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JXB Advance Access originally published online on March 12, 2004
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Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 55, No. 398, pp. 803-813, April 1, 2004
© 2004 Oxford University Press

Cell and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Physiology

Effect of low molecular size humic substances on nitrate uptake and expression of genes involved in nitrate transport in maize (Zea mays L.)

Received 23 June 2003; Accepted 2 December 2003

Silvia Quaggiotti1, Benedetto Ruperti2, Diego Pizzeghello1, Ornella Francioso3, Vitaliano Tugnoli4 and Serenella Nardi1,*

1 Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Agrarie, Agripolis, Università di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, I-35020 Legnaro (Padova), Italy
2 Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie ed Ambientali, Università di Udine, Via delle Science 208, I-33100 Udine, Italy
3 Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agroambientali, Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna,Viale Fanin 40, I-40127 Bologna, Italy
4 Dipartimento di Biochimica, Università di Bologna, Via Belmeloro 8/2, I-40127 Bologna, Italy

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Fax: +39 49 8272929. E-mail: serenella.nardi{at}unipd.it

In this study, a detailed characterization of earthworm low molecular size humic substances (LMS) was performed and these substances were used to study their effect on the nitrate influx in roots, tissue nitrate content, and expression of maize genes putatively involved in nitrate uptake in maize (Zea mays L.). The results show that the humic fraction with low molecular size used in this study is endowed with the characteristic structural network described for most humic substances so far isolated and confirm the presence of IAA in this fraction. The results also show that the LMS fraction of humic substances stimulates the uptake of nitrate by roots and the accumulation of the anion at the leaf level. Moreover, the analysis of the expression of genes encoding two putative maize nitrate transporters (ZmNrt2.1 and ZmNrt1.1) and of two maize H+-ATPase isoforms (Mha1 and Mha2) show that these substances may exert direct effects on gene transcription in roots, as shown for the Mha2 gene, and long-distance effects in shoots, as observed for the ZmNrt2.1 gene.

Key words: Gene transciption, humic substances, low molecular size (LMS), maize, nitrate content, nitrate influx, roots.


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