Penetration of Mannitol into the Intracellular Space of Chlorella sorokiniana

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Abstract
In the alga, C. sorokiniana, mannitol penetrated the plasmalemma (normally thought to be impermeable to mannitol) into the intracellular space. The rate of penetration is exponential and relatively slow, having a half-time of 6-12 min and requiring over 60 min for complete penetration. This penetration was demonstrated by the Millipore filtration of cells incubated with 14C-mannitol and by centrifugation of the cells through a silicon oil layer after incubation with 3H water and 14C-mannitol. Mannitol caused an inhibition of autotrophic (on CO2) and hetrotrophic (on glucose) growth. A low rate of mannitol metabolism was demonstrated, although this rate could not support heterotrophic growth.