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Untersuchungen zur genetischen Funktion des farblosen Plastiden vonPolytoma mirum

Investigations on the genetic function of the colorless plastid inPolytoma mirum

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Abstract

  1. 1.

    The DNA pattern ofPolytoma mirum is characterized by three bands. The α-band (1.716 g/cm3) is suggested to be part of the nuclear DNA. due to its quantity. The β-band (1.703 g/cm3) was identified as mitochondrial DNA. Since the isolation ofPolytoma plastids could not be performed by technical reasons, identification of the γ-band (1.669 g/cm3) as a plastid DNA was not possible.

  2. 2.

    83 S ribosomes of the cytoplasma could be identified by saccharose gradient centrifugation. Plastidial ribosomes in the range of 70 S were not detected. The presence of other ribosome species inPolytoma plastids can be excluded, since there is no change in the ribosome pattern neither by inhibition by rifampicin nor by treatment with lowered Mg2+-concentrations.

  3. 3.

    On the other hand, electrophoretic studies of the nucleic acids show the presence of ribosomes in the 70S range, since, besides the cytoplasmic 25 S and the 18 S rRNA species, there were also observed 22 S and 16 S fractions. These are typical for plsstidial and mitochondrial ribosomes. An identification as rRNA from plastidial sources failed, however, since the effect of rifampicin is not clearly understood.

  4. 4.

    Ribosomes of the plastids have been detected by use of the electron microscope. However, their number was neglectible, so that failure to detect them by molecular biological methods was not surprising.

  5. 5.

    Morcover, vesicular and tubular elements were observed as part of the plastids which may be homologous to thylakoids of regular chloroplasts because of their way of development. These structural elements can clearly be reduced by inhibitors of the transcription and translation of the plastids. This seems to be evident for the presence of an intact plastidial DNA. The colorless plastid ofPolytoma mirum functions likely as a hereditarial organell like all chloroplasts.

  6. 6.

    It is proposed, therefore, that the loss of a normal thylakoid system in thePolytoma plastid occurred during evolution by mutations of nuclear DNA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. Pharmazeutische Biologie des Botanischen Instituts der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Deutschland

    G. Scherbel, W. Behn & C. G. Arnold

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  1. G. Scherbel
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  2. W. Behn
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  3. C. G. Arnold
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Scherbel, G., Behn, W. & Arnold, C.G. Untersuchungen zur genetischen Funktion des farblosen Plastiden vonPolytoma mirum . Arch. Microbiol. 96, 205–222 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00590177

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