title: Synergistic interaction between potato glycoalkaloidsα-solanine andα-chaconine in relation to destabilization of cell membranes: Ecological implications.
abstract: In studies of the lysis of rabbit erythrocytes, red beet cells, andPenicillium notatum protoplasts by the potato glycoalkaloids α-solanine and α-chaconine, the latter was consistently the more membrane-disruptive compound and erythrocytes the more susceptible cell type. A 1∶1 mixture of solanine and chaconine produced pronounced synergistic effects in all three test systems. In beet cells, such effects were apparent from an early stage of treatment and persisted over a period of several hours. With erythrocytes and fungal protoplasts, the synergism was maximal with mixtures containing approximately 70% chaconine, whereas with beet cells it peaked at approximately 40% chaconine. Synergistic interactions between solanine and chaconine also occurred with regard to cholesterol binding in vitro, with a maximum response corresponding to the 50% mixture. The implications of these findings for the nature and efficacy of chemical defense systems in plants are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Roddick
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rijnenberg
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Osman