Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2012, 13(7), 7994-8024; doi:10.3390/ijms13077994
Review

Glutamine Synthetase in Legumes: Recent Advances in Enzyme Structure and Functional Genomics

Marco Betti* email, Margarita García-Calderónemail, Carmen M. Pérez-Delgadoemail, Alfredo Credaliemail, Guillermo Estivillemail, Francisco Galvánemail, José M. Vegaemail and Antonio J. Márquezemail
Department of Vegetal Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, Apartado 1203, Sevilla 41071, Spain
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 16 May 2012; in revised form: 18 June 2012 / Accepted: 19 June 2012 / Published: 28 June 2012
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Molecular Plant Biology)
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Abstract: Glutamine synthetase (GS) is the key enzyme involved in the assimilation of ammonia derived either from nitrate reduction, N2 fixation, photorespiration or asparagine breakdown. A small gene family is encoding for different cytosolic (GS1) or plastidic (GS2) isoforms in legumes. We summarize here the recent advances carried out concerning the quaternary structure of GS, as well as the functional relationship existing between GS2 and processes such as nodulation, photorespiration and water stress, in this latter case by means of proline production. Functional genomic analysis using GS2-minus mutant reveals the key role of GS2 in the metabolic control of the plants and, more particularly, in carbon metabolism.
Keywords: glutamine synthetase; Lotus japonicus; functional genomics; nitrogen metabolism

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MDPI and ACS Style

Betti, M.; García-Calderón, M.; Pérez-Delgado, C.M.; Credali, A.; Estivill, G.; Galván, F.; Vega, J.M.; Márquez, A.J. Glutamine Synthetase in Legumes: Recent Advances in Enzyme Structure and Functional Genomics. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2012, 13, 7994-8024.

AMA Style

Betti M, García-Calderón M, Pérez-Delgado CM, Credali A, Estivill G, Galván F, Vega JM, Márquez AJ. Glutamine Synthetase in Legumes: Recent Advances in Enzyme Structure and Functional Genomics. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2012; 13(7):7994-8024.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Betti, Marco; García-Calderón, Margarita; Pérez-Delgado, Carmen M.; Credali, Alfredo; Estivill, Guillermo; Galván, Francisco; Vega, José M.; Márquez, Antonio J. 2012. "Glutamine Synthetase in Legumes: Recent Advances in Enzyme Structure and Functional Genomics." Int. J. Mol. Sci. 13, no. 7: 7994-8024.

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