Selective Inhibition of Auxin-Stimulated NADH Oxidase Activity and Elongation Growth of Soybean Hypocotyls by Thiol Reagents.

The NADH oxidase activity of isolated vesicles of soybean (Glycine max cv Williams 82) plasma membranes and elongation growth of 1-cm-long hypocotyl segments were stimulated by auxins (indole-3-acetic acid or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid [2,4-D]). The auxin-induced stimulations of both NADH oxidase and growth were prevented by the thiol reagents N-ethylmaleimide, p-chloromercuribenzoate, 5,5[prime]-dithiobis(2-nitrophenylbenzoic acid), dithiothreitol, and reduced glutathione. These same reagents largely were without effect on or stimulated slightly the basal levels of NADH oxidase and growth when assayed in the absence of auxins. In the presence of dithiothreitol or reduced glutathione, both 2,4-D and indole-3-acetic acid either failed to stimulate or inhibited the NADH oxidase activity. The rapidity of the response at a given concentration of thiol reagent and the degree of inhibition of the 2,4-D-induced NADH oxidase activity were dependent on order of reagent addition. If the thiol reagents were added first, auxin stimulations were prevented. If auxins were added first, the inhibitions by the thiol reagents were delayed or higher concentrations of thiol reagents were required to achieve inhibition. The results demonstrate a fundamental difference between the auxin-stimulated and the constitutive NADH oxidase activities of soybean plasma membranes that suggest an involvement of active-site thiols in the auxin-stimulated but not in the constitutive activity.