Genetic control of plastid differentiation. 3 ultrastructure of plastids in different green revertant spots of the plastom mutant Pl-alb1 of Lycopersicon esculentum.
Reverse mutations in plastid DNA give rise to phenotypically different green spots on the white tissues of the homoplastic plastom mutant Pl-alb1. The structure of the plastids in one yellow-green, one green and one dark-green spot, each arising by independent reverse mutation, was studied by means of electron microscopy. Although the same revertant plastid types (type 1 with a weakly developed lamellar system; type 2 with vacuolized grana, and type 3 with a wild type-like structure were found in all three spots, variations in separation of Pl-alb1 and revertant plastids, and in the predominant revertant plastid type, were observed among the spots investigated. The revertant plastids of different phenotype occurred not only within one spot, but also within one cell. An hypothesis explaining this phenomenon is suggested.
D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure