Isolation and enzymological characterization of infected and uninfected cell protoplasts from root nodules of Glycine max

Infected and uninfected cell protoplasts were isolated from soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv. Akisengoku) root nodules and purified by the use of nylon mesh filters and discontinuous Percoll gradients. Activities of the enzymes involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism were measured in cytoplasmic fractions of purified protoplasts, as well as in the bacteroids isolated from infected cell protoplasts and in the cortical tissues after enzymatic digestion of the central zone of the nodules. A high degree of purity of both infected and uninfected cells was demonstrated by microscopic observations and assays of β‐hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.30) and uricase (EC 1.7.3.3) activities and leghemoglobin contents. As a whole, higher specific activities of enzymes of glycolysis were found in the cortical and uninfected cells than in the infected cells. The activities of glycolytic enzymes were extremely low in the bacteroids. Invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) was highly localized in the cortex. However, activity of sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13) was highest in the cytosol of infected cells. Alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) and lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27) activities were much higher in uninfected than in infected cells. Specific activities of enzymes for nitrogen assimilation, that is, glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2), glutamate synthase (EC 1.4.1.14), aspartate (EC 2.6.1.1) and alanine (EC 2.6.1.2) aminotransferase were several‐fold higher in uninfected cells than in the infected cells. The results are discussed in relation to the possible cellular organization of carbon and nitrogen metabolism in soybean root nodules.