The Surprising Dynamics of Electrochemical Coupling at Membrane Sandwiches in Plants

authored by: Ingo Dreyer, Fernando Vergara-Valladares, Franko Mérida-Quesada, María Eugenia Rubio-Meléndez, Naomí Hernández-Rojas, Janin Riedelsberger, Sadith Zobeida Astola-Mariscal, Charlotte Heitmüller, Mónica Yanez-Chávez, Oscar Arrey-Salas, Alex San Martín-Davison, Carlos Navarro-Retamal, Erwan Michard
Abstract: Transport processes across membranes play central roles in any biological system. They are essential for homeostasis, cell nutrition, and signaling. Fluxes across membranes are governed by fundamental thermodynamic rules and are influenced by electrical potentials and concentration gradients. Transmembrane transport processes have been largely studied on single membranes. However, several important cellular or subcellular structures consist of two closely spaced membranes that form a membrane sandwich. Such a dual membrane structure results in remarkable properties for the transport processes that are not present in isolated membranes. At the core of membrane sandwich properties, a small intermembrane volume is responsible for efficient coupling between the transport systems at the two otherwise independent membranes. Here, we present the physicochemical principles of transport coupling at two adjacent membranes and illustrate this concept with three examples. In the supplementary material, we provide animated PowerPoint presentations that visualize the relationships. They could be used for teaching purposes, as has already been completed successfully at the University of Talca.
Organisation(s): Section Plant Biotechnology
External Organisation(s): Universidad de Talca
University of Maryland
Type: Article
Journal: Plants
Volume: 12
No. of pages: 10
ISSN: 2223-7747
Publication date: 01.2023
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Ecology, Plant Science
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12010204 (Access: Open)