Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026

10:27
Measuring Trans-Plasma Membrane Electron Transport by C2C12 Myotubes
Published on: May 4, 2018
Redox activity ofHydrodictyon reticulatum plasmalemma vesicles
J Matousková1, L Nespůrková, R Rybová
1Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 142 20, Prague.
Folia Microbiologica
|May 8, 2008
Summary
Researchers isolated active plasma membrane vesicles from Hydrodictyon reticulatum. These vesicles demonstrate redox activity, utilizing transmembrane electron flow or external NADH for reduction.
Area of Science:
- Plant cell biology
- Biochemistry
- Membrane transport
Background:
- Hydrodictyon reticulatum possesses mechanically resistant cell walls, posing challenges for isolating cellular components.
- Understanding plasma membrane function requires methods to isolate intact vesicles with preserved biological activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare plasmalemma vesicles from Hydrodictyon reticulatum while maintaining their redox activity.
- To establish an effective method for isolating plasma-membrane-enriched fractions from algal cells.
Main Methods:
- Combined partial cell-wall enzyme digestion and ultrasonic homogenization for cell disruption.
- Utilized aqueous two-phase polymer system separation for isolating plasma-membrane-enriched microsomal fractions.
- Assessed vesicle integrity and redox activity through electron transfer assays.
Main Results:
- Successfully prepared plasmalemma vesicles from Hydrodictyon reticulatum with preserved redox capabilities.
- The isolation procedure yielded a plasma-membrane-enriched microsomal fraction suitable for functional studies.
- Right-side-out vesicles demonstrated the ability to reduce hexacyanoferrate(III) via transmembrane electron flow or external NADH.
Conclusions:
- The developed methodology enables the isolation of functional plasmalemma vesicles from algae with robust cell walls.
- The findings highlight the redox activity of Hydrodictyon reticulatum plasma membranes, involving electron transport mechanisms.
Related Concept Videos
Redox Reactions
Redox reactions are vital biochemical processes that underpin energy metabolism in cells. These reactions involve the transfer of electrons between molecules, occurring in tandem as oxidation and reduction. Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons, while reduction denotes their gain. This coupling ensures the seamless flow of electrons through metabolic pathways. For example, in bacterial metabolism, glucose undergoes oxidation to carbon dioxide, while oxygen is simultaneously reduced to...
Redox Reactions
Oxidation-reduction or redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one molecule or atom to another. When an atom gains an electron, another atom must lose an electron, meaning oxidation and reduction must occur together. Since the redox occurs in pairs, the atom that gets oxidized is also called the reducing agent or reductant, and the atom that is reduced is also called the oxidizing agent or oxidant. A straightforward way to remember the definitions of oxidation and reduction is...
The Supercomplexes in the Crista Membrane
The mitochondrial cristae membrane is the primary site for the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) process of energy conversion mediated through respiratory complexes I to V. These complexes have been widely studied for decades, and it has been proven that they form supramolecular structures called respiratory supercomplexes (SC). These higher-order complexes may be crucial in maintaining the biochemical structure and improving the physiological activity of the individual complexes while...
Redox Equilibria: Overview
A reduction-oxidation reaction is commonly called a redox reaction. In a redox reaction, electrons are transferred from one species to another rather than being shared between or among atoms. The reducing agent or reductant is the species that loses electrons and gets oxidized in the process. The species that gains electrons and gets reduced in the process is the oxidizing agent or oxidant. Redox reactions are represented as two separate equations called half-reactions, where one equation...
Oxidation and Reduction of Organic Molecules
Energy production within a cell involves many coordinated chemical pathways. Most of these pathways are combinations of oxidation and reduction reactions, which occur at the same time. An oxidation reaction strips an electron from an atom in a compound, and the addition of this electron to another compound is a reduction reaction. Because oxidation and reduction usually occur together, these pairs of reactions are called redox reactions.
The removal of an electron from a molecule, results in a...
The removal of an electron from a molecule, results in a...
Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones
In the presence of oxidizing agents, phenols are oxidized to quinones. Quinones can be easily reduced back to phenols using mild reducing agents. The electron-donating hydroxyl group enhances the reactivity of the aromatic ring, enabling oxidation of the ring even in the absence of an α hydrogen.
o-hydroxy phenols are oxidized to o-quinones and p-hydroxy phenols to p-quinones. Such redox reactions involve the transfer of two electrons and two protons. The reversible redox property is crucial in...
o-hydroxy phenols are oxidized to o-quinones and p-hydroxy phenols to p-quinones. Such redox reactions involve the transfer of two electrons and two protons. The reversible redox property is crucial in...

