Premium
The water permeability of Arabidopsis plasma membrane is regulated by divalent cations and pH
Author(s) -
Gerbeau Patricia,
Amodeo Gabriela,
Henzler Tobias,
Santoni Véronique,
Ripoche Pierre,
Maurel Christophe
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-313x.2002.01268.x
Subject(s) - divalent , chemistry , vesicle , membrane , biophysics , aqueous solution , chromatography , permeability (electromagnetism) , biochemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , organic chemistry , biology
Summary Mechanisms that regulate water channels in the plant plasma membrane (PM) were investigated in Arabidopsis suspension cells. Cell hydraulic conductivity was measured with a cell pressure probe and was reduced 4‐fold as compared to control values when calcium was added in the pipette and in bathing solution. To assess the significance of these effects in vitro , PM vesicles were isolated by aqueous two‐phase partitioning and their water transport properties were characterized by stopped‐flow spectrophotometry. Membrane vesicles isolated in standard conditions exhibited reduced water permeability ( P f ) together with a lack of active water channels. In contrast, when prepared in the presence of chelators of divalent cations, PM vesicles showed a 2.3‐fold higher P f and active water channels. Furthermore, equilibration of purified PM vesicles with divalent cations reduced their P f and water channel activity down to the basal level of membranes isolated in standard conditions. Ca 2+ was the most efficient with a half‐inhibition of P f at 50–100 µ m free Ca 2+ . Water transport in purified PM vesicles was also reversibly blocked by H + , with a half‐inhibition of P f at pH 7.2–7.5. Thus, both Ca 2+ and H + contribute to a membrane‐delimited switch from active to inactive water channels that may allow coupling of water transport to cell signalling and metabolism.