Effects of La^(3+)on H^+ Transmembrane Gradient and Membrane Potential in Rice Seedling Roots

The effects of LaCl 3 on membrane potential and transmembrane proton gradient for rice ( Oryza sativa ) seedling roots were studied. Highly purified plasma membrane was isolated by aqueous two phase partitioning method. Both the gradient of transmembrane proton and membrane potential were stimulated by certain low concentration of LaCl 3 and depressed by high concentration of LaCl 3. The optimal concentration of La 3+ is around 40～60 μmol·L -1 for transmembrane proton gradient and membrane potential. It shows that La 3+ can influence the generations and maintenances of membrane potential and transmembrane proton gradient in rice seedling roots.

Changes of plasma membrane ATPase activity, membrane potential and transmembrane proton gradient in Kandelia candel and Avicennia marina seedlings with various salinities

The salt-secreting mangrove, Avicennia marina, and non-salt-secreting mangrove, Kandelia candel were cultivated in sand with various salinities(0‰, 10‰, 20‰, 30‰, 40‰) for 60 d. Plasma membrane vesicles of high-purity in leaves and roots of A.marina and K. candel seedlings were obtained by two-phase partitioning. The function of the plasma membranes, the activity of ATPase, membrane potential and transmembrane proton gradient, at various salinities were investigated. The results showed that within a certain range of salinity(A. marina and roots of K. candel: 0—30‰; leaves of K.candel: 0—20‰), the activity of ATPase increased with increasing salinity, while high salinity(above 30‰ or 20‰) inhibited ATPase activity. In comparison with A. marina, K. candel appeared to be more sensitive to salinity. The dynamics of membrane potential and transmembrane proton gradient in leaves and roots of A. marina and K. candel seedlings were similar to that of ATPase. When treated directly by NaCl all the indexes were inhibited markedly: there was a little increase within 0—10‰(K. candel) or 0—20‰(A. marina) followed by sharp declining. It indicated that the structure and function of plasma membrane was damaged severely.

EFFECT OF TRANSMEMBRANE Ca^(2+) GRADIENT ON CONFORMATION AND ENZYME ACTIVITY OF RECONSTITUTED ADENYLATE CYCLASE

Adenylate cyclase from bovine brain cortex was reconstituted into asolectin liposomes with (500-fold) or without transmembrane Ca^(2+) gradient. The enzyme activity of four types of proteoliposomes (the active center of enzyme exposing outside) was compared. The highest adenylate cyclase activity was observed in the vesicles with outside lower Ca^(2+)concentration (≈10^(-6) mol/L, similar to thephysiological condition). If the transmembrane Ca^(2+) gradient was in the inverse direction (i.e. outside higher Ca^(2+) concentration, 0.5 mmol/L), a lowest enzymatic activity would appear. The difference in enzymatic activity between the two types of proteoliposomes could be diminished following the addition of Ca^(2+) ionophore A23187. Proteoliposomes without transmembrane Ca^(2+) gradient exhibited intermediate activities.The conformation difference of adenylatecyclases in the above-mentioned proteoliposomes was also detected by measuring intrinsic fluorescence and fluorescence quenching with KI.