Abstract
The primary factor determining the observed decrease in active C1 influx during salt accumulation in carrot and barley root cells has been shown to be the concentration of C1 + NO3 in the vacuole. The relationship between C1 influx and the vacuolar concentrations of various substances was examined after the tissues had accumulated ions from various salt solutions. After accumulating K+ malate, C1 influx was not reduced, but after accumulating C1 or NO3 salts, C1 influx was reduced by up to 90 per cent. Considering all treatments, C1 influx was not correlated with the vacuolar concentration of K+, Na+, (K++Na+), reducing sugars, malate, C1, or NO3, nor with the cellular osmotic pressure. The correlation coefficient between Cl influx and log (C1 + NO3 concentration in the vacuole) was highly significant, and accounted for all the variation in C1 influx in this experiment. Net NO3 influx is similarly reduced by a high C1 concentration in the vacuole. External Cl and NO3 have quantitatively different, apparently competitive, effects on C1 influx. These differ from the apparently negative-feedback effects of C1 and NO3 in the vacuole, which are quantitatively similar. Decreasing the internal hydrostatic pressure by raising the external osmotic pressure increased active K+ influx in Valonia ventricosa, but had no effect on C1 or K+ influx in carrot or maize root cells. Cl influx is not related to the reducing sugar concentration during ageing drifts in excised carrot root tissue. Acetazolamide did not inhibit C1 influx to carrot tissue. The implications of this type of negative feedback regulation, and the relationship between C1 and NO3 transport are discussed.