Mitochondrial Ultrastructure of Three Hygrophyte Species at Anoxia and in Anoxic Glucose-Supplemented Medium

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Mitochondrial ultrastructure of excised roots of Alisma plantago-aqisatica L., Lycopus europaeus L and Glyceria fluitans L. were electron-microscopically studied at anoxia and in anoxic glucose- supplemented medium in order to find Out if the roots of the three hygrophytes growing on water-logged anaerobic soils have an increased resistance to anoxia. Irreversible destruction of mitochondrial membranes and other subcellular structures was shown to occur in the above plants' roots after 24 h at anoxia or in anoxic glucose-supplemented medium. Only in roots of Glyceria had exogenous glucose a protective action, yet in this case, too, a 48 h anacrobic exposure resulted in a deep-going degradation of cell ultrastructure. It is concluded that though the plants in question grow on soils devoid of O2 their roots avoid anaerobiosis through translocation of O2 from aerated parts, which appears to explain why these plants have not developed a biochemical mechanism of adaptation to anaerobiosis in the process of evolution.