Chloroplasts pyrophosphatase

The marker enzymes used in this experiment are as follows vanadate-sensitive H+-ATPase (plasma membrane), nitrate-sensitive H+-ATPase or pyrophosphatase (tonoplast), TritonX-100 stimulated-UDPase or IDPase (Golgi complex), antimycin A-insensitive NADPH cytochrome c reductase (ER), and cytochrome c oxidase (mitochondria inner membrane). NADH cytochrome c reductase activity is found to be 10 times higher than NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity. Chlorophyll content can be measured as the chloroplast marker. The chlorophyll content is calculated by the following equation. Before measurement, auto zero is performed at 750 ran. 

Alkaline pyrophosphatase dependent on Mg2+ was found in every sample examined from a broad spectrum of the plant kingdom (SI). Plants which fix C02 by the dicarboxylic acid pathway have characteristic high levels of alkaline pyrophosphatase in their chloroplasts presumably this performs the rather specific function of driving the synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate, the immediate precursor of C02 fixation (32). Biosynthesis of the maize chloroplast enzyme is controlled by light acting through the phytochrome system (S3). Pyrophosphatase from spinach chloroplasts has been partially purified (34, 35). 

SOME SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BACTERIAL CHROMATOPHORE, SPINACH CHLOROPLAST AND YEAST MITOCHONDRIAL INORGANIC PYROPHOSPHATASES... 

DISTRIBUTION OF INORGANIC PYROPHOSPHATASE (PPase) ACTIVITY IN CHLOROPLASTS... 

Some Similarities and Differences Between Bacterial Chromatophore, Spinach Chloroplast and Yeast Mitochondrial Inorganic Pyrophosphatases 197... 

Distribution of Inorganic Pyrophosphatase (PPase) Activity in Chloroplasts 201... 

Like the spinach enzyme, the pea ATPase is activated equally by Mg2+ and Mn2+ and hydrolyzes a broad range of nucleoside triphosphates, but not ADP, AMP, or monophosphorylated substrates. Although pea chloroplast envelope membranes have ADPase and pyrophosphatase activity, we conclude that the activities are distinct from the ATPase activity. The envelope ATPase differs from putative transport ATPases characterized in other plant membranes in that it is not inhibited by vanadate or DCCD, nor is it stimulated by potassium. However, a role for this activity in proton efflux and ion transport cannot be ruled out, because the envelope vesicles may be sufficiently leaky that protons and ions can diffuse freely across the membrane. This might limit any stimulatory effect of K+ and uncouplers. Evidence supporting a role for the ATPase in proton transport will depend on further characterization of the envelope vesicles, and/or purification and reconstitution of the ATPase into artificial lipid vesicles. 

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