[Physiological function of arginine and its metabolites in plants]

Abstract

L-arginine is an important and unique amino acid in plants. It serves not only as an important nitrogen reserve and recycling, but also as a precursor of the biosynthesis of polyamines, nitric oxide and so on. Polyamines and nitric oxide are important messengers involved in almost all physiological and biochemical processes, growth & development, and adaptation of plants to stress. Arginine decarboxylase, arginase and nitric oxide synthase are the key enzymes in L-arginine catabolism, in which polyamines are formed through ADC or arginase-ODC pathway while nitric oxide is formed through the NOS pathway. The relative activity of these three enzymes can control the direction of arginine metabolism. Arginine content keeps higher level in roots during overwinter period. The arginine metabolism plays important role in perception and adaptation of plant to environmental disturbances.