protein). These changes in gene expression could well explain the long-term growth depression observed in NH4+ plants. Even if a few genes participating in protein fate (proteases) and development (OsNAC5) were upregulated in NH4+ as compared with NH4+:NO3-, the general pattern of expression was quite similar between these two N sources. Taken together, these results indicated that other downstream mechanisms should be involved in the synergetic long-term response of NH4+:NO3-.
Lopes
Marta S
MS
Facultat de Biologia, Unitat de Fisiologia Vegetal, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Araus
José L
JL
D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects*; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D001467:Hordeum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009566:Nitrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
D009566:Nitrates; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds