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Desiccation Tolerance and Long Term Structural Stability

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Basic and Applied Aspects of Seed Biology

Part of the book series: Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture ((PSBA,volume 30))

Abstract

Suspended life in completely desiccated organisms requires the protection of proteins and phospholipids in the cellular membranes. Desiccation tolerant organisms usually contain large amounts of sugars. Di-, tri- and tetra—saccharides in particular, play a major role in preventing fusion, phase transitions and most likely phase separations in dry membranes. The ability of the sugars to form a glass and to directly interact with the polar headgroups of the phospholipids are the hypothesized mechanisms involved in this protection. Sugars also protect labile proteins from major structural rearrangements during dehydration.

Dry membranes in situ often have elevated phase transition temperatures (Tm) which may be explained by insufficient interaction of the sugars with the polar headgroups. Thus, gel phase may occur in dry desiccation tolerant organisms at room temperature. It seems necessary to melt this gel phase before imbibition, or leakage and damage will ensue. The presence of a glassy state at imbibition is not involved in imbibitional injury. Alternatives for the role of sugars in the suppression of Tm with drying are discussed.

Drying of desiccation sensitive organisms and ageing of desiccation tolerant organisms lead to phospholipid breakdown, free fatty acid accumulation and ledkge of endogenous solutes, all of which are indicative of membrane deterioration. In contrast, protein secondary structure is very stable during ageing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Physiology, Wageningen Agricultural University, Arboretumlaan 4, 6703 BD, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    F. A. Hoekstra, W. F. Wolkers, J. Buitink & E. A. Golovina

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  1. F. A. Hoekstra
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  2. W. F. Wolkers
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  3. J. Buitink
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  4. E. A. Golovina
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agriculture, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, P.O. Box 236, Reading, RG6 6AT, UK

    R. H. Ellis , A. J. Murdoch  & T. D. Hong ,  & 

  2. Division of Biosphere Science, King’s College London, Campden Hill Road, London, W8 7AH, UK

    M. Black

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Hoekstra, F.A., Wolkers, W.F., Buitink, J., Golovina, E.A. (1997). Desiccation Tolerance and Long Term Structural Stability. In: Ellis, R.H., Black, M., Murdoch, A.J., Hong, T.D. (eds) Basic and Applied Aspects of Seed Biology. Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture, vol 30. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5716-2_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5716-2_1

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