117. Summary
Protoplasts derived from cells of Boergesenia
forbesii regenerated aberrant cell walls when treated with
cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHS). Protoplasts treated with CHS,
for a short period during the initial stages of cell wall regeneration,
developed a patchwork cell wall, possessing regions devoid of
cell wall. This effect was reversible, and treated cells ultimately
developed a normal, confluent cell wall when removed from the
CHS. Freeze fracture studies revealed that for CHS-treated cells,
regions without microfibril impressions did possess intramembranous
particles (IMP's) but that these regions contained small domains
free of IMP's suggestive of lateral phase separation. The data
implies that the physical characteristics of the plasma membrane
lipid are important to the deposition of cell wall microfibrils
during cell wall regeneration. This effect may be attributed
to altered lipid-protein interactions, modified membrane fusion
characteristics, or altered membrane flow.