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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 3834

Faye D. Schwelitz, Pauline L. Cisneros, and Julia A. Jagielo; The Effect of Glucose on the Biochemical and Ultrastructural Characteristics of Developing Euglena Chloroplasts. J.Protozool. 25(3):398-403, 1978

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Chloroplast development is inhibited in Euglena gracilis strain Z, when greened in a medium containing glucose. This inhibition is reflected not only in the pattern of chlorophyll accumulation but also in the chloroplast ultrastructure and activities of the 2 light reactions of photosynthesis. Chloroplasts of cells greening in the presence of glucose are delayed in developing certain structures. Photosystem I activity develops at about the same rate as that of the controls during the first 48 hr of greening, after which it develops at a slower rate. The rate of development of photosystem II activity in cells greening in a glucose medium lags considerably behind that of the controls until the later hours of greening. There are similarities between glucose inhibition and chloramphenicol inhibition of chloroplast development. Glucose may inhibit a step in chloroplast development ultimately controlled by the chloroplast genome.