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Question #47535
The Question
A researcher treats a complex thalloid red alga with a specific ionophore that dissipates the proton gradient across the tonoplast. Which of the following represents the most accurate sequence of physiological consequences?
Options
- A.
The tonoplast loses its differential permeability, causing vacuolar rupture and the immediate hyperactivation of acid hydrolases within the neutral cytoplasm.
- B.
Active accumulation of ions against their concentration gradient ceases, resulting in a loss of turgor pressure and stress-induced autophagic degradation of phycobiliproteins.
- C.
The vacuole rapidly absorbs water from the cytoplasm to re-establish the osmotic gradient, increasing the buoyancy of the algal thallus.
- D.
The endomembrane system compensates by reversing V-ATPases to pump protons into the cytoplasm, preventing the enzymatic degradation of photosynthetic pigments.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Comparative_Analysis
Sharpen your ability to evaluate multiple scenarios and distinguish between competing potential answers.
Concepts Behind This Question
Gametophyte_Development|Oogamy|Thallus_Complexity
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Integrating the tonoplast's role in active ion transport (NCERT Cell Biology) with the pH-dependency of vacuolar/lysosomal enzymes.
Common Misconception: Students frequently assume that leakage of vacuolar/lysosomal contents leads to immediate enzymatic destruction of the cell, forgetting the critical NCERT detail that acid hydrolases are strictly functional only at an acidic pH and are rendered inactive in a neutral cytoplasm.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Plant Kingdom - Class 11 |
| Concept | Algal Thallus Organization |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |