In vitro chloroplast protein synthesis by the chromophytic alga Olisthodiscus luteus

The chloroplasts of chlorophytic and chromophytic plants exhibit significant morphological and biochemical differences. Presently, it is impossible to compare the influence of ctDNA on the structure and function of organelles within these two phylogenetic groups for no data exist in the literature on the profile of protein products synthesized by a chromophytic plastid. In this paper, the chloroplast DNA coded proteins of the chromophytic plant Olisthodiscus luteus are investigated by labeling isolated chloroplasts in vitro. Isolated plastids of excellent morphological condition are pulse labeled with [35S]methionine. Approximately 100 proteins are detected by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and fluorography. However, these isolated plastids have a number of unusual characteristics: (1) they are photosynthetically inactive; (2) in vitro protein synthesis is light independent; (3) all proteins synthesized in vitro are membrane associated.