Evaluation of arsenate- and vanadate- associated changes of electrical membrane potential and phosphate transport in Lemna gibba G1

Interference of arsenate and vanadate with phosphate uptake in Lemna gibba L. was studied by measuring voltage changes and (32P)phosphate uptake. Arsenate proved to be competitive with the high- and low-affinity phosphate uptake system. It induced transient membrane potential changes of up to 120 mV which were similar to those induced by phosphate and indicated a cotransport mechanism with at least 2H+/H2AsO4-. The amplitude of the transient arsenate-induced membrane depolarization was strongly influenced by phosphate starvation. A permanent membrane depolarization to the diffusion potential was achieved within 2 to 6 h in P-starved plants. Thus, arsenate is indeed a strongly competitive physiological analogue of phosphate in higher plants. Vanadate was easily transported into L. gibba as concluded from transient Em changes of up to 110 mV. Vanadate interfered only slightly and non-specifically with the two phosphate transport mechanisms. Like phosphate, vanadate uptake seems to be an H+-cotransport mechanism, both with similar optima at pH 6.0. Unlike phosphate uptake, vanadate-linked membrane depolarization was not affected by high intracellular phosphate concentrations. P-starvation did not enhance the weak long-term effect on Em. Hence, vanadate, in contrast to arsenate, is not regarded as a physiological phosphate analogue. The distinct and rapid vanadate-induced and permanent membrane depolarization of Avena sativa, Triticum aestivum and Glycine max leaves was not seen in Lemna nor in leaves of Gossypium hirsutum and Nicotiana tabacum. Plasmalemma-enriched preparations of L. gibba revealed, however, a high vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity (87%). As a possible explanation for these differences it is suggested that the latter plant species have cytosolic vanadate-detoxifying properties, i.e. they can reduce vanadate to vanadyl ions, in contrast to the former group of plant species.