Photosynthetic apparatus of pea leaves under clinorotation conditions

It is known that microgravity can induce structural perturbation of photosynthetic apparatus (see for review Kordyum, 1997). Space flight conditions caused both pigment content and chloroplasts ultrastructure changes in pea plants (Laurinavichius et al., 1984; Aliyev et al., 1987; Kordyum 1994). It was shown also transformation of lipid composition in wheat plants under microgravity (Rumjanceva et al., 1990). However the data were contradictory and obtained for different species. The aim of the work was to characterise ultrastructural changes of chloroplasts, lipid and pigment composition of leaves and chloroplasts isolated from leaves grown under clinorotation.