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The Role of Dark Carbon Dioxide Fixation in Root Nodules of Soybean ¹

Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6 Canada

The magnitude and role of dark CO₂ fixation were examined in nodules of intact soybean plants (Harosoy 63 x Rhizobium japonicum strain USDA 16). The estimated rate of nodule dark CO₂ fixation, based on a 2 minute pulse-feed with ¹⁴CO₂ under saturating conditions, was 102 micromoles per gram dry weight per hour. This was equivalent to 14% of net nodule respiration. Only 18% of this CO₂ fixation was estimated to be required for organic and amino acid synthesis for growth and export processes. The major portion (75-92%) of fixed label was released as CO₂ within 60 minutes. The labeling pattern during pulse-chase experiments was consistent with CO₂ fixation by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. During the chase, the greatest loss of label occurred in organic acids. Exposure of nodulated roots to Ar:O₂ (80:20) did not affect dark CO₂ fixation, while exposure to O₂:CO₂ (95:5) resulted in 54% inhibition. From these results, it was concluded that at least 66% of dark CO₂ fixation in soybean may be involved with the production of organic acids, which when oxidized would be capable of providing at least 48% of the requirement for ATP equivalents to support nitrogenase activity.

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