title: Effects of an alfalfa protein hydrolysate on the gene expression and activity of enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and nitrogen metabolism in Zea mays L.
abstract: The effects through which an alfalfa protein hydrolysate (EM) possessing gibberellin- and auxin-like activity may promote plant nitrogen (N) nutrition have been investigated in Zea mays L. Treatment with 0.01 or 0.1 mg L(-1) EM for 48 h resulted in enhanced plant growth and leaf sugar accumulation. Concomitantly, the level of nitrates decreased, whereas total N percentage was unchanged. The activity of a number of enzymes involved in carbon (C) metabolism (malate dehydrogenase, MDH; isocitrate dehydrogenase, IDH; citrate synthase, CS) and N reduction and assimilation (nitrate reductase, NR; nitrite reductase, NiR; glutamine synthetase, GS; glutamate synthase, GOGAT; aspartate aminotransferase, AspAT) was significantly induced by EM supply to plants, and the transcription pattern of MDH, IDH, CS, and NR strongly correlated with data of enzyme activity. The transcript accumulation of asparagine synthetase (AS) was also induced by EM in the roots. The results suggest that EM might promote nitrogen assimilation in plants through a coordinate regulation of C and N metabolic pathways and open the way for further research on protein hydrolysates as a valid tool to improve N use efficiency and, as a consequence, to reduce the intensive use of inorganic N fertilizers in agriculture.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Agrarie, Universita degli Studi di Padova, Agripolis, Viale dell'Universita 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiavon
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ertani
authors.forename: Serenella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nardi
mesh_terms: D002952:Citric Acid Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000737:chemistry*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations; D010940:Plant Proteins; D009584:Nitrogen