The effect of the purified host-selective toxin victorin C, a cyclized penta peptide, was compared to that of CCCP and vanadate on membrane functions of susceptible leaves, roots, and single root cap cells of Avena sativa with conventional electrophysiology. The plasmalemma depolarized irreversibly by about 80 millivolts and to below the diffusion potential within 1 hour. Concentrations as low as 12.5 picomolar were effective in the susceptible but not the resistant cultivar. Electrical membrane potential difference changes were independent of pH and could not be prevented by fusicoccin or Ca2 . Membranes began to depolarize after a lag phase that never was shorter than 6.5 minutes, even with concentrations as high as 1.25 micromolar. Membrane depolarization was accompanied by a distinct decrease in specific membrane resistance from 4.5 to 1.0 ohm times square meter on average. These changes were followed by K+ and Cl-efflux and extracellular alkalinization. ATP level and 02 uptake did not decrease within 2 hours. It is concluded that the victorin-induced deleterious membrane alterations are not caused by direct interaction with the plasmalemma H+-ATPase, K+ channels, lipid structure, nor energy metabolism, but they seem to be triggered by a cascade of events leading to an unspecific increase in membrane permeability.Victorin C is a host-selective toxin, a cyclized penta peptide (32), produced by the phytopathogenic fungus Cochliobolus victoriae Nelson. It is known to increase the cell membrane permeability of susceptible oat plants (Avena sativa), containing the Victoria (Vb) gene, which also encodes for resistance (Pc-2) against Puccinia coronata (16,31). Changes in membrane permeability were most typically expressed in irreversible K+ efflux from leaves, roots, and leaf protoplasts (2,12,18,24,30). K+ efflux might be triggered by several mechanisms: (a) a direct or indirect (by stalling the energy supply) inhibition of the plasmalemma H+-ATPase and thus depolarization of the membrane and opening of the K+ channels; (b) an interaction with K+ channels; (c) a direct change in channel-unrelated unspecific membrane permeability by alteration 'Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (C. U.), by an Alexander von Humboldt Senior U.S. Scientist award, and by the National Science Foundation, DMB-8516038 (A. N.) 675 of the lipid structure or an indirect one via an intracellular sequence of events, starting with binding of the toxin to a specific membrane-located binding protein (31). The molecular mechanism, however, is still unknown.With K+ selective electrodes only flux changes beyond the nmol range can be detected. However, for a measurable change in the electrical membrane potential of plant cells, a charge transfer ofless than one pmol * cm-2 is required. Hence, measurements of membrane potential changes with conventional electrophysiological methods are at least 1000 times more sensitive in indicating changes in membrane properties than continuous K+ concentration measurements. To detect victor...