The presence of proline in the medium was not essential for growth of Streptococcus thermophilus, indicating that there is a proline biosynthetic pathway in this organism. Genetic and biochemical analysis identified and characterized this pathway. Two genes, designated pmB and pmA, were cloned, sequenced and characterized. Biochemical analysis of the pmB-and pmA-encoded enzymes showed that the proline biosynthetic pathway of s 8 thennophilus is similar t o the one previously described in Escherichia coli. The deduced amino acid sequence of a 2408 kb DNA region containing the genes revealed the similarity of the s 8 thennophilus gene products to ProB and ProA of E. coli and Serratia marcescens, and to the corresponding N-and C-terminal domains of the bifunctional plant enzyme A1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase of Wgna aconitifolia. Northern blot analysis showed that the two genes in 5. thennqphilus are organized in a single operon with pmB proximal and pmA distal t o the promoter; primer extension analysis indicated that pmBA transcription is not under repressive control by exogenously supplied proline.
The herbicidal action of N-pyridylaminomethylenebisphosphonic acids is accompanied by an impairment of anthocyanin biosynthesis. This suggests that they might act as inhibitors of some steps in aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. Herbicidal effects were reversed by aromatic amino acids using both bacterial and plant models, a finding that strongly supports this hypothesis. Structural features of these compounds suggest the sixth enzyme in the shikimate pathway 5-enolpyruvoylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase as a possible target, since a strong structural similarity exists between aminomethylenebisphosphonic acid and an inhibitor of EPSP synthase, the herbicide glyphosate. This is, however, not the case since they did not act as inhibitors of this enzyme.
Seven corn inbred lines previously shown to differ in response to soil residues of chlorsulfuron were characterized as to the target-enzyme acetolactate synthase (ALS) specific activity and to its susceptibility to the herbicide. ALS from plantlets at the five-leaf stage of growth was similarly susceptible to chlorsulfuron in all lines and its specific activity in the shoots was not significantly correlated with in vivo tolerance to the herbicide. By contrast, differences in ALS specific activity in roots of plants both at the five- and three-leaf stages of growth were significantly correlated (r = 0.96∗∗and r = 0.93∗∗, respectively) with in vivo tolerance. Correlation was also noted in extracts from cultured excised root tips (r = 0.94∗∗). Callus tissue of a chlorsulfuron-tolerant line was less affected by the herbicide and had a significantly higher ALS specific activity than callus from a chlorsulfuron susceptible line, whereas inhibition of ALS by the herbicide was similar in both lines. These results indicate that the naturally occurring differences in ALS levels in the roots of the investigated inbred lines contribute largely to the differential in vivo response observed to chlorsulfuron.
Derivatives of aminomethylenebisphosphonic acids constitute a class of promising herbicides. More than 40 N-substituted aminomethylenephosphonic acids were synthesized and evaluated for their herbicidal activity on common cress (Lepidium sativum L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Some of the tested compounds were found to exhibit strong herbicidal properties being equal in activity with the popular herbicide glyphosate as well as parent N-pyridylaminomethylenephosphonic acids. N-Substituted iminodi(methylenephosphonic) acids, which may be considered as close analog of glyphosate, were inactive toward test plants.
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