Abstract
We have already seen ( section 1.2.1) the general features of the ultrastructural organisation of the cells of higher plants. In addition to those organelles shared with animal cell, green plant cells also contain certain stracturally and functionally specialised structures: chloroplasts, the site of photosynthesis; an internal vacuole surrounded by its tonoplast membrane; and an extracellular cell wall composed of cellulose and other polysaccharide material. In this chapter we will say little about the plant vacuole, and nothing about the cell wall. Instead, we will concentrate on the chloroplast, and how its molecular organisation enables it to perform those processes which are vital to all life on Earth: the photosynthetic capture of light energy and fixation of carbon dioxide into carbohydrate, and the associated formation of oxygen.
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9.8 Further reading
Detailed treatments of the role of chloroplasts in photosynthesis can be found in most of the standard biochemistry textbooks. Particularly recommended is chapter 19 in Alberts, B. et al. (1983) ‘Molecular Biology of the Cell’, Garland Publishing Inc., New York.
Specialised text
Hall, D. O. and Rao, K. K. (1987). ‘Photosynthesis’, 4th edn, Edward Arnold (New Studies in Biology series), London. (An excellent up-to-date account)
Reviews and articles
Arnon, D. I. (1984). Trends Biochem. Sci., 9, 258–262. (The discovery of photosynthetic phosphorylation)
Anderson, J. M. and Andersson, B. (1982). Trends Biochem. Sci., 7, 288–292. (Significance of the separation of Photosystem I and Photosystem II)
Murata, N. and Miyao, M. (1985). Trends Biochem. Sci., 10, 122–124.( Extrinsic membrane proteins of the photosynthetic oxygen-evolving complex)
Fluegge, U. I. and Heldt, H. W. (1984). Trends Biochem. Sci., 9, 530–533. (Significance of the phosphate-triose phosphate-phosphoglycerate translocator)
Schmidt, G. W. and Mishkind, M. L. (1986). Ann. Rep. Biochem., 55, 879–912. (Transport of proteins into chloroplasts)
Rochaix, J. D. (1985). Int. Rev. Cytol., 93, 57–93. (The chloroplast genome)
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© 1989 Mark Carroll
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Carroll, M. (1989). The Chloroplast. In: Organelles. Macmillan Molecular Biology Series. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-19781-1_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-19781-1_9
Publisher Name: Palgrave, London
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