Temperature response of plasma membranes in tuber-bearing solanum species

Permeability coefficients (Kp) of nonelectroytes were determined at several temperatures for nonacclimated and acclimated plasma membranes of the frost sensitive Solanum tuberosum and the frost resistant Solanum commersonii. In nonacclimated membranes, Kp were equal at 25°C for the two species. Kp decreased with decreased temperature in both species; however, the decrease was much greater in the frost sensitive S. tuberosum than in frost resistant S. commersonii.

Kp increased with cold acclimation. After acclimation the temperature sensitivity of Kp or activation energy (Ea) for S. tuberosum was similar to that of S. commersonii; however, Kp for S. tuberosum were lower than those for S. commersonii at all temperatures.

The differences in Kp and activation energy indicate plasma membrane differences between the species before acclimation. After acclimation there was still a difference between the plasma membranes of the two species as well as a difference between the nonacclimated and acclimated membranes of the same species.