Reactions of yeast cells to glycerol treatment alterations to membrane structure and glycerol uptake

Summary Ultrastructural alterations to the plasmalemma and tonoplast ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae were studied after incubation in hypertonic solutions of glycerol and sorbitol. After 20 to 30 minutes incubation in glycerol, the cells had shrunk to about 40% of their original volume. Large depressions of the plasmalemma were then always found associated with the typical plasmalemma invaginations. The vacuoles of treated cells changed to an irregular form, the tonoplast intramembranous particles were clustered, and large smooth areas appeared. After 6 to 12 hours incubation, cell and vacuole volume, as well as plasmalemma and tonoplast ultrastructure, had reverted to normal. The rate of recovery was strongly temperature dependent.Protoplasts could be similarly shrunk, but no alterations to the plasmalemma ultrastructure were then observed; however, the tonoplast revealed particle clustering as observed in whole cells. Protoplasts also reverted to normal volume and ultrastructure after prolonged incubation. Cells and protoplasts treated with sorbitol showed similar phenomena, but remained shrunken.By the use of radioactive tracers, glycerol was shown to penetrate cells, protoplasts and isolated vacuoles, but no uptake of sorbitol could be demonstrated.During the glycerol permeation period (0.5 to 6 hours), numerous vesicles were found in the cytoplasm and these were possibly engulfed by the vacuole. Associated with the engulfment, patches of tonoplast intramembranous particles were found in a semicrystalline array. Osmotic stress induced alterations to membrane ultrastructure, due to the use of cryoprotective agents, are discussed.A preliminary note of the paper was given at the Sixth European Congress on Electron Microscopy, Jerusalem, 1976.