Open AccessAmphipathic Changes in Etioplast Membranes following Illumination
Author(s) -
Trefry Timothy
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1974.tb03419.x
Subject(s) - protochlorophyllide , membrane , amphiphile , biophysics , chloroplast , polarity (international relations) , chemistry , chlorophyll , biochemistry , biology , botany , polymer , organic chemistry , copolymer , cell , gene
Membrane preparations from dark‐grown protochlorophyllide‐containing pea leaves and from dark‐grown leaves illuminated so as to contain predominantly chlorophyllide or chlorophyll, have been compared by counter‐current distribution in a dextran‐poly(ethyleneglycol) two‐phase system. The major shift in the polarity of etioplast membranes which follows illumination appears to be correlated not with the photoreduction of protochlorophyllide but with its subsequent phytolation. It is suggested that phytolation is associated with a change in membrane components which alters the amphipathic balance of the developing chloroplast membrane.