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Salinity-Induced Noise in Membrane Potential of Characeae Chara australis: Effect of Exogenous Melatonin

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Abstract

Salt sensitive Characeae Chara australis responds to 50 mM NaCl by a prompt appearance of noise in the trans-membrane potential difference (PD). The noise diminishes with time in saline and PD depolarization, leading to altered current–voltage characteristics that could be modeled with H+/OH− channels. Beilby and Al Khazaaly (JMB 230:21–34, 2009) suggested that the noise might arise from cooperative transient opening of H+/OH− channels. Presoaking cells in 10 μM melatonin over 24 h abolished the noise in some cells, postponed its appearance in others or changed its characteristics. As melatonin is a very effective antioxidant, we postulated opening of H+/OH− channels by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Measurement of ROS using dihydrodichlorofluorescein diacetate confirmed substantial reduction in ROS production in melatonin-treated cells in saline and sorbitol media. However, ROS concentration decreased as a function of time in saline medium. Possible schemes for activation of H+/OH− channels under salinity stress are considered.

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Acknowledgments

We thank P. Ranganathan and G. Craigie for assistance with the ROS experiments.

Conflict of interest

Authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics, University of NSW, Kensington 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Mary J. Beilby & Sabah Al Khazaaly

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA

    Mary A. Bisson

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  1. Mary J. Beilby
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  2. Sabah Al Khazaaly
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  3. Mary A. Bisson
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Correspondence to Mary J. Beilby.

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Beilby, M.J., Al Khazaaly, S. & Bisson, M.A. Salinity-Induced Noise in Membrane Potential of Characeae Chara australis: Effect of Exogenous Melatonin. J Membrane Biol 248, 93–102 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00232-014-9746-9

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