Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Photosynthetic apparatus in chilling-sensitive plants

II. Changes in free fatty acid composition and photoperoxidation in chloroplasts following cold storage and illumination of leaves in relation to Hill reaction activity

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The composition of free fatty acids (FFA) in relation to Hill reaction activity and photoperoxidation of lipids was studied in chloroplasts isolated from fresh, cold and dark-stored as well as illuminated leaves of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Cucumis sativus L. Following the cold and dark-storage of leaves the loss of Hill reaction activity is accompanied by approximately a 5-fold increase in the amount of FFA and by an increase in the percentage of unsaturated FFA, particularly that of linolenic acid. Illumination of the cold- and dark-stored leaves restores both Hill reaction activity and the content and composition of chloroplast FFA. Following the second and third cycles of cold storage and illumination of leaves the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in chloroplasts increases while that of saturated ones decreases despite of the significant restoration of Hill reaction activity. Since the illumination of cold-stored leaves results in peroxidation of inhibitory fatty acids it seems likely that this phenomenon could, at least partially, be responsible for the restoration of Hill reaction activity. Inhibition of Hill reaction activity by exogenous linolenic acid in chloroplasts of fresh, cold-stored as well as cold-stored and illuminated leaves could be reversed following the incubation of chloroplast suspension with BSA, however only to a value measured in the absence of unsaturated fatty acid. All these results indicate that the inhibition of Hill reaction activity due to the cold and dark storage of leaves is caused by both inhibitory FFA released from chloroplast lipids as well as by damage to the thylakoid structure affecting the electron transport within photosystem II.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

BSA:

bovine serum albumin

DCIP:

2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol

DGDG:

digalactosyl diglyceride

HEPES:

2-(4(2-hydroxyethyl)-piperazinyl) ethanesulfonic acid

FFA:

free fatty acids

MDA:

malondialdehyde

MGDG:

monogalactosyldiglyceride

TBA:

thiobarbituric acid

Tris:

tris-(Hydroxymethyl)aminomethane

References

  • Anderson, M.M., McCarty, R.E.: Rapid and sensitive assay for free fatty acids using Rhodamine 6G. Anal. Biochem. 45, 260–270 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, M.M., McCarty, R.E., Zimmer, E.A.: The role of galactolipids in spinach chloroplast lamellar membranes. I. Partial purification of bean leaf galactolipid lipase and its action on subchloroplast particles. Plant Physical. 53, 699–704 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, R.F.: Removal of fatty acids from serum albumin by charcoal treatment. J. biol. Chem. 242, 173–181 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Constantopoulos, G., Kenyon, C.N.: Release of free fatty acids and loss of Hill activity by aging spinach chloroplasts. Plant Physiol. 43, 531–536 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • De Kok, L.J., Kuiper, P.J.C.: Glycolipid degradation in leaves of the thermophilic Cucumis sativus as affected by light and low-temperature treatment. Physiol. Plant. 39, 123–128 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Folch, J., Lees, M., Stanley, S.: A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissues. J. biol. Chem. 226, 497–509 (1957)

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedlander, M., Neumann, L.: Stimulation of photoreactions of isolated chloroplasts by serum albumin. Plant Physiol. 43, 1249–1254 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Heath, R.L., Packer, L.: Photoperoxidation in isolated chloroplasts. I. Kinetics and stoichiometry of fatty acid peroxidation. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 125, 189–198 (1968a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Heath, R.L., Packer, L.: Photoperoxidation in isolated chloroplasts. II. Role of electron transfer. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 125, 850–857 (1968b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Helmsing, P.J.: Hydrolysis of galctolipids by enzymes in spinach leaves. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 144, 470–472 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoshina, S., Kaji, F., Nishida, K.: Photoswelling and lightinactivation of isolated chloroplasts. I. Changes in lipid content in light-aged chloroplast. Plant & Cell Physiol. 16, 465–474 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jamieson, G.R., Reid, E.H.: The occurrnce of hexadeca-7, 10, 13-trienoic acid in the leaf lipids of angiosperms. Phytochemistry 10, 1837–1843 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaninga, Z., Frąckowiak, B., Michalski, W.: Role of fatty acids and Mn++ in the restoration of Hill activity in chloroplasts of chilling-sensitive plants following cold-storage. In: Abstr. 10th Meet. Fed. Eur. Biochem. Soc. No 1121, Paris 1975

