Vesicular preparations of plasma membranes (PM) from the microalga
Tetraselmis (Platymonas) viridisRouch were used to investigate the ion specificity of the Na
+/H
+antiporter and Na
+-translocating ATPase, two Na
+-transporting systems previously identified functionally by our studies of
T. viridisPM. The Na
+/H
+antiporter and Na
+-ATPase were shown to translocate, with similar efficiencies, Na
+and Li
+across the membrane, whereas other cations, such as K
+, Rb
+, and Cs
+, were not transported by these systems. Transport of the latter cations across PM of
T. viridisoccurred through the ion channels of PM, which were apparently selective for K
+.
Tetraselmis viridis - Na+-ATPase - Na+/H+antiporter - ion specificity - ion channels - ion pumps - marine microalgae - plasmalemma