THE CONTRIBUTION OF MITOCHONDRIA TO ENERGETIC METABOLISM IN PHOTOSYNTHETIC CELLS

Mitochondria fulfill important functions in photosynthetic cells not o nly in darkness but also in light. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphoryla tion is probably the main mechanism to supply ATP for extrachloroplast ic functions in both conditions. Furthermore, during photosynthesis mi tochondrial electron transport is important for regulation of the redo x balance in the cell. This makes mitochondrial function an integral p art of a flexible metabolic system in the photosynthetic cell. This fl exibility is probably very important in order to allow the metabolism to override disturbances caused by the changing environment which plan ts are adapted to.