  • Kaniuga, Z., Sochanowicz, B., Ząbek, J., Krzystyniak, K.: Photosynthetic apparatus in chilling-sensitive plants. I. Reactivation of Hill reaction activity inhibited on the cold and dark-storage of detached leaves and intact plants. Planta in press (1978)

  • Kates, M.: Plant phospholipids and glycolipids. Adv. Lipid Res. 8, 225–265 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulandaivelu, G., Hall, D.O.: Stabilization of photosynthetic activities of isolated spinach chloroplasts during prolonged ageing. Z. Naturforsch. 31c, 452–455 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwon, T., Menzel, D.B., Olscott, H.S.: Reactivity of malonaldehyde with food constituents. J. Food Sci. 30, 808–813 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, J.M.: Chilling injury in plants. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 24, 445–466 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazliak, O.P.: Lipid metabolism in plants. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 24, 287–310 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Radin, N.S.: Preparation of lipid extracts. In: Methods in enzymology, Vol. XIV, Lipds, pp. 245–254, Loevenstein, J.M. ed. New York: Academic Press 1969

    Google Scholar 

  • Raison, J.K.: Temperature-induced phase changes in membrane lipids and their influence on metabolic regulation. Symp. Soc. exp. Biol. 27, 485–512 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sastry, P.S., Kates, M.: Hydrolysis of monogalactosyl and digalactosyl diglycerides by specific enzymes in runner-bean leaves. Biochemistry 3, 1280–1287 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwertner, H.A., Biale, J.B.: Lipid composition of plant mitochondria and chloroplasts. J. Lipid Res. 14, 235–242 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegenthaler, P.A.: Aging of the photosynthetic apparatus. IV. Similarity between the effects of aging and unsaturated fatty acids on isolated spinach chloroplasts as expressed by volume changes. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 275, 182–191 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smoleńska, G., Kuiper, P.J.C.: Effect of low temperature upon lipid and fatty acid composition of roots and leaves of winter rape plants. Physiol. Plant. 41, 29–35 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Takahama, U., Nishimura, M.: Formation of singlet molecular oxygen in illuminated chloroplasts: Effects on photoinactivation and lipid peroxidation. Plant & Cell Physiol. 16, 737–748 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Takahama, U., Nishimura, M.: Effects of electron donors and acceptors, electron transfer mediators and superoxide dismutase on lipid peroxidation in illuminated chloroplasts fragments. Plant & Cell Physiol. 17, 111–118 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • van Hasselt, Ph.R.: Photooxidation of unsaturated lipids in Cucumis leaf discs during chilling. Acta Bot. Neerl. 23, 159–169 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasserman, A.R., Fleisher, S.: The stabilization of chloroplast function. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 153, 154–169 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J.M., Crawford, R.M.M.: Leaf fatty-acid content in relation to hardening and chilling-injury. J. exp. Bot. 25, 121–131 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wintermans, J.F.G.M., Helmsing, P.J., Polman, B.J.J., van Gisbergen, J., Collard, J.: Galactolipid transformations and photochemical activities of spinach chloroplasts. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 189, 95–105 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamashita, T., Butler, W.L.: Inhibition of the Hill reaction by Tris and restoration by electron donation to photosystem II. Plant Physiol. 44, 435–438 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biochemistry, University of Warsaw, Al. Zwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089, Warszawa, Poland

    Z. Kaniuga & W. Michalski

Authors
  1. Z. Kaniuga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. W. Michalski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kaniuga, Z., Michalski, W. Photosynthetic apparatus in chilling-sensitive plants. Planta 140, 129–136 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384911

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384911

Key words

Search

Navigation