Purification of Active Peroxidase Isoenzymes and Their Responses to Nitrogen Fertilization and Rotation of Biomass Sorghum

Peroxidases (EC 1.11.1.7) participate in lignin biosynthesis. But peroxidation is not a tool for assaying lignocellulose metabolism because the active cannot yet be separated from the inactive peroxidases. A biochemical tool for assaying plant cell wall responses to agronomic practices is needed in the lignocellulosic feedstock renewable energy industry. Peroxidase of biomass sorghum was purified to 9 13 charge isomers by free solution IEF (Rotofor) technique. Free solution IEF was more effective than chromatographic purification of active peroxidase isoenzymes. Native PAGE separated each charge isomer to three anionic and three cationic isoenzymes. Hydrogen peroxide and o-dianisidine assays showed that only 20% 30% of the isoenzymes displayed normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Sorghum planted without nitrogen fertilization induced the hydrogen peroxide noncompetitive inhibition of peroxidase, but 280 kg·ha nitrogen fertilization and 100% sorghum mineral residue return to the soil tripled the concentration of active peroxidase and relieved the inhibition with concomitant increases of 350 kg lignin and 3532 kg·cellulose·ha. Nitrogen fertilization without crop rotation induced hydrogen peroxide inhibition of the peroxidase, but nitrogen fertilization and 25% sorghum rotation changed the PI of the active peroxidase from neutral to mildly acidic and relieved the inhibition with concomitant enormous increases of 690 kg lignin and 7151 kg·cellulose·ha. Hydrogen peroxide inhibition kinetics is consistent with the known peroxidase-substrate intermediate dead-end complex formation. Lignocellulosic yield was greatest under the agronomic management that combined 280 kg·ha nitrogen fertilizer with 25% sorghum residue, which resulted in a shift of pI value of the active peroxidase due to a reduction in the Km value of the peroxidase. Therefore, up to 75% of sorghum biomass rather than only 50% can be harvested for conversion to bioenergy products.