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Functional Analysis of Plastid Genes through Chloroplast Reverse Genetics in Chlamydomonas

  • Chapter
Photosynthesis in Algae

Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 14))

Summary

The sequencing of several chloroplast genomes from plants and algae has revealed the presence of more than a hundred plastid genes, most of which are involved either in photosynthesis or in plastid gene expression and protein synthesis. In addition, several open reading frames of unknown function, called ycfs, have been identified that are conserved in most plastid genomes. Until recently it was not clear whether these ycfs encoded authentic plastid proteins and their function was largely unknown. The availability of a reliable chloroplast transformation system in the green unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the efficiency of chloroplast homologous recombination have opened the door for a systematic analysis of plastid gene function. This chapter provides a review on recent results obtained through chloroplast reverse genetics that have significantly enhanced our understanding of the functional role of the chloroplast genome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Molecular Biology and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland

    Jean-David Rochaix

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  1. Jean-David Rochaix
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia

    Anthony W. D. Larkum

  2. National Research Council, Institute for Marine Biosciences, Canada

    Susan E. Douglas

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee, UK

    John A. Raven

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Rochaix, JD. (2003). Functional Analysis of Plastid Genes through Chloroplast Reverse Genetics in Chlamydomonas. In: Larkum, A.W.D., Douglas, S.E., Raven, J.A. (eds) Photosynthesis in Algae. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1038-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1038-2_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-3772-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-1038-2

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