Characterization of two chlorophyll b-deficient, azide-derived mutants of Hordeum vulgare cv. Maris Mink.

Two mutant lines of Hordeum vulgare cv. Maris Mink (designated RChl 46 and 47) deficient in chlorophyll b have been isolated following azide mutagenesis. Two major thylakoid membrane proteins of molecular weight 25 and 26 k daltons are absent from the mutant plants following analysis by SDS gel electrophoresis, presumably due to a lack of the light harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex. The photosynthetic capabilities of the wild type and mutant lines were very similar.