Expression pattern of genes encoding nitrate and ammonium assimilating enzymes in Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to short term NaCl stress

Key steps in nitrate nutrition and assimilation were assessed over two weeks in control and 100 mM NaCl-exposed Arabidopsis thaliana (Columbia) plants. The data showed that NaCl stress lowered nitrate contents in both leaves and roots. While NaCl stress decreased ammonium contents in leaves, it increased the contents in roots at the end of treatment. A survey of transcript levels of NIA1 (At1g77760) and NIA2 (At1g37130) and nitrate reductase (NR, EC 1.6.1.6) activity in the leaves and roots suggested a major role of NIA2 rather than NIA1 in the regulation of NR by salt stress. A drop in mRNA levels for GLN2 (At5g35630) and GLN1;2 (At1g66200) by salt was associated with a similar inhibition of glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) activity in the leaves. In the roots, NaCl stress was found to enhance mRNA levels of GLN2 and cytosolic-encoding genes (GLN1;1 (At5g37600) and GLN1;2).