Abstract
In studies of the lysis of rabbit erythrocytes, red beet cells, andPenicillium notatum protoplasts by the potato glycoalkaloids α-solanine and α-chaconine, the latter was consistently the more membrane-disruptive compound and erythrocytes the more susceptible cell type. A 1∶1 mixture of solanine and chaconine produced pronounced synergistic effects in all three test systems. In beet cells, such effects were apparent from an early stage of treatment and persisted over a period of several hours. With erythrocytes and fungal protoplasts, the synergism was maximal with mixtures containing approximately 70% chaconine, whereas with beet cells it peaked at approximately 40% chaconine. Synergistic interactions between solanine and chaconine also occurred with regard to cholesterol binding in vitro, with a maximum response corresponding to the 50% mixture. The implications of these findings for the nature and efficacy of chemical defense systems in plants are discussed.
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Roddick, J.G., Rijnenberg, A.L. & Osman, S.F. Synergistic interaction between potato glycoalkaloidsα-solanine andα-chaconine in relation to destabilization of cell membranes: Ecological implications. J Chem Ecol 14, 889–902 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01018781
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01018781