Chloroplast Genome

Chloroplast

- organelle found in plant cells and eukaryotic

algae
- Photosynthesis
 Structure of chloroplast
• Lens shaped ,5-10 um long
• Soluble phase –stroma –CO2
• Memrane phase –thylakoids
-Photosynthesis
• Other functions –amino acid,nucleic
acid,pigments , hormones synthesis and
nitrate reduction
 Cp Genetics
• Maternal inheritance –Genes for a paricular
character are only transmitted through the
female parent.
• Rely on nuclear genomes-Not autonomous
• Both nuclear and Cp –code for polypeptides
which form the part of same enzyme
• Sexual recombination does not occur
 Cp DNA
• Ris and Plaut in 1962
• Ds circular molecule, lack of 5methyl cytosine
and not complexed with histones.
• Genome sizes varies Chloroplast genome size
ranges 120-217kb with majority of plants fall
into 120-160kb. (Pelargonium has a
chloroplast genome size 217kb
 Chloroplast genome

• 5-10 % OF TOTAL SIZE OF THE GENOME

• contain about 100 genes to synthesize proteins

• cpDNA regions includes Large Single-Copy (LSC) & Small

Single-Copy (SSC) regions, and Inverted Repeats (IRA & IRB-
codes for rRNA and Trna(20-50 kb)

• Conifers and a group of legumes lack Inverted Repeats.

Chloroplast DNA is passed on from one generation to the next
with only an occasional mutation altering the molecule;.
 LSC

IRA SSC
IRB
 Chloroplast genome

 chloroplast DNA sequences of four land plants (Nicotiana

tabacum(122 genes & 146 genes with IR)Marchantia
polymorpha, Oryza sativa and Epifagus virginiana) are
available At present, the number of complete chloroplast
genome sequences is 122 (from 114 different organisms).
 Ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase /oxygenase(large
subunit-LSC and small nuclear genome)
 Six Subunits of F-ATP synthase
 Sub units of PI & PII ,cytochrome bf and NADH
 Contains introns
 4 r-RNA (4.5S, 5S 16S AND 23S r-RNA)
 Ribosomes 70s
 30 t-RNA s
r-RNA of Ct DNA
atpB-rbcL LSC
rbcL

rpoC
trnT-trnL
trnL intron
trnL-trnF

matK

IRA SSC
IRB
16S
• 2 RNA Polymerases
• Transcription of plastid gene for subunits of the
photosynthetic complex
• It is insensitive to rifampicin
• RNA Polymerase from nuclear encoded is
derived from duplication of mt DNA
• It transcribes HK genes
• Plastid gene contain 2 promoters like
bacteria
• Polycistronic
• Operon
Mitochondrial DNA
 Feature of Mt DNA

• 47% g+c
• organelle found in eukaryotic cells
• cellular respiration – ATP production
• Maternally inherited .
• Mt DNA is circular and DS
• The size of the genome varies
• Large DNA molecules and several small ones
Mt DNA
• It has very less info due to its repetitive
sequences
• Lot of junk genes
• In Brassica campestris the main
chromosome is 218 kb which is separated
into 135kb and 83
• These 135 and 83 exist as separate circles
• The first sequence located is encoding
sequences of RNA –78s RNA (26,18,5s
RNA)
• Promiscuous DNA

• Mt DNA codes for cytochrome c and f,

• Mt DNA don’t use universal code
• Mt DNA contains Plasmid like genes(ccc)
• The function –SENESENCE
• Encodes translation machinery
apparatus(3r-RNA and 10 proteins)
• Promoters are heterogenous
• m-RNA didnt contain correct info.

• RNA editing