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. 1985 Jun;82(11):3678–3682. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.11.3678

Betaine synthesis in chenopods: Localization in chloroplasts

Andrew D Hanson *, Ann Marie May *, Rebecca Grumet *, Janet Bode *, Gene C Jamieson †, David Rhodes †
PMCID: PMC397850  PMID: 16593569

Abstract

Plants from several families (Chenopodiaceae, Gramineae, Compositae) accumulate betaine (glycine betaine) in response to salt or water stress via the pathway: choline → betainal (betaine aldehyde) → betaine. Betaine accumulation is probably a metabolic adaptation to stress. Intact protoplasts from leaves of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) oxidized [14C]choline to betainal and betaine, as did protoplast lysates. Upon differential centrifugation, the [14C]choline-oxidizing activity of lysates sedimented with chloroplasts. Chloroplasts purified from protoplast lysates by a Percoll cushion procedure retained strong [14C]choline-oxidizing activity (1-3 nmol/mg of chlorophyll per hr), although the proportion of the intermediate, [14C]betainal, in the reaction products was usually higher than for protoplasts. Isolated chloroplasts also readily oxidized [14C]betainal to betaine (20-100 nmol/mg of chlorophyll per hr). Light increased the oxidation of both [14C]choline and [14C]betainal by isolated chloroplasts ≈3-fold; this light-stimulation was abolished by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU). Similar results were obtained with another chenopod (Beta vulgaris) but not with pea (Pisum sativum), a species that accumulates no betaine. The chloroplast site for betaine synthesis in chenopods contrasts with the mitochondrial site in mammals.

Keywords: stress resistance, Spinacia oleracea, choline oxidation, betaine aldehyde oxidation, protoplasts

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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