Characteristics of water and ion exchange of Elodea nuttallii cells at high concentrations of lanthanides

•La, Nd and Lu stimulate the leakage of electrolytes from cells and have no effect on the water permeability of membranes.•Lanthanide treatment resulted in the decreased water diffusive permeability of the membrane lipid bilayer.•Lanthanides facilitate the change in the spontaneous curvature of the membrane lipid layer.

Changes of diffusive permeability of membranes of Elodea nuttallii cells following a short-term (60 min) treatment with high concentrations of lanthanides were recorded by the 1H NMR-diffusometry and conductometry methods. The 1-h infiltration of segments of Elodea nuttallii internodes in 10 mM solutions of nitrates of La, Nd and Lu resulted in the increased leakage of electrolytes from cells, but has no effect on a water diffusive permeability of membranes. In samples subjected to a 30 min pretreatment with a water channel inhibitor HgCl2 the water diffusive permeability of membranes (Pd) drops down under the influence of lanthanides, as well as an outcome of electrolytes. To explain the observed effects the change of spontaneous curvature of membrane lipid layer has been taken into consideration. The interaction of lanthanides with lipids of plasmalemma leads to the negative spontaneous curvature of lipid layer at which membrane channels are unclosed. Blocking of the ionic and water channels by mercury ions compensate the effect of change of spontaneous curvature of lipid layer.