Plastoglobules - Underestimated Components of the Plant Cell

Plastoglobules (PGs), as important components of plastids, are involved in many stages of their development: from the chloroplast biogenesis through the chloroplast-chromoplast transformations, and finally in the process of gerontoplast formation. The unique protein and lipid composition of these structures, depending on their location, suggests that PGs are both a reservoir of spare materials and a center for many metabolic reactions. Plastoglobules play an active role in the metabolism of prenylquinones, carotenoids, and jasmonic acid, and are responsible for recycling of the thylakoid disintegration products. Their direct connection with the thylakoids allows for tight relationships between these two structures and redistribution of materials, which contributes to PGs’ role in response to stressful conditions. Moreover, strongly hydrophobic nature of plastoglobules, their specific proteome and a sufficiently simple isolation procedure create extraordinary possibilities of their application in plant biotechnology.