Sulphur assimilation

Introduction
Sulfur is an essential element for growth and
physiological functioning of plants.
The sulfate absorbed by roots from soil
solution is translocated through xylem to shoots for
assimilation.
Sulfate (Sulfur) assimilation takes place chiefly
in leaves in chloroplasts
To some extent sulfate assimilation may also
occur in roots in proplastids.
 The first step in sulfate assimilation
in plants is conversion of sulfate into
cysteine.

Sulfur in sulfate is present in highly

oxidised state with six positive charges
while in cysteine it is present in reduced
state with four negative charges.
 Therefore, conversion of sulfate into cysteine
is a reduction process that is energy dependent
and requires ATP.

It entails transfer of 10 electrons which are

provided by reduced glutathione (GSH), reduced
ferredoxin (Fd. red) and O-Acetylserine.

APS (Adenosine – 5′- phosphosulfate),

sulfite and sulfide (S2-) are important intermediates
in sulfate assimilation to cysteine.
Definition
Conversion of inorganic sulphur
compounds such as SO42- (sulfate)
into sulfur-containing organic
compounds such as cysteine by plants
is called as sulfur or sulfate
assimilation.

Process of sulphur or sulfate assimilation

Reduction of sulfate to cysteine is a multistep
process.
(Step 1)
In the first step, sulfate is activated by ATP in
the presence of the enzyme ATP- sulfurylase to
form APS (Adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate) and
pyrophosphate (PPi). Mg++ ions are required in this
reaction.
SO42- + Mg-ATP → APS + PPi
Step 2
The APS is now reduced The enzyme APS-
reductase transfers two electrons from two
molecules of reduced glutathione (2 GSH) to
produce sulfite (SO32-). Glutathione is oxidised
(GSSG).

APS + 2 GSH → SO32- + 2 H+ + GSSG + AMP

Step 3
Sulfite (SO32-) is now reduced to form sulfide
(S2-) in the presence of the enzyme sulfite
reductase. This reduction requires six electrons
which are provided by reduced ferredoxin (Fd.red).

SO32- + 6 Fd.red → S2- + 6 Fd.oxi

Step 4
In the last step, sulfide reacts with O-
acetylserine (OAS) under the influence of the
enzyme OAS-thiolyase to form the amino acid
cysteine and acetic acid. There is transfer of two
electrons in this reduction, from OAS to sulfide.
OAS + S2- → cysteine + acetate