Potassium channels in Eremosphaera viridis : I. Influence of cations and pH on resting membrane potential and on an action-potential-like response.

The dependence of the membrane potential of Eremosphaera viridis on different external concentrations of potassium, sodium, calcium, and protons was compared with the diffusion potential measured in the dark and in the presence of NaN3. In contrast to some other algae, the membrane potential in the light as well as in the dark seemed to be predominantly determined by the calculated diffusion potential and less by an electrogenic pump which, however, seemed to be involved at potassium concentrations >1 mol·m(-3) and at higher pHos (>pH 6). Furthermore, some characteristics of an action-potential-like response (CAP) triggered by light-off, and independent of the membrane-potential threshold value, were determined. The CAP had a delay period of 5.4 s and needed 4.5 s for polarization to a plateau. On average, the plateau held for 8.8 s and the CAP lasted 37.7 s. The peak amplitudes of CAP (P AP) exactly followed the Nernst potential of potassium. Other cations like sodium, calcium and protons did not appreciably affect the peak amplitudes of CAP. From these and other results it can be assumed that the CAP is caused by a temporary opening of potassium channels in the plasma membrane of Eremosphaera (Köhler et al., 1983, Planta 159, 165-171). The release of a CAP by light-off has been partly explained by the participation of a transient increase of proton concentration in the cytoplasm. It was possible to trigger a CAP by external pH changes and by the addition of sodium acetate, thus supporting the hypothesis that a pH decrease in the cytoplasm may be one element of the signal transfer from the photosynthetic system to the potassium channels in the plasmalemma. Calcium also seemed to have an influence on triggering the CAP.