Accumulation of Plastoquinone A during Low Temperature Growth of Winter Rye.

Chloroplasts isolated from rye (Secale cereale L. cv Puma) grown at 5 degrees C (RH) accumulated 260% more plastoquinone A (PQA) per plastid than chloroplasts isolated from rye grown at 20 degrees C (RNH). The number of plastoglobuli increased by 270% in RH chloroplasts compared with RNH plastids. When RH plastids were lysed and washed, the number of plastoglobuli associated with thylakoid membranes decreased significantly, yet the PQA levels remained high. Room temperature fluorescence induction indicated that (a) there is no change in the size of the PQA pool immediately available for photochemistry in RNH and RH thylakoids and (b) there is a pool of oxidized PQA present in RNH and RH thylakoids which is not available for photochemistry. The accumulated PQA in RH thylakoids may reflect an increased nonphotochemical function such as regulation of thylakoid protein phosphorylation or protection against photoinhibition.