Appearance of nitrite reductase in cotyledons of the mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seedling as affected by nitrate, phytochrome and photooxidative damage of plastids

Nitrite reductase (NIR; EC 1.7.7.1) is a central enzyme in nitrate assimilation and is localized in plastids. The present study concerns the regulation of the appearance of NIR in cotyledons of the mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seedling. It was shown that light exerts its positive control over the nitrate-mediated induction of NIR via the farred-absorbing form of phytochrome. Without nitrate the light effect cannot express itself; even though the light signal is accumulated in the cotyledons it remains totally cryptic in the absence of nitrate. Moreover, it was recognised that ‘intact plastids’ are important in the control of the appearance of NIR. If the plastids are damaged by photooxidation the action of nitrate and phytochrome on NIR appearance is abolished. The appearance of nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.1) responds similarly to photooxidative damage even though this enzyme is cytosolic. While the data strongly indicate that some ‘plastidic signal’ is a prerequisite for the nitrate-induced and phytochrome-modulated appearance of NIR and NR, the possibility could not be ruled out that photooxidative damage affects the accumulation of NIR in the organelle.