A Transgenic Approach to Characterize the Plastid Transcription Machinery in Higher Plants

Abstract

The plastid genes of higher plants are transcribed by two RNA polymerases: the plastid-encoded plastid RNA polymerase or PEP and the nuclear-encoded plastid RNA polymerase or NEP. Below is a brief summary of what we know about the two plastid RNA polymerases, highlighting recent data from this laboratory. Most of the data were obtained using transgenic approaches, facilitated by the development of technology for plastid transformation in tobacco [1, 2].