Summary
The apparent Km(hydrogen) for uptake of hydrogen by pea root nodules was determined. This enabled the concentration gradient necessary for the evolution of hydrogen to be calculated for nodules with no hydrogenase activity. This indicated that hydrogen inhibition of nitrogenase is not likely to be the cause of the low relative efficiency of legume root nodules. The factors that affect electron allocation between protons and nitrogen in nitrogenase are reviewed and it is concluded that there must be some as yet unknown factor that affects electron distribution in Rhizobium nitrogenase. One possibility is put forward and considered. A strain of Rhizobium was used that was found to possess hydrogenase activity in combination with pea variety Feltham First but not with variety Meteor. The control of this enzyme is briefly discussed.
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© 1987 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht
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Dixon, R.O.D. (1987). Relative efficiency of nitrogen fixation and the occurrence of hydrogenase in pea root nodules. In: Van Diest, A. (eds) Plant and Soil Interfaces and Interactions. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences, vol 28. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3627-0_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3627-0_11
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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