%A WANG Dan-Dan, ZHENG Guo-Wei, LI Wei-Qi %T Changes of Membrane Stability in PotassiumStressed Plants %0 Journal Article %D 2014 %J Plant Diversity %R 10.7677/ynzwyj201413106 %P 595-602 %V 36 %N 05 %U {https://journal.kib.ac.cn/CN/abstract/article_33352.shtml} %8 2014-09-25 %X

The maintenance of membrane function is critical to the ability of plants to resist environmental stresses; specifically, the stability and appropriate fluidity of membranes are crucial to their normal function. We previously demonstrated that plants adapt to longterm potassium (K+) deficiency by accumulation of membrane lipids in leaves and maintenance of the lipid composition in roots. In this study, which involved Arabidopsis thaliana and its K+deficiencytolerant relative Crucihimalaya himalaica, we first calculated the doublebond index (DBI) as an indicator of membrane fluidity. After exposure to longterm K+deficiency stress, the DBI of the total lipids in leaves of Athaliana and Chimalaica showed no significant changes, whereas the DBI of the total lipids in the roots of these species showed slight increases. Changes in lysophospholipids (lysoPLs) levels, and digalactosyldiacylglycerol/monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG/MGDG) and phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine (PC/PE) ratios, all of which strongly reflect membrane stability, were also studied in K+stressed Athaliana and Chimalaica. After longterm K+ deficiency, total lysoPLs levels increased in Athaliana and Chimalaica leaves, but showed no significant changes in roots. DGDG/MGDG and PC/PE ratios were higher in Chimalaica leaves and roots than in those of Athaliana. These results indicate that Chimalaica exhibits superior membrane stability compared with Athaliana. This may explain its superior growth and tolerance under K+deficient conditions.