Cell Membrane Permeability: Effect of Temperature on Red Cabbage

This report investigates the effect of temperature on cell membrane permeability using red cabbage and beetroot as examples. The study examines how increased temperature disrupts the cell membrane, leading to the release of pigments like betalains from beetroot and anthocyanins from red cabbage. The report discusses the cell membrane's structure, including the lipid bilayer and its role in maintaining cell integrity. It explores the hypothesis that higher temperatures increase membrane permeability, supported by the observation of pigment leakage into solutions at elevated temperatures. The report also touches upon the impact of temperature on protein structure and membrane fluidity, referencing relevant literature to support the findings. Ultimately, the report concludes that temperature significantly affects cell membrane permeability, as evidenced by the increased pigment release at higher temperatures, thereby supporting the hypothesis.

Running head: EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
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1EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
The effect of temperature on the cell membrane of Red cabbage and beetroot
Theory:
The cell membrane is also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane
which is responsible for separating the exterior and interior environment of the cell and also
protect or guard the cell from any damage due to the exterior environment. Cell membrane
comprise of lipid bilayer that includes lipid component (cholesterol) present between the
phospholipid bilayer, which aims to maintain the fluidity of the cell membrane under
different temperature (Rosli et al. 2017). Cell membrane exhibit some essential roles like
controlling the substance movement across the organelles and the cells and also support the
cells and provide shape to plants. Temperature is considered as the crucial factor which is
used to explore the influence of temperate on the membrane permeability in the red cabbage
and the beetroot. Beet root is considered as an excellent sample for evaluating the effect of
temperature in their membrane permeability because it consist of red pigment, betalains,
whose colour changes due to high temperature (Paciulli et al. 2016). In case of high
temperature, the tissues of beet root is affected as the vacuole membrane and phospholipid
bilayer membrane of the cell-membrane surface is disrupted. Hence, the red pigment stars
leaking into the solution that is further measured using spectrophotometer and thermometer
for evaluating the absorption rate of pigment. Similarly, in case of red cabbage, the
temperature influences the pigment, anthocyanin, and triggers the pigment to release into the
solution from the tissue under high temperature (Ravanfar, Tamadon and Niakousari 2015).
The membrane fluidity increases in case of high temperature that is measured using
colorimetry for evaluating the absorption rate of pigment. According to Rasheed et al. (2017),
high temperature effects the protein structure of the cells by disrupting the amino acids which
is joined together by the disulphide bridges and hydrogen bond thereby destroying the
delicate cell structure. High temperature is also responsible for increasing the cell fluidity and

2EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
affecting the protein and cell membrane. It is also possible that due to high temperature the
phospholipid bilayer tails and fatty acids starts melting and hence making the cell membrane
more fluid by enhancing the cell movement, which therefore supports the identified
hypothesis. The membrane fluidity increases because more amount of kinetic energy is
supplied to the phospholipid molecule thereby increasing the movement and disrupting the
vacuole membrane and cell membrane. Due to high temperature, the protein molecules of the
cell also vibrates which might lead to disruption of protein and change of shape with gaps
within the cell membrane (Rosli et al. 2017). Hence, the hypothesis was supported as the high
temperature is responsible for increasing the release of pigment into the solution from the cell
tissues.
Hypothesis:
The hypothesis identified for this study states that higher temperature is directly responsible
for increasing the release of pigment into the solution from the cell tissue thereby increasing
the membrane permeability.
Null Hypothesis:
Null hypothesis identified for this study states that more the temperature, lower the
membrane permeability.

3EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
References
Paciulli, M., Medina-Meza, I.G., Chiavaro, E. and Barbosa-Cánovas, G.V., 2016. Impact of
thermal and high pressure processing on quality parameters of beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.).
LWT-Food Science and Technology, 68, pp.98-104.
Rasheed, R.K.A., Liao, Q., Caizhi, Z. and Chan, S.H., 2017. A review on modelling of high
temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs). International journal of
hydrogen energy, 42(5), pp.3142-3165.
Ravanfar, R., Tamadon, A.M. and Niakousari, M., 2015. Optimization of ultrasound assisted
extraction of anthocyanins from red cabbage using Taguchi design method. Journal of food
science and technology, 52(12), pp.8140-8147.
Rosli, R.E., Sulong, A.B., Daud, W.R.W., Zulkifley, M.A., Husaini, T., Rosli, M.I., Majlan,
E.H. and Haque, M.A., 2017. A review of high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel
cell (HT-PEMFC) system. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 42(14), pp.9293-9314.