The regulation of nitrate reduction in spinach leaves

Abstract

Nitrate reduction did not occur in leaves in the dark in aerobic conditions but did occur in anaerobic conditions. Nitrate reduction in leaves in the dark in aerobic conditions was observed, however, when the respiratory electron transport chain was inhibited with antimycin A but not when it was inhibited with amytal or rotenone. It would appear that NADH generated outside the mitochondria was used for nitrate reduction in the dark under anaerobic conditions. The relevance of this observation to nitrate reduction in the light is discussed.