[Plastoglobuli and lipoquinone content of chloroplasts from Cereus peruvianus (L.) Mill]

The chloroplasts in the assimilation parenchym of Cereus stems possess numerous osmiophilic plastoglobuli, the size and frequency of which increase with increasing age of chloroplasts. Parallel to this there occurs an augmentation of the plastid quinone level (3 fold) and the carotenoid level (about 1.5 fold). Thus the chloroplasts of the stem tissue from Cereus also show a correlation between lipoquinone content and plastoglobuli size, which has been found before in the chloroplasts of several leaf tissues (LICHTENTHALER, 1969). An increase in the carotenoid levels has not, however, been found in chloroplasts from leaf tissues.It is assumed that the excess lipids of Cereus chloroplasts (lipoquinones and carotenoids) are deposited in the osmiophilic plastoglobuli.