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Nitrogen-regulated changes in total amino acid profile of maize genotypes having contrasting response to nitrogen deficit

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Abstract

Sustainable development of cellular organisms depends on a precise coordination between the carbon and nitrogen metabolisms within the living system. Inorganic N is assimilated into amino acids which serve as an important N source for various regulatory metabolic pathways in plants. This study investigates the role of amino acids in C/N balance by examining changes in amino acid profile in the leaves and roots of low-N-tolerant (PHEM-2) and low-N-sensitive (HM-4) maize genotypes grown hydroponically under N-sufficient (4.5 mM), N-deficient (0.05 mM) and N-restoration conditions. N application effectively altered the level of cysteine, methionine, asparagine, arginine, phenylalanine, glycine, glutamine, aspartate and glutamate in both genotypes. Under low N (0.05 mM), the asparagine and glutamine contents increased, while those of glutamate, phenylalanine and aspartate decreased in both genotypes. However, serine content increased in PHEM-2 but decreased in HM-4. Resupply of N to low-N-grown plants of both genotypes restored the amino acids level to that in the control; the restoration was quicker and more consistent in PHEM-2 than in HM-4. Based on alteration of amino acid level, a strategy can be developed to improve the ability of maize to adapt to low-N environments by way of an improved N utilization.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support [Grant number BT/PB/02/08/2008] from the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India is gratefully acknowledged.

Author contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: AA RP SA MI. Performed the experiments: AHG PYY. Analyzed the data: AHG AA RP IMA MI. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: AA MI. Wrote the paper: AHG AA RP SA MI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Hamdard University, New Delhi, 110062, India

    Arshid Hussain Ganie, Peerzada Yasir Yousuf & Muhammad Iqbal

  2. Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, India

    Altaf Ahmad

  3. Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Renu Pandey

  4. Department of Pharmacognosy & Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India

    Sayeed Ahmad

  5. Department of Plant Production, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Post Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Ibrahim M Aref

Authors
  1. Arshid Hussain Ganie
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  2. Altaf Ahmad
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  3. Peerzada Yasir Yousuf
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  4. Renu Pandey
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  5. Sayeed Ahmad
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  6. Ibrahim M Aref
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  7. Muhammad Iqbal
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Correspondence to Muhammad Iqbal.

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Handling Editor: Bhumi Nath Tripathi

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Ganie, A.H., Ahmad, A., Yousuf, P.Y. et al. Nitrogen-regulated changes in total amino acid profile of maize genotypes having contrasting response to nitrogen deficit. Protoplasma 254, 2143–2153 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-017-1106-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-017-1106-z

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