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Leghaemoglobin, Oxygen Supply and Nitrogen Fixation: Studies with Soybean Nodules

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Limitations and Potentials for Biological Nitrogen Fixation in the Tropics

Part of the book series: Basic Life Sciences ((BLSC,volume 10))

Summary

This paper reviews some aspects of the occurrence, properties and role of leghaemoglobins in N2-fixation. These myoglobin-like haemoproteins are invariably present in N2-fixing root nodules of legumes where they undergo reversible oxygenation in response to changes in ambient oxygen concentration and bacteroid respiration. Blocking their O2-binding functions with carbon monoxide depresses nitrogenase activity of intact soybean nodules and depresses respiration of nodule slices. Leghaemoglobin in soybean nodules is present at concentrations of about 1 mM and in vivo is partially oxygenated. Experiments in which purified oxyleghaemoglobin has been added to N2-fixing soybean bacteroids, allowed the study of the relationships between the concentration of free, dissolved O2 (monitored by leghaemoglobin oxygenation), nitrogenase activity and bacteroid ATP concentration. Partially oxygenated leghaemoglobin enhances bacteroid respiration in a range of concentrations of free O2, in which production of ATP is more efficient than at higher concentration of free O2, where leghaemoglobin is fully oxygenated. Consequently, in the presence of partially oxygenated leghaemoglobin, nitrogenase activity is greater. Distinct components of bacteroid respiration can be recognised in terms of substrate supplied, sensitivity to inhibitors and free oxygen concentration. These components vary in the efficiency with which they support nitrogenase activity.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plant Industry, CSIRO, P.O. Box 1600, Canberra, 2601, Australia

    F. J. Bergersen

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  1. F. J. Bergersen
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. EMBRAPA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Johanna Döbereiner

  2. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Robert H. Burris

  3. Associated Universities, Inc., Washington, D.C., USA

    Alexander Hollaender

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© 1978 Plenum Press, New York

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Bergersen, F.J. (1978). Leghaemoglobin, Oxygen Supply and Nitrogen Fixation: Studies with Soybean Nodules. In: Döbereiner, J., Burris, R.H., Hollaender, A., Franco, A.A., Neyra, C.A., Scott, D.B. (eds) Limitations and Potentials for Biological Nitrogen Fixation in the Tropics. Basic Life Sciences, vol 10. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8957-0_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8957-0_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-8959-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-8957-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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