Characteristic early membrane effects induced by tryptophan in pulvinar motor cells.

Tryptophan at concentrations higher than 0.1 mM, triggered characteristic early physiological effects such as rapid (within 5 min) dose-dependent membrane hyperpolarization in Mimosa pudica motor cells and modification of the time course of the spontaneous proton efflux monitored in the incubation medium of pulvinar tissues. The rapid modifications of the leaf turgor-mediated movements seen on the primary pulvini of M. pudica following a shock and on Cassia fasciculata leaflets during a transition from light to darkness indicate that tryptophan disturbed the ionic migrations involved in the electrophysiological events and in the osmocontractile reaction of the motor cells. These reactions were specific to tryptophan compared to those induced by serine and 5-hydroxytryptophan. The tryptophan mode of action cannot be linked to a direct modification of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity as monitored on purified pulvinar plasma membrane vesicles. The tryptophan metabolism-linked products tryptamine and indole also inhibited the motile reactions, activated in a continuous manner the H+ secretion of pulvinar tissues and showed properties of a protonophore and an ATPase activity inhibitor on plasma membrane vesicles, respectively. The specific behavior of tryptophan in the reaction studies here is discussed in light of the previously reported action of phytohormones.

Occurrence of interactions between individual Sr²âº- and Ca²âº-effects on maize root and shoot growth and Sr²âº, Ca²âº and Mg²âº contents, and membrane potential: consequences on predicting Sr²âº-impact.

Occurrence of functional interactions between Sr(2+) and Ca(2+) were investigated on maize plants grown under hydroponic conditions in presence of various mixtures of SrCl2 [0-0.01-1-10 mM] and CaCl2 [0-0.2-2-20 mM]. External [Ca(2+)] modulated the effect of Sr(2+) on the plant dry weight, and on the Sr(2+), Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) contents of roots and shoots. An intermediary functional step between external [Sr(2+)] and [Ca(2+)], and organ ion content, occurred at the plasma membrane of cortical root cells where Sr(2+) and Ca(2+) could influence ion uptake by acting on membrane potential. The decrease of the Sr(2+)-evoked membrane depolarization induced by Ca(2+) could not solely be attributed to the Ca(2+)-effect on the resting membrane potential. Most of the time the individual effects of Sr(2+) and Ca(2+) were not additive, as these two ions clearly interacted with each other to jointly affect the plant physiology. In spite of these interactions, both [Sr(2+)](ext) or [Sr(2+)](ext)/[Ca(2+)](ext) ratio values seemed to enable a correct prediction of the Sr(2+)-effects on the plant. However using the [Sr(2+)](ext)/[Ca(2+)](ext) ratio improved significantly the adequacy of prediction compared to the use of [Sr(2+)](ext) alone, as it increased up to 25% the proportion of variability accounted for by the model.

Membrane effects of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in motor cells of Mimosa pudica L.

2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid applied to excised leaves of Mimosa pudica L. inhibited in a dose-dependent manner the shock-induced pulvinar movement. This inhibition was negatively correlated with the amount of [(14)C] 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid present in the vicinity of the motor cells. Although 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid is a weak acid, its greatest physiological efficiency was obtained with pH values close to neutrality. This observation opens the question of its mode of action which may be through external signaling or following internal transport by a specific anionic form transporter. The effect was related to molecular structure since 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid>3,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid>2,3-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. An essential target of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid action lies at the plasmalemma as indicated by the induced hyperpolarization of the cell membrane. Compared to indole-3-acetic acid and fusicoccin, it induced a complex effect on H(+) fluxes. Applied to plasma membrane vesicles purified from motor organs, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid enhanced proton pumping, but, unlike fusicoccin, it did not increase the H(+)-ATPase catalytic activity in our experimental conditions. Taken together, the data suggest that 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid acts on cell turgor variation and the concomittant ion migration, in particular K(+), by a mechanism involving specific steps compared to indole-3-acetic acid and fusicoccin.