Regulatory aspects of thylakoid membrane formation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii y-1

Abstract

Etiolated Chlamydomonas reinhardtii y-1 cells synthesize chlorophyll at a linear rate when exposed to light at 38 degrees C. A reduced porphyrin also was synthesized at similar rates in dark-incubated cells treated with o- or m-phenanthroline. Etiolated cells accumulated mRNA for the major thylakoid polypeptides in the dark after the temperature was increased to 38 degrees C. However, chlorophyll synthesis was required for accumulation of these polypeptides.