Investigations of Canavanine Biochemistry in the Jack Bean Plant, Canavalia ensiformia (L.) DC I. Canavanine Utilization in the Developing Plant
TL;DR: Evidence was obtained which indicates that a second, minor reaction is functioning in canavanine degradation, and clearly established the conversion ofCanavalia ensiformis to canaline and urea as the principal pathway ofCanavanine utilization.
Abstract: An ontogenetic study of the canavanine and soluble protein pools in the developing jack bean plant, Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC., was conducted. Evidence was presented which clearly established the conversion of canavanine to canaline and urea as the principal pathway of canavanine utilization. The catabolic reactions of certain bacteria involving the formation of guanidine or hydroxyguanidine from canavanine are not operative in the cotyledons of jack bean. Evidence was obtained which indicates that a second, minor reaction is functioning in canavanine degradation.
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TL;DR: An overview of the importance of soil-plant-microbe interactions to the development of efficient inoculants, once PGPB are extensively studied microorganisms is presented, representing a very diverse group of easily accessible beneficial bacteria.
Abstract: Plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere are the determinants of plant health, productivity and soil fertility. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are bacteria that can enhance plant growth and protect plants from disease and abiotic stresses through a wide variety of mechanisms; those that establish close associations with plants, such as the endophytes, could be more successful in plant growth promotion. Several important bacterial characteristics, such as biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, ACC deaminase activity, and production of siderophores and phytohormones, can be assessed as plant growth promotion (PGP) traits. Bacterial inoculants can contribute to increase agronomic efficiency by reducing production costs and environmental pollution, once the use of chemical fertilizers can be reduced or eliminated if the inoculants are efficient. For bacterial inoculants to obtain success in improving plant growth and productivity, several processes involved can influence the efficiency of inoculation, as for example the exudation by plant roots, the bacterial colonization in the roots, and soil health. This review presents an overview of the importance of soil-plant-microbe interactions to the development of efficient inoculants, once PGPB are extensively studied microorganisms, representing a very diverse group of easily accessible beneficial bacteria.
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Cites background from "Investigations of Canavanine Bioche..."
...In the Leguminosae family, canavanine is a major N storage compound in the seeds of many plants, and constitutes up to 13% of the dry weight of seeds (Rosenthal, 1972)....
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TL;DR: Canavanine is a highly toxic secondary plant constituent that probably functions as an allelochemic agent that deters the feeding activity of phytophagous insects and other herbivores.
Abstract: Many of the 200 or so non-protein amino acids synthesized by higher plants are related structurally to the constituents of common proteins. L-Canavanine, the guanidinooxy structural analogue of L-arginine, is representative of this group. It has provided valuable insight into the biological effects and the mode of action of non-protein amino acids which acts as analogues of the protein amino acids. The arginyl-tRNA synthetases of numerous canavanine-free species charge canavanine, and canavanine is subsequently incorporated into the nascent polypeptide chain. Production of canavanine-containing proteins ultimately can disrupt critical reactions of RNA and DNA metabolism as well as protein synthesis. Canavanine also affects regulatory and catalytic reactions of arginine metabolism, arginine uptake, formation of structural components, and other cellular precesses. In these ways, canavanine alters essential biochemical reactions and becomes a potent antimetabolite of arginine in a wide spectrum of species. These deleterious properties of canavanine render it a highly toxic secondary plant constituent that probably functions as an allelochemic agent that deters the feeding activity of phytophagous insects and other herbivores.
243 citations
TL;DR: This review envisages a comparative account of nutritional, antinutritional and functional properties and emphasizes the various methods employed in seed processing of Canavalia spp.
128 citations
01 Jan 1980
TL;DR: This chapter discusses transport and metabolism of asparagine and other nitrogen compounds within the plant and the ubiquitous distribution of high levels of glutamine synthetase in plant tissues is necessary to prevent the buildup of toxic ammonia levels.
Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses transport and metabolism of asparagine and other nitrogen compounds within the plant. Only a limited number of compounds are utilized for N transport in higher plants. The most common compounds are the amides asparagine and glutamine and to a lesser extent the ureides. Canavanine and the various substituted amides are only found in a very small number of species. Glutamine is the only transport compound that does not require any additional energy, as the amide is itself directly involved in ammonia assimilation. However, for asparagine, the three adenosine triphosphate (ATP) units required to synthesize the amide group are lost when ammonia is released either by the action of asparaginase or by the deamidation of 2-hydroxysuccinamate. The ubiquitous distribution of high levels of glutamine synthetase in plant tissues is necessary to prevent the buildup of toxic ammonia levels. The energy cost of utilization of allantoin as an N transport compound is particularly high. ATP is required in the synthesis of purines along with two activated methyl groups.
124 citations
TL;DR: Next-generation sequencing technologies and the development of additional plant and insect model species will facilitate further research on the production of non-protein amino acids, a widespread but relatively uninvestigated plant defense mechanism.
121 citations
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TL;DR: Procedures are described for measuring protein in solution or after precipitation with acids or other agents, and for the determination of as little as 0.2 gamma of protein.
289,852 citations
1,162 citations
TL;DR: It was the discovery by Barritt [1936], that o-naphthol greatly intensifies the colour, which made it possible for the first timne to use this reaction as a means of estimating either creatine or diacetyl.
Abstract: Voges & Proskauer [1898] observed that when strong alkali was added to broth cultures of certain species of bacteria there developed, after an interval of time, a pink colour. Subsequently the work of Harden [1906] and of Harden & Norris [1911] established that the chemical reaction responsible was one between diacetyl and creatine (or certain similar substances). Attempts to make the reaction quantitative [Walpole, 1911; Eggleton & Eggleton, 1928] were only partially successful. The reaction was further studied by Duliere [1929], Lang [1932] and Muller [1935], but it was the discovery by Barritt [1936], that o-naphthol greatly intensifies the colour, which made it possible for the first timne to use this reaction as a means of estimating either creatine or diacetyl. The present paper presents some additional facts about the reaction and methods of estimation based on it.
231 citations
TL;DR: A simple, rapid, reproducible method for the millimicromolar to micromolar estimation of urea, citrulline, carbamyl aspartate, and related compounds is presented and obeys Beer's law.
165 citations