Some Biophysical Changes in the Chloroplasts of a Dracaena Radiation-Mutant
Maria Teresa L. Palamine1, Rommel Gavino A. Cureg1, Lucia J. Marbella2,
Avelina G. Lapade2, Zenaida B. Domingo1 and Custer C. Deocaris2,3,4,*
1Liquid Crystal Laboratory, National Institute of Physics
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
2Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI)
Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
3Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, University of Tokyo
7-3-1, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan
4Gene Function Research Center, 1-1-1 Higashi
AIST Central 4, Tsukuba 305-8562, Japans
corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ABSTRACT
Chlorophyll mutation is one of the most frequent phenotypes observed during radiation-induced mutation breeding of Dracaena sanderiana var. virescens (common name: green cornplant). Spectral analysis of a stable mutant line irradiated at 20 Gy indicated a decreased ratio in chlorophylls a/b (0.74 + 0.104) compared with the wild-type mother plant (1.18 + 0.0665). Calorimetry of isolated chloroplast preparations showed a major difference in thermotropic transition in the range of -50°C to 100°C at TP of 64°C and an enthalpy of -9.68 kJ/g in the chlorophyll-mutant. As these results are consistent with the mutation phenotype and the role played by chlorophyll in lamellar organization, our study shows an interesting application of biophysics in horticulture.
INTRODUCTION
A number of radiation-induced variants of ornamental plants have been generated in the past years at Philippine Nuclear Research Institute. Among the popular foliage types that show interesting phenotypic changes as a result of radiation-induced mutation breeding is Dracaena sanderiana var. virescens. . . . .
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