Abstract
The major findings of many years of research into plant N cycling are summarised in this review, firstly as revealed by 15N-enriched methods and secondly, in relation to natural 15N abundance (δ15N) in plants and their metabolites. This work has mainly been done in an agricultural context. As many groups especially attempt to relate δ15N to N cycling, atmospheric N deposition and the interactions of N with carbon budgets, we deem it useful to synthesize these major findings. Primary assimilation and distribution of N within plants were investigated from the 15N enrichment in individual plant organs and in individual amino acids after feeding them 15N-labelled compounds. In both roots and leaves, NH4 + and NO3 − were assimilated into amino acids, largely by a combination of glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase (GOGAT). In the leaves, the transfer of glutamine (amide) N to glutamic acid was accelerated in the light, and amino N in some amino acids was deaminated to ammonia in the dark, followed by its incorporation into glutamine. The N in the growing parts such as growing leaves, filling grains and growing root parts were from two sources: re-allocation (phloem supply) of reserved N (amino acids), and currently-absorbed N. The metabolites from the mature parts may perform the roles of substrates for plant growth and signals for gene expression. δ15N values, measured for plants/soils and plant metabolites (inorganic N, amino acids, polyamines) were related with the acquisition, metabolism and distribution of N in plants. Small 15N/14N fractionation in the acquisition of N2 and NO3 − and large 15N/14N fractionation in NH4 + uptake were found. The δ15N values of whole shoots or grains from field-grown crops were largely reflected major sources of N. In some legumes, 15N was enriched in their nodules and an extremely 15N-enriched compound was homospermidine. Nitrate reduction to ammonia (NR) and ammonia assimilation to glutamine (GS) showed large 15N/14N fractionations. Specific attention was paid to the δ15N values in xylem and phloem exudates compared to those of plant organs.
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Yoneyama, T., Ito, O. & Engelaar, W.M. Uptake, metabolism and distribution of nitrogen in crop plants traced by enriched and natural 15N: Progress over the last 30 years. Phytochemistry Reviews 2, 121–132 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:PHYT.0000004198.95836.ad
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:PHYT.0000004198.95836.ad