Skip to main content
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1970 Sep;46(3):483–487. doi: 10.1104/pp.46.3.483

Light-dependent Influx and Efflux of Potassium of Guard Cells during Stomatal Opening and Closing 1

G D Humble a,2, Theodore C Hsiao a
PMCID: PMC396620  PMID: 16657490

Abstract

Stomata in epidermal strips of Vicia faba opened in light and closed in darkness when floated on dilute K+ solutions. Opening and closing, respectively, paralleled the fluxes of labeled K+ into and out of the strips. The gain and loss of K+ by the strips were shown by colbaltinitrite stain to be centered at guard cells. Intact epidermal cells, however, appeared to take up K+, complicating interpretation of the data.

The specific requirement of K+ for stomatal opening in light appeared to be related to the specific uptake of K+. There was little or no light stimulation of opening in strips on Na+, nor was there stimulation of Na+ uptake. The marked light stimulation of opening on K+ was generally matched by stimulation of K+ uptake.

Anaerobiosis markedly reduced opening in leaf discs but not in strips. Under anaerobic conditions, opening in strips was not appreciably affected by 3(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (diuron) but was completely inhibited by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone plus diuron. Inhibition of opening was generally correlated with inhibition of K+ uptake by the strips. Also stomata in strips opened well under far red light (>700 nanometers). These data suggest that photosystem I and cyclic electron flow can supply the necessary energy for K+ uptake and stomatal opening.

Full text

PDF
483

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Epstein E. The essential role of calcium in selective cation transport by plant cells. Plant Physiol. 1961 Jul;36(4):437–444. doi: 10.1104/pp.36.4.437. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Fischer R. A., Hsiao T. C. Stomatal Opening in Isolated Epidermal Strips of Vicia faba. II. Responses to KCl Concentration and the Role of Potassium Absorption. Plant Physiol. 1968 Dec;43(12):1953–1958. doi: 10.1104/pp.43.12.1953. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Fischer R. A. Stomatal Opening in Isolated Epidermal Strips of Vicia faba. I. Response to Light and to CO(2)-free Air. Plant Physiol. 1968 Dec;43(12):1947–1952. doi: 10.1104/pp.43.12.1947. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Humble G. D., Hsiao T. C. Specific requirement of potassium for light-activated opening of stomata in epidermal strips. Plant Physiol. 1969 Feb;44(2):230–234. doi: 10.1104/pp.44.2.230. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Kuiper P. J. Dependence upon Wavelength of Stomatal Movement in Epidermal Tissue of Senecio odoris. Plant Physiol. 1964 Nov;39(6):952–955. doi: 10.1104/pp.39.6.952. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. MACROBBIE E. A. THE NATURE OF THE COUPLING BETWEEN LIGHT ENERGY AND ACTIVE ION TRANSPORT IN NITELLA TRANSLUCENS. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1965 Jan 25;94:64–73. doi: 10.1016/0926-6585(65)90008-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Macallum A. B. On the distribution of potassium in animal and vegetable cells. J Physiol. 1905 Feb 28;32(2):95–198.3. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1905.sp001068. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Rains D. W. Kinetics and Energetics of Light-enhanced Potassium Absorption by Corn Leaf Tissue. Plant Physiol. 1968 Mar;43(3):394–400. doi: 10.1104/pp.43.3.394. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Sawhney B. L., Zelitch I. Direct determination of potassium ion accumulation in guard cells in relation to stomatal opening in light. Plant Physiol. 1969 Sep;44(9):1350–1354. doi: 10.1104/pp.44.9.1350. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Walker D. A., Zelitch I. Some Effects of Metabolic Inhibitors, Temperature, & Anaerobic Conditions on Stomatal Movement. Plant Physiol. 1963 Jul;38(4):390–396. doi: 10.1104/pp.38.4.390. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES