Abstract
Changes in membrane fluidity at low, non-freezing temperatures are thought to be involved in chilling injury - a physiological disorder of many economically important plants, e.g. banana, cucumber, maize, rice, and tomato. Atmospheres of 12 MPa He or N2 increased the rate of ion leakage from excised cucumber cotyledon discs, cucumber hypocotyl segments and tomato pericarp discs and also increased the threshold temperature at which chilling occurred by 2° to 6°C. Exposure to vapors of the mammalian anesthetics halothane and methoxyflurane reduced chilling injury in the same tissues. The relative effectiveness of the two anesthetics in reducing chilling injury was similar to their relative effectiveness in inducing anesthesia in animals and their relative lipid solubilities. The response of the tissues to halothane and methoxyflurane, which are known to increase membrane fluidity, and to high pressures, which are known to reduce membrane fluidity, are consistent with the hypothesis that a cold-induced phase transition of membranes could be responsible for chilling injury.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
