Cyst(e)ine is the transport metabolite of assimilated sulfur from bundle-sheath to mesophyll cells in maize leaves
Abstract
The intercellular distribution of the enzymes and metabolites of assimilatory sulfate reduction and glutathione synthesis was analyzed in maize (Zea mays L. cv LG 9) leaves. Mesophyll cells and strands of bundle-sheath cells from second leaves of 11-d-old maize seedlings were obtained by two different mechanical-isolation methods. Cross-contamination of cell preparations was determined using ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.39) and nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1) as marker enzymes for bundle-sheath and mesophyll cells, respectively. ATP sulfurylase (EC 2.7.7.4) and adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate sulfotransferase activities were detected almost exclusively in the bundle-sheath cells, whereas GSH synthetase (EC 6.3.2.3) and cyst(e)ine, gamma-glutamylcysteine, and glutathione were located predominantly in the mesophyll cells. Feeding experiments using [35S]sulfate with intact leaves indicated that cyst(e)ine was the transport metabolite of reduced sulfur from bundle-sheath to mesophyll cells. This result was corroborated by tracer experiments, which showed that isolated bundle-sheath strands fed with [35S]sulfate secreted radioactive cyst(e)ine as the sole thiol into the resuspending medium. The results presented in this pa...Continue Reading
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Citations
Coordinated expression of sulfate uptake and components of the sulfate assimilatory pathway in maize
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