Correlations between Nitrate Reduction, Protein Synthesis and Malate Accumulation

The reduction of nitrate in leaves establishes an ‘excess’ of cations in the tissue which is rapidly neutralized by the synthesis of malate. Malate synthesized in nitrate‐containing leaves accumulates while malate synthesized in nitrate‐depleted leaves disappears gradually. The levels of nitrate reductasc and malate synthesis change similarly during leaf growth. Good correlation was also found between the rate of protein synthesis and the rale of malate synthesis. Stoichiometric relation between the amount of nitrate reduced and malate accumulated may be observed in short‐term experiments.