Abstract
The question of whether membrane expansion, which is caused by anesthetics in animal systems, alters the lipid composition of plant cell membranes was investigated. We have measured the effects of several anesthetics on the relative amounts of the principal fatty acids from the polar lipids of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) root membranes. Procaine, dibucaine, tetracaine, chloroform and, to a lesser degree, methanol increased the proportions of palmitic, stearic and oleic acids and decreased the proportions of linoleic and linolenic acids. Ethanol had no significant effect. Total amounts of the fatty acids from the polar lipids of roots in procaine solution decreased markedly so that all of the acids decreased in amount. The anesthetic was effective as soon as the roots were introduced to the solution and the changes progressed at constant rates for 6 h. Only the polar membrane lipids were altered; other lipids were not affected. Increased hydrostatic pressure of about 1.0 MPa largely prevented the anesthetic effects, including the decrease in the total amounts of the fatty acids. Hydrostatic pressure as high as 2 MPa had no effect per se on the membrane lipid composition. These results indicate that anesthetics cause expansion of the root membranes which results in the lipid changes. That a compositional change in the membrane lipids involves a conformational change such as expansion is an indication of the nature of the link between changes in the membrane lipids and changes in function of areas where hydrophilic ions permeate.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- 16:0:
-
palmitic acid
- 18:0:
-
stearic acid
- 18:1:
-
oleic acid
- 18:2:
-
linoleic acid
- 18:3:
-
linolenic acid
References
Badger, C.R., Helmkamp, G.M., Jr (1982) Modulation of phospholipid transfer protein activity: inhibition by local anesthetics. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 692, 32–40
Bakker, E.P., Van den Heuvel, E.J., Wiechmann, A.H.C.A., Van Dam, K. (1973) A comparison between effectiveness of uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria and in artificial membrane systems. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 292, 78
Bottcher, C.J., Woodford, F.P., Borlsma-Van Houte, E., Gent, C.M. (1959) Methods for the analysis of lipids extracted from human arteries and other tissues. Recl. Trav. Chim. 78, 794–814
Boulanger, Y., Schreier, S., Smith, I.C.P. (1981) Molecular details of anesthetic lipid interaction as seen by deuterium and phosphorus 31 nuclear magnetic resonance. Biochemistry 20, 6824–6830
Burchfield, H.P., Storrs, E.E. (1962) Biochemical applications of gas chromatography. Academic Press, New York London
Fink, B.R., ed. (1975) Molecular mechanisms of anesthesia. Raven Press, New York
Folch, J., Lees, M., Stanley, G.H. (1957) A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissue. J. Biol. Chem. 226, 497–509
Hendricks, S.B., Taylorson, R.B. (1980) Reversal by pressure of seed germination promoted by anesthetics. Planta 149, 108–111
Jackson, P.C. (1982) Differences between effects of undissociated and anionic 2,4-dinitrophenol on permeability of roots to ions. Plant Physiol. 70, 1373–1379
Jackson, P.C., Stieff, K.J. (1965) Equilibrium and ion exchange properties of potassium and sodium accumulation by barley roots. J. Gen. Physiol. 48, 601–616
Jackson, P.C., St. John, J.B. (1980) Changes in membrane lipids of roots associated with changes in permeability. I. Effects of undissociated acids. Plant Physiol. 66, 801–804
Jackson, P.C., St. John, J.B. (1982) Effects of 2,4-dinitrophenol on membrane lipids of roots. Plant Physiol. 70, 858–862
Jackson, P.C., Taylor, J.M. (1970) Effects of organic acids on ion uptake and retention in barley roots. Plant Physiol 46, 538–542
Johnson, F.H., Flagler, E.A. (1951) Hydrostatic reversal of narcosis in tadpoles. Science 112, 91–92
Johnson, S.M., Miller, K.W. (1970) The antagonism of pressure and anesthesia. Nature (London) 228, 75–76
Kamaya, H., Yukio, S., Ueda, I., Eyring, H. (1981) Anesthetics and high pressure interaction upon elastic properties of a polymer membrane. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78, 3572–3575
LeChatelier, H.L. (1885) Sur les lois de la dissolution. C.R. Acad. Sci. (Paris) 100, 441–444
Metcalfe, L.D., Schmitz, A.A. (1961) The rapid preparation of fatty acid esters for gas chromatographic analysis. Anal. Chem. 33, 363–364
Seeman, P. (1972) The membrane actions of anesthetics and tranquilizers. Pharmacol. Rev. 24, 583–655
St. John, J.B. (1976) Manipulation of galactolipid fatty acid composition with substituted pyridazinones. Plant Physiol. 57, 38–40
Surewicz, W.K., Leyko, W. (1982) Interaction of local anesthetics with model phospholipid membranes. The effects of pH and phospholipid composition studied by quenching of an intra membrane fluorescent probe. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 34, 359–363
Trudell, J.R., Hubbell, W.L., Cohen, E.N. (1973) The effect of two inhalation anesthetics on the order of spin-labeled phospholipid vesicles. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 291, 321–327
Van Sumere, C.F., Albrecht, J., Dedonger, A., de Pooter, H., Pe, I. (1975) Plant proteins and phenolics in the chemistry and biochemistry of plant proteins. Proc. Phytochem. Soc., Univ. of Ghent, Belgium, Sept. 1973, pp. 211–247, Harbone, J.B., Van Sumere, C.F., eds. Academic Press, London New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jackson, P.C., St.John, J.B. Anesthetics alter the lipid composition of barley-root membranes. Planta 162, 415–421 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393453
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393453