FUJII, S., and HELLEBUST, J. A. 1992. Release of intracellular glycerol and pore formation in Dunaliella tertiolecta exposed to hypotonic stress. Can. J. Bot. 70: 1313-1318. When Dunaliella tertiolecta cells, previously cultured in a 0.5 M NaCl medium, were resuspended in a 0.25 NaCl medium, about 50% of the intracellular glycerol was lost within 2 min. A corresponding amount of glycerol appeared inthe medium, while other organic solutes, such as amino acids and sugars, were not detected. These results indicate that intracellular glycerol is rapidly released without significant concomitant cell damage. Rubidum, in the case of rubidium-loaded cells, was also rapidly teleased to the medium in response to hypotonic shock. Gramicidin, dimers of which form stable membrane pores, caused rapid release of intracellular glycerol, while the ionophore, valinomycin, had no effect. When 0.5 M NaC1-grown cells were resuspended in 0.25 M NaCl medium, intracellular trapping of 14C-glycerol occurred but not of I4C-glucose, 14C-sucrose, or I4C-glycine. However, when 0.5 M NaC1-grown cells were resuspended in 0.05 M NaCl medium, intracellular trapping of small amounts of '4C-glucose, 14C-sucrose, or I4C-glycine, in addition to considerable amounts of 14C-glycerol, occurred. These results indicate that abrupt hypotonic shocks cause transient formation of small nonspecific pores in the plasma membrane of D. tertiolecta cells and that intracellular glycerol is released to the medium through such nonspecific transient pores.Key words: Dunaliella, hypotonic shock, glycerol release, rubidum, pore formation.FUJII, S., et HELLEBUST, J. A. 1992. Release of intracellular glycerol and pore formation in Dunaliella tertiolecta exposed to hypotonic stress. Can. J. Bot. 70 : 1313-1318. Lorsqu'on transfert des cellules de Dunaliella tertiolecta prkalablement cultivCes dans une solution 0,5 M en NaC1, dans un milieu contenant du NaCl 0,25 M, elles perdent environ 50% du glycCrol intracelulaire en moins de 2 min. On retrouve dans le milieu une quantitC correspondante de glycCrol, alors que les autres solutCs organiques, tels que les acides aminks et les sucres, en sont absents. Ces rCsultats indiquent que le glycCrol intracellulaire est rapidement reliche sans que les cellules soient au mCme moment blessCes. Dans le cas de cellules chargCes de rubidium, celui-~i est Cgalement rapidement reliche dans le milieu en rCaction au choc hypotonique. La gramicidine, dont les dimkres forment des pores membranaires stables, dCclenche un rellchement rapide du glycCrol intracellulaire, alors que l'ionophore valinomycine reste sans effet. Lorsqu'on resuspend des cellules prkalablement cultivCes en presence de NaCl0,5 M dans un milieu de NaCl0,25 M, on observe une skquestration intracellulaire du I4C-glycCro1, mais non du 14C-glucose, du 14C-sucrose ou de la I4C-glycine. Cependant, lorsqu'on resuspend des cellules prkalablement cultivies en prCsence de NaCl 0,5 M dans un milieu de NaCl 0,05 M, on observe une ~Cquestration intracellulaire de petites quantitCs de 14...