Stimulation of potato tuber respiration by cold stress is associated with an increased capacity of both plant uncoupling mitochondrial protein (PUMP) and alternative oxidase.

The CO2 evolution of intact potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum, L., var. "Bintje") was analyzed during a 10-day period of their warm (25 +/- 2 degrees C) or cold (5 +/- 1 degrees C) storage, to evaluate cold-stress effects on expression and activities of plant uncoupling mitochondrial protein (PUMP) and alternative oxidase (AOX). CO2 evolution rates were analyzed at 20 degrees C, to reflect their possible capacities. The 20 degrees C CO2 production declined from 13 to 8 mg kg(-1) h(-1) after 2 days of warm storage and then (after 3 to 7 days) decreased from 8 to 6.5 mg kg(-1) h(-1). In contrast, 20 degrees C CO2 evolution did not change after the first day of cold storage, increased up to 14.5 mg kg(-1) h(-1) after 2 days, and decreased to about 12 mg kg(-1) h(-1) after 3 to 7 days of cold storage. Cold storage increased PUMP expression as detected by Western blots and led to elevated capacities of both PUMP (44%) and CN-resistant AOX (10 times), but not the cytochrome pathway. Since we found that cold storage led to about the same mitochondrial respiration of 40 nmol O2 min(-1) mg(-1) attributable to each of the respective proteins, we conclude that both AOX and PUMP equally contribute to adaptation of potato tubers to cold.