Unequal formation of prenyl-lipids in a plant tissue culture and in leaves of Nicotiana tabacum L.

Abstract

The synthesis of prenyl-lipids (chlorophylls, carotenoids and lipoquinones) in a yellow-green tobacco tissue culture is compared with that of leaves from an aurea mutant (Su/su) and from a normal green plant of Nicotiana tabacum L. The tissue culture contained all of the thylakoid prenyl-lipids; however, much less on a dry weight basis and also of a different concentration to green leaf tissue. With respect to chlorophyll the tissue culture contained very high concentrations of the electron carriers plastoquinone-9 and vitamin K 1 and was similar to the leaves from the aurea mutant with respect to prenyl-lipid synthesis. The tobacco tissue culture seemed to be photosynthetically active and exhibited variable fluorescence, which can be inhibited by 3-(3′ 4′-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU).