Biomaterial Database

Aspartate aminotransferase activity is required for aspartate catabolism and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in Rhizobium meliloti. 1991

V K Rastogi, and R J Watson

Plant Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

A mutant of Rhizobium meliloti, 4R3, which is unable to grow on aspartate has been isolated. The defect is specific to aspartate utilization, since 4R3 is not an auxotroph and grows as well as its parent strain on other carbon and nitrogen sources. The defect was correlated with an inability to fix nitrogen within nodules formed on alfalfa. Transport of aspartate into the mutant cells was found to be normal. Analysis of enzymes involved in aspartate catabolism showed a significantly lower level of aspartate aminotransferase activity in cell extracts of 4R3 than in the wild type. Two unrelated regions identified from a genomic cosmid bank each complemented the aspartate catabolism and symbiotic defects in 4R3. One of the cosmids was found to encode an aspartate aminotransferase enzyme and resulted in restoration of aspartate aminotransferase activity in the mutant. Analysis of the region cloned in this cosmid by transposon mutagenesis showed that mutations within this region generate the original mutant phenotypes. The second type of cosmid was found to encode an aromatic aminotransferase enzyme and resulted in highly elevated levels of aromatic aminotransferase activity. This enzyme apparently compensated for the mutation by its ability to partially utilize aspartate as a substrate. These findings demonstrate that R. meliloti contains an aspartate aminotransferase activity required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation and implicate aspartate as an essential substrate for bacteria in the nodule.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008291	Malate Dehydrogenase	An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of (S)-malate and NAD+ to oxaloacetate and NADH. EC 1.1.1.37.	Malic Dehydrogenase,NAD-Malate Dehydrogenase,Dehydrogenase, Malate,Dehydrogenase, Malic,Dehydrogenase, NAD-Malate,NAD Malate Dehydrogenase
D009586	Nitrogen Fixation	The process in certain BACTERIA; FUNGI; and CYANOBACTERIA converting free atmospheric NITROGEN to biologically usable forms of nitrogen, such as AMMONIA; NITRATES; and amino compounds.	Diazotrophy,Diazotrophic Activity,Dinitrogen Fixation,N2 Fixation,Activities, Diazotrophic,Activity, Diazotrophic,Diazotrophic Activities,Fixation, Dinitrogen,Fixation, N2,Fixation, Nitrogen
D004591	Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel	Electrophoresis in which a polyacrylamide gel is used as the diffusion medium.	Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGE,Gel Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide,SDS PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGEs
D005649	Fumarate Hydratase	An enzyme that catalyzes the reversible hydration of fumaric acid to yield L-malic acid. It is one of the citric acid cycle enzymes. EC 4.2.1.2.	Fumarase,Hydratase, Fumarate
D000637	Transaminases	A subclass of enzymes of the transferase class that catalyze the transfer of an amino group from a donor (generally an amino acid) to an acceptor (generally a 2-keto acid). Most of these enzymes are pyridoxyl phosphate proteins. (Dorland, 28th ed) EC 2.6.1.	Aminotransferase,Aminotransferases,Transaminase
D001219	Aspartate Aminotransferases	Enzymes of the transferase class that catalyze the conversion of L-aspartate and 2-ketoglutarate to oxaloacetate and L-glutamate. EC 2.6.1.1.	Aspartate Aminotransferase,Aspartate Transaminase,Glutamic-Oxaloacetic Transaminase,SGOT,Aspartate Apoaminotransferase,Glutamate-Aspartate Transaminase,L-Aspartate-2-Oxoglutarate Aminotransferase,Serum Glutamic-Oxaloacetic Transaminase,Aminotransferase, Aspartate,Aminotransferase, L-Aspartate-2-Oxoglutarate,Aminotransferases, Aspartate,Apoaminotransferase, Aspartate,Glutamate Aspartate Transaminase,Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase,Glutamic-Oxaloacetic Transaminase, Serum,L Aspartate 2 Oxoglutarate Aminotransferase,Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase,Transaminase, Aspartate,Transaminase, Glutamate-Aspartate,Transaminase, Glutamic-Oxaloacetic,Transaminase, Serum Glutamic-Oxaloacetic
D001220	Aspartate Ammonia-Lyase	An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of aspartic acid to ammonia and fumaric acid in plants and some microorganisms. EC 4.3.1.1.	Aspartase,Fumaric Aminase,Aminase, Fumaric,Ammonia-Lyase, Aspartate,Aspartate Ammonia Lyase
D001224	Aspartic Acid	One of the non-essential amino acids commonly occurring in the L-form. It is found in animals and plants, especially in sugar cane and sugar beets. It may be a neurotransmitter.	(+-)-Aspartic Acid,(R,S)-Aspartic Acid,Ammonium Aspartate,Aspartate,Aspartate Magnesium Hydrochloride,Aspartic Acid, Ammonium Salt,Aspartic Acid, Calcium Salt,Aspartic Acid, Dipotassium Salt,Aspartic Acid, Disodium Salt,Aspartic Acid, Hydrobromide,Aspartic Acid, Hydrochloride,Aspartic Acid, Magnesium (1:1) Salt, Hydrochloride, Trihydrate,Aspartic Acid, Magnesium (2:1) Salt,Aspartic Acid, Magnesium-Potassium (2:1:2) Salt,Aspartic Acid, Monopotassium Salt,Aspartic Acid, Monosodium Salt,Aspartic Acid, Potassium Salt,Aspartic Acid, Sodium Salt,Calcium Aspartate,Dipotassium Aspartate,Disodium Aspartate,L-Aspartate,L-Aspartic Acid,Magnesiocard,Magnesium Aspartate,Mg-5-Longoral,Monopotassium Aspartate,Monosodium Aspartate,Potassium Aspartate,Sodium Aspartate,Aspartate, Ammonium,Aspartate, Calcium,Aspartate, Dipotassium,Aspartate, Disodium,Aspartate, Magnesium,Aspartate, Monopotassium,Aspartate, Monosodium,Aspartate, Potassium,Aspartate, Sodium,L Aspartate,L Aspartic Acid
D001692	Biological Transport	The movement of materials (including biochemical substances and drugs) through a biological system at the cellular level. The transport can be across cell membranes and epithelial layers. It also can occur within intracellular compartments and extracellular compartments.	Transport, Biological,Biologic Transport,Transport, Biologic
D012231	Rhizobium	A genus of gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria that activate PLANT ROOT NODULATION in leguminous plants. Members of this genus are nitrogen-fixing and common soil inhabitants.