Pools of water in anhydrobiotic organisms

Bruni, Fabio; Leopolo, A.Carl

doi:10.1016/s0006-3495(92)81638-7

Cited by 50 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…According to Green et al, trehalose has the highest glass-transition temperature of all of the common sugars and it is the glass transition on cooling that prevents ice forming and allows the organism to go into a stationary state from which it can recover on heating. Similarly, anhydrobiotic organisms survive severe dehydration at ambient temperature, thanks to high sugar concentrations in the cytoplasm of their cells. − …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trehalose in Water Revisited

et al. 2018

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Trehalose, commonly found in living organisms, is believed to help them survive severe environmental conditions, such as drought or extreme temperatures. With the aim of trying to understand these properties, two recent neutron scattering studies investigate the structure of trehalose water solutions but come to seemingly opposite conclusions. In the first study, which looks at two concentrations of trehalose-water mole ratios of 1:100 and 1:25, the conclusion is that trehalose hydrogen-bonds to water rather weakly and has a relatively minor impact on the structure of water in solution compared to bulk water. On the other hand, for the other, using a mole ratio of 1:38, the conclusion is that the water structure is rather substantially modified by the presence of trehalose and that the hydrogen bonding between water and trehalose hydroxyl groups is significant. In an attempt to try to understand the origin of these divergent views, which arise from similar but independent analyses of different neutron diffraction data, we have performed additional X-ray scattering experiments, which are highly sensitive to water structure, at the same trehalose-water concentrations used in the first study, and combined these with empirical potential structure refinement on the previously collected neutron data. The new analysis unequivocally confirms that trehalose does indeed have only a minor impact on the structure of water, at all three concentrations, and forms relatively weak hydrogen bonds with water. Far from being discrepant with the existing literature, our new analysis of the different datasets suggests a natural explanation for the increased glass-transition temperature of trehalose compared to other sugars and hence its enhanced effectiveness as a protectant against drought stress.

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confidence: 99%

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et al. 2018

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“…This kinetic model is based on the formation of glasses: highly viscous, semiequilibrium solid liquids (15). Low temperatures and low water contents drive the viscosity of the cytoplasm of tissues to such high values that it will form a glassy state (12,(16)(17)(18). It is assumed that the high viscosity of intracellular glasses decreases molecular mobility and impedes diffusion within the cytoplasm, thus slowing deleterious reactions and changes in structure and chemical composition during aging (12,(18)(19)(20)(21).…”

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Molecular mobility in the cytoplasm: An approach to describe and predict lifespan of dry germplasm

Buitink¹,

Leprince²,

Hemminga³

et al. 2000

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Molecular mobility is increasingly considered a key factor influencing storage stability of biomolecular substances, because it is thought to control the rate of detrimental reactions responsible for reducing the shelf life of, for instance, pharmaceuticals, food, and germplasm. We investigated the relationship between aging rates of germplasm and the rotational motion of a polar spin probe in the cytoplasm under different storage conditions using saturation transfer electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Rotational motion of the spin probe in the cytoplasm of seed and pollen of various plant species changed as a function of moisture content and temperature in a manner similar to aging rates or longevity. A linear relationship was established between the logarithms of rotational motion and aging rates or longevity. This linearity suggests that detrimental aging rates are associated with molecular mobility in the cytoplasm. By measuring the rotational correlation times at low temperatures at which experimental determination of longevity is practically impossible, this linearity enabled us to predict vigor loss or longevity. At subzero temperatures, moisture contents for maximum life span were predicted to be higher than those hitherto used in genebanks, urging for a reexamination of seed storage protocols.

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The Glassy State in Dry Seeds and Pollen

Leprince¹,

Buitink²

2007

Plant Desiccation Tolerance

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Pools of water in anhydrobiotic organisms

Cited by 50 publications

References 4 publications

Trehalose in Water Revisited

Trehalose in Water Revisited

Molecular mobility in the cytoplasm: An approach to describe and predict lifespan of dry germplasm

The Glassy State in Dry Seeds and Pollen

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