Abstract
Conditions which induce a transmembrane electrical potential, positive with respect to the inside of membrane vesicles, result in a substantial (4–12-fold) stimulation of the activity of membrane-associated β-glucan synthetases in a membrane preparation derived from the developing cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fiber. Induction of electrical potentials which are negative with respect to the inside of the membrane vesicle results in little or no stimulation of β-glucan synthesis. Those products whose synthesis is stimulated are mainly β-1,3-glucan, but there is also a considerable increase in β-1,4-glucan. No α-1,4-glucan (starch) was detected in the reaction products. A transmembrane pH gradient was found to have no effect on β-glucan synthesis. The results indicate that a transmembrane electrical potential can influence, either directly or indirectly, the activity of membrane-associated polysaccharide synthetases.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- UDP-glucose:
-
uridine-5′-diphosphoglucose
- PEG:
-
polyethylene glycol
- BTP:
-
bistrispropane (1,3-bis[tris(hydroxymethyl)methylamino]propane)
- MES:
-
2(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid
- VAL:
-
valinomycin
References
Anderson, R.L., Ray, P.M. (1978) Labelling of the plasma membrane of pea cells by a surface-localized glucan synthetase. Plant Physiol. 61, 723–730
Beck, J.C., Sacktor, B. (1975) Energetics of the Na+-dependent transport of D-glucose in renal brush border membrane vesicles. J. Biol. Chem. 250, 8647–8680
Bradford, M.M. (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal. Chem. 72, 249–259
Brown, R.M., Jr., Montezinos, D. (1976) Cellulose microfibrils: visualization of biosynthetic and orienting complexes in association with the plasma membrane. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 73, 143–147
Carpita, N.C., Delmer, D.P. (1980) Protection of cellulose synthesis in detached cotton fibers by polyethylene glycol. Plant Physiol. 66, 911–916
Carpita, N.C., Delmer, D.P. (1981) Concentration and metabolic turnover of UDP-glucose in developing cotton fibers. J. Biol. Chem. 256, 308–315
Colvin, J.R. (1972) The structure and biosynthesis of cellulose. Crit. Rev. Macromol. Sci. 1, 47–81
Delmer, D.P. (1977) The biosynthesis of cellulose and other plant cell wall polysaccharides. Rec. Adv. Phytochem. 11, 45–77
Delmer, D.P., Heiniger, U., Kulow, C. (1977) UDP-glucose: glucan synthetase in developing cotton fibers. I. Kinetic and physiological properties. Plant Physiol. 59, 713–718
Dupont, Y. (1979) Electrogenic calcium transport in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. In: Cation flux across biomembranes, pp. 141–160, Mukohata, Y., Packer, L., eds. Academic Press, New York
Giddings, T.H., Jr., Brower, D.L., Staehelin, L.A. (1980) Visualization of particle complexes in the plasma membrane of Micrasterias denticulata associated with the formation of cellulose fibrils in primary and secondary cell walls. J. Cell Biol. 84, 327–339
Glaser, L. (1958) The synthesis of cellulose in cell free extracts of Acetobacter xylinum. J. Biol. Chem. 232, 627–636
Heiniger, U., Delmer, D.P. (1977) UDP-glucose: glucan synthetase in developing cotton fibers. II. Structure of the reaction products. Plant Physiol. 59, 719–723
Hopp, H.E., Romero, P.A., Daleo, G.R., Pont-Lezica, R. (1978) Synthesis of cellulose precursors. The involvement of lipidlinked sugars. Eur. J. Biochem. 84, 561–571
Kasai, M., Komentani, T. (1979) Ionic permeability of sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. In: Cation flux across biomembranes, pp 167–177, Mukohata, Y., Packer, L. eds. Academic Press, New York
Komor, E., Weber, H., Tanner, W. (1979) Greatly decreased susceptibility of nonmetabolizing cells towards detergents. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76, 1814–1818
Lelkes, P.I. (1979) Potential dependent rigidity changes in lipid membrane vesicles. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 90, 656–662
Maltby, D., Carpita, N.C., Montezinos, D., Kulow, C., Delmer, D.P. (1979) β-1,3-Glucan in developing cotton fibers. Structure, localization, and relationship of synthesis to that of secondary wall cellulose. Plant Physiol. 63, 1158–1164
Mueller, S.C., Brown, R.M., Jr. (1980) Evidence for an intramembrane component associated with a cellulose microfibril-synthesizing complex in higher plants. J. Cell Biol. 84, 315–326
Pressman, B.C. (1976) Biological applications of ionophores. Ann. Rev. Biochem. 45, 501–530
Robinson, D.G. (1977) Plant cell wall synthesis. Adv. Bot. Res. 5, 89–151
Toci, R., Belaich, A., Belaich, J.-P. (1980) Influence of “energization” on the binding of M protein with p-nitrophenyl α-D-galactopyranoside. J. Biol. Chem. 255, 4603–4606
Updegraph, D.M. (1969) Semi-micro determintation of cellulose in biological materials. Anal. Biochem. 32, 420–424
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bacic, A., Delmer, D.P. Stimulation of membrane-associated polysaccharide synthetases by a membrane potential in developing cotton fibers. Planta 152, 346–351 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388260
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388260