mRNA expression patterns of genes for metabolic key enzymes sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), pyruvate kinase, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, glutamine synthetase 1, and glutamine synthetase 2 were investigated in leaves of rice plants grown at two nitrogen (N) supplies (N0.5, N3.0). The relative gene expression patterns were similar in all leaves except for 9th leaf, in which mRNA levels were generally depressed. Though increased N supply prolonged the expression period of each mRNA, it did not affect the relative expression intensity of any mRNA in a given leaf. SPS Vmax, SPS limiting and PEPC activities, and carbon flow were examined. The ratio between PEPC activity and SPS Vmax was higher in leaves developed at the vegetative growth stage (vegetative leaves: 5th and 7th leaves) than in leaves developed after the ear primordia formation stage (reproductive leaves: 9th and flag leaves). PEPC activity and SPS Vmax decreased with declining leaf N content. After using 14CO2 the 14C photosynthate distribution in the amino acid fraction was higher in vegetative than in reproductive leaves when compared for the same leaf N status. Thus, at high PEPC/SPS activities ratio, more 14C photosynthate was distributed to the amino acid pool, whereas at higher SPS activity more 14C was channelled into the saccharide fraction. Thus, leaf ontogeny was an important factor controlling photosynthate distribution to the N- or C-pool, respectively, regardless of the leaf N status. and T. Shinano ... [et al.].