Increase of membrane permeability of mitochondria isolated from water stress adapted potato cells

In order to gain some insight into mitochondria permeability under water stress, intact coupled mitochondria were isolated from water stress adapted potato cells and investigations were made of certain transport processes including the succinate/malate and ADP/ATP exchanges, the plant mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel (PmitoK(ATP)) and the plant uncoupling mitochondrial protein (PUMP). The V-max values measured for succinate/malate and ADP/ATP carriers, as photometrically investigated, as well as the same values for the PmitoK(ATP) and the PUMP were found to increase; this suggested that mitochondria adaptation to water stress can cause an increase in the membrane permeability.