This volume provides a comprehensive look at the biology of plastids, the multifunctional biosynthetic factories that are unique to plants and algae. Fifty-six international experts have contributed 28 chapters that cover all aspects of this large and diverse family of plant and algal organelles. The book is divided into five sections: (I): Plastid Origin and Development; (II): The Plastid Genome and Its Interaction with the Nuclear Genome; (III): Photosynthetic Metabolism in Plastids; (IV): Non-Photosynthetic Metabolism in Plastids; (V): Plastid Differentiation and Response to Environmental Factors. Each chapter includes an integrated view of plant biology from the standpoint of the plastid. The book is intended for a wide audience, but is specifically designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students and scientists in the fields of photosynthesis, biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, and plant biology.
The present book provides a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge on plastid biogenesis, plastid-nuclear communication, and the regulation of plastid gene expression at all levels. It also assesses the state-of-the-art in key technologies, such as proteomics and chloroplast transformation. Written by recognized experts in the field, the book further covers crucial post-translational processes in plastid biogenesis and function, including protein processing.
“Photosynthesis: Plastid Biology, Energy Conversion and Carbon Assimilation” was conceived as a comprehensive treatment touching on most of the processes important for photosynthesis. Most of the chapters provide a broad coverage that, it is hoped, will be accessible to advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers looking to broaden their knowledge of photosynthesis. For biologists, biochemists, and biophysicists, this volume will provide quick background understanding for the breadth of issues in photosynthesis that are important in research and instructional settings. This volume will be of interest to advanced undergraduates in plant biology, and plant biochemistry and to graduate students and instructors wanting a single reference volume on the latest understanding of the critical components of photosynthesis.
Plastid Genome Evolution, Volume 85 provides a summary of recent research on plastid genome variation and evolution across photosynthetic organisms. It covers topics ranging from the causes and consequences of genomic changes, to the phylogenetic utility of plastomes for resolving relationships across the photosynthetic tree of life. This newly released volume presents thorough, up-to-date information on coevolution between the plastid and nuclear genomes, with chapters on plastid autonomy vs. nuclear control over plastid function, establishment and genetic integration of plastids, plastid genomes in alveolate protists, plastid genomes of glaucophytes, the evolution of the plastid genome in chlorophyte and streptophyte green algae, and more. - Provides comprehensive coverage of plastid genome variation by leading researchers in the field - Presents a broad range of taxonomic groups, ranging from single and multicellular algae, to the major clades of land plants - Includes thorough, up-to-date information on coevolution between the plastid and nuclear genomes
Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 13 Plastids are essential plant organelles, vital for life on earth. They are important not just as photosynthetic organelles (chloroplasts) but also as sites involved in many fundamental intermediary metabolic pathways. Over the last decade, plastid research has seen tremendous advances and an exciting new picture is emerging of how plastids develop and function inside plant cells. The recent and rapid progress in the field has been due largely to reverse genetic approaches and forward genetic screening programs, which have resulted in the dissection of numerous chloroplast protein-function relationships. This book provides an overview of the current state of the art. It is directed at researchers and professionals in plant physiology, cell biology, genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry.
We have taught plant molecular biology and biotechnology at the undergraduate and graduate level for over 20 years. In the past few decades, the field of plant organelle molecular biology and biotechnology has made immense strides. From the green revolution to golden rice, plant organelles have revolutionized agriculture. Given the exponential growth in research, the problem of finding appropriate textbooks for courses in plant biotechnology and molecular biology has become a major challenge. After years of handing out photocopies of various journal articles and reviews scattered through out the print and electronic media, a serendipitous meeting occurred at the 2002 IATPC World Congress held in Orlando, Florida. After my talk and evaluating several posters presented by investigators from my laboratory, Dr. Jacco Flipsen, Publishing Manager of Kluwer Publishers asked me whether I would consider editing a book on Plant Organelles. I accepted this challenge, after months of deliberations, primarily because I was unsuccessful in finding a text book in this area for many years. I signed the contract with Kluwer in March 2003 with a promise to deliver a camera-ready textbook on July 1, 2004. Given the short deadline and the complexity of the task, I quickly realized this task would need a co-editor. Dr. Christine Chase was the first scientist who came to my mind because of her expertise in plant mitochondria, and she readily agreed to work with me on this book.
One of the distinguishing features of plants is the presence of membrane-bound organelles called plastids. Starting from proplastids (undifferentiated plastids) they readily develop into specialised types, which are involved in a range of cellular functions such as photosynthesis, nitrogen assimilation, biosynthesis of sucrose, starch, chlorophyll, carotenoids, fatty acids, amino acids, and secondary metabolites as well as a number of metabolic reactions like sulphur metabolism, The central role of plastids in many aspects of plant cell biology means an in-depth understanding is key for a holistic view of plant physiology. Despite the vast amount of research, the molecular details of many aspects of plastid biology remains limited. Plastids possess their own high-copy number genome known as the plastome. Manipulation of the plastid genome has been developed as an alternative way to developing transgenic plants for various biotechnological applications. High-copy number of the plastome, site-specific integration of transgenes through homologous recombination, and potential to express proteins at high levels (>70% of total soluble proteins has been reported in some cases) are some of the technologies being developed. Additionally, plastids are inherited maternally, providing a natural gene containment system, and do not follow Mendelian laws of inheritance, allowing each individual member of the progeny of a transplastomic line to uniformly express transgene(s). Both algal and higher plant chloroplast transformation has been demonstrated, and with the ability to be propagated either in bioreactors or in the field, both systems are well suited for scale up of production. The manipulation of chloroplast genes is also essential for many approaches that attempt to increase biomass accumulation or re-routing metabolic pathways for biofortification, food and fuel production. This includes metabolic engineering for lipid production, adapting the light harvesting apparatus to improve solar conversion efficiencies and engineering means of suppressing photorespiration in crop species, which range from the introduction of artificial carbon concentrating mechanisms, or those pre-existing elsewhere in nature, to bypassing ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase entirely. The purpose of this eBook is to provide a compilation of the latest research on various aspects of plastid biology including basic biology, biopharming, metabolic engineering, bio-fortification, stress physiology, and biofuel production.
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.
Nature has always been a source of inspiration for the design of the human environment. The analysis of biological constructions can not only lead to astonishing technical solutions but can also inspire the design of architecture. Bionics is a fascinating border area between pure research and practical application: biologists, chemists, physicists, mineralogists, and paleontologists meet up with material scientists, engineers, and architects and transfer their knowledge to architecture and construction. Using numerous practical examples, this richly illustrated introduction traces the process from the understanding of how something functions, to abstraction—for example in computer models—and the construction of initial prototypes, through to fully functional manufacture and production.
