Chloroplast Biogenesis: From Proplastid to Gerontoplast

ISBN-13: 9789048164158 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 353 str.

U. C. Biswal; M. K. Raval

Opis

Chloroplast is the organelle where the life-giving process photosynthesis takes place; it is the site where plants and algae produce food and oxygen that sustain our life. The story of how it originates from proplastids, and how it ultimately dies is beautifully portrayed by three authorities in the field: Basanti Biswal, Udaya Biswal and M. K. Raval. I consider it a great privilege and honor to have been asked to write this foreword. The book ' Chloroplast biogenesis: from proplastid to gerontoplast' goes much beyond photosynthesis. The character of the book is different from that of many currently available books because it provides an integrated approach to cover the entire life span of the organelle including its senescence and death. The books available are mostly confined to the topics relating to the 'build up' or development of chloroplast during greening. The story of organelle biogenesis without description of the events associated with its regulated dismantling during genetically programmed senescence is incomplete. A large volume of literature is available in this area of chloroplast senescence accumulated during the last 20 years. Although some of the findings in this field have been organized in the form of reviews, the data in the book are generalized and integrated with simple text and graphics. This book describes the structural features of prop las tid and its transformation to fully mature chloroplast, which is subsequently transformed into gerontoplast exhibiting senescence syndrome. The book consists of five major chapters.

Recenzje

From the reviews:

"The book deals with the broadest array of topics connected with chloroplast development and it is written by outstanding specialists in this field. ... The text is supplemented with 1 211 references. ... The book is supplemented by a list of abbreviations and an index (including plant names). I summarize that this monograph successfully fulfills the still existing gap in photosynthesis literature, giving a complex picture of chloroplast development." (J. Kutík, Photosynthetica, 2006)

Spis treści

1: Introduction. 1.1. Plastid forms, their structural flexibility, and potential for transformation. 1.2. Chloroplast biogenesis: involvement of three plastid forms. 1.3. Design of the book and the limitations. 2: Proplastid to Chloroplast Transformation. 2.1. Development of internal membrane structures. 2.2. Thylakoid formation and pigment accumulation. 2.3. Biogenesis and assembly of light harvesting complex. 2.4. Assembly of individual thylakoid complexes. 2.5. Rubisco assembly. 2.6. Chloroplast protein targeting. 2.7. Temporal appearance of thylakoid complexes. 2.8. Factors regulating gene expression during chloroplast development. 2.9. Interorganellar communication, gene expression, and chloroplast development. 2.10. Environmental modulation of developing chloroplast. 3: Mature Chloroplast. 3.1. Chloroplast envelope. 3.2. The lamellae. 3.3. Light harvesting complexes. 3.4. Photosystems: composition, structural organization, and primary photochemistry. 3.5. Cytochrome b/f complex: the link between the photosystems. 3.6. ATP synthase: structure and mechanism of action. 3.7. The Calvin Benson cycle. 3.8. Other metabolic processes in mature chloroplast. 3.9. Chloroplast under stress. 4: Transformation of Chloroplast to Gerontoplast. 4.1. Introduction. 4.2. Senescence induced degradation of thylakoid proteins, loss of pigments, and ultrastructural changes of membranes. 4.3. Senescence induced changes in electron transport complexes and rubisco. 4.4. Chloroplast to gerontoplast transformation is accompanied by the changes in the pattern of gene expression of leaves. 4.5. Senescence signals and other regulating factors. 4.6. Stress response of the senescing leaves and modifications of gerontoplast. 5: Conclusion and the Future. 5.1. The picture of mechanisms of assembly of chloroplast complexes during development and their demolition during senescence is hazy. 5.2. The mechanisms of degradation of protein and chlorophyll during biogenesis of the organelle largely remain unclear. 5.3. Molecular biology of gerontoplast formation during leaf senescence, a challenging area of research for future. 5.4. The signalling systems associated with transformations of proplastid to chloroplast and chloroplast to gerontoplast are poorly understood. 5.5. Environmental modulation of chloroplast biogenesis is less known. 5.6. The study of chloroplast biogenesis needs better laboratory models. References. Abbreviations. Index.