Variant Cell Lines of Haplopappus gracilis with Disturbed Activities of Nitrate Reductase and Nitrite Reductase.

Selected variant cell lines of Haplopappus gracilis (Nutt) Gray that showed disturbed growth after transfer from an alanine medium to NO(3) (-) medium were characterized. The in vivo NO(3) (-) reductase activity (NRA) was lower in these lines than in the wild type. In vitro NRA assays suggest that decreased in vivo NRA was not caused by a lower amount of active enzyme. Cells of the variant lines revealed up to 75% lower extractable activity of NO(2) (-) reductase as compared with the wild type. This coincided with higher accumulation of NO(2) (-) by the variant than by the wild type cells after transfer from alanine medium to NO(3) (-) medium. NO(2) (-) accumulation was transient or continuous, depending on cell line, metabolic state of the cells, and light conditions.