BIOGENESIS OF THYLAKOID MEMBRANES WITH EMPHASIS ON THE PROCESS IN CHLAMYDOMONAS

Recent results obtained by electron microscopic and biochemical analys es of greening Chlamydomonas reinhardtii yl suggest that localized exp ansion of the plastid envelope is involved in thylakoid biogenesis. Ki netic analyses of the assembly of light-harvesting complexes and devel opment of photosynthetic function when degreened cells of the alga are exposed to light suggest that proteins integrate into membrane at the level of the envelope. Current information, therefore, supports the e arlier conclusion that the chloroplast envelope is a major biogenic st ructure, from which thylakoid membranes emerge. Chloroplast developmen t in Chlamydomonas provides unique opportunities to examine in detail the biogenesis of thylakoids.