The Plasma Membranes of Winter Wheat are Able to Remain

Question

The plasma membranes of winter wheat are able to remain fluid when it is extremely cold by
A) synthesizing new forms of cholesterol.
B) closing protein channels.
C) decreasing the number of hydrophobic proteins present.
D) replacing saturated fatty acids with unsaturated fatty acids.
E) using fatty acids with longer tails.

Accepted Answer

Winter wheat is able to remain fluid in extremely cold temperatures due to the replacement of saturated fatty acids with unsaturated fatty acids in its plasma membrane. Unsaturated fatty acids have a kink created by double bonds, which prevents the fatty acids from packing tightly together and solidifying. This allows for the maintenance of fluidity in the membrane even in low temperatures.