Plastids

Plastids are semi-autonomous organelles having

DNA and double membrane envelope, which store or
synthesise various types of organic compounds. They
are found in plant cells and certain protists. The term
plastid' was introduced by E. Haeckel in 1866. Plastids
develop firom colourless precursors called protoplastids.
Depending upon colour, plastids are of three main
typesleucoplasts, chromoplasts and chloroplasts.
(ü) Leucoplasts (Gk. leuko-white; plastos
moulded), These are colourless plastids, oval, spherical,
rod like or filamentous in shape. They possess internal
but lack photosynthetic pigments. Leucoplasts occur in
large number in cells of fruits, seeds, tubers and
rhizomes. They store food in the form of carbohydrates,
lipids and proteins. There are three types of
leucoplasts<a) Amyloplasts are starch storing
leucoplasts. They contain simple or compound starch
grain covered by a special sheath e.g., potato, wheat,
rice, (b) Elaioplasts (Lipidoplasts) store fat e.g.,
tuberose and (c) Aleuroplasts (proteinoplasts) contain
protein in amorphous, crystalloid or crystallo-globoid
state e.g., aleurone cell of maize grain.
(iü) Chromoplasts (Gk. chroma-colour;plastos
moulded,. They are coloured plastids containing
pigments other than chlorophylls. Chromoplasts contain
fat soluble carotenoid pigments and are yellow, orange
or red in colour. They are formed either from leucoplasts
or chloroplasts. Change of colour from greern to red
during ripening of many fruits (e.g., tomatoes, chillies)
is due to transformation of chloroplasts to chromoplasts.
Orange colour of carrot is due to the presence of
chromoplasts. The latter also provide colour to many
flowers and fruits. Nosbe riser
 ;
(iii) Chloroplasts (Gk. chloros-green plastos
moulded). These are green pigment, chlorophyll con
taining plastids which takes part in the synthesis of
organic food from inorganic raw materials in the pres
ence of sunlight.
Number. The number of chloroplasts varies from
species to species. The minimum number of one
chloroplast per cell' is found in some green algae e.g
Ulothrix, Chlamydomonas. A photosynthetic leaf and
parenchyma cells may have 20-40 chloroplasts. The
internodal cell of Chara (an alga) has several hundred
chloroplasts.
Shape and Size. The chloroplasts of higher
plants are usually spherical, ovoid, discoid or lens
shaped. In algae, the chloroplasts have various
shapes. They may be cup shaped (e.g.,
Chlamydomonas), girdle shaped (e.g., Ulothrix), rib
bon like (e.g., Spirogyra), reticulate (e.g., Oedogonium)
and star shaped (e.g., Zygnema). Like shape, the size
of chloroplasts is different in different species. The dis
coid chloroplast of higher plants are 4-10 um in length
and 2-4 um in breadth.
Ultra structure. A chloroplast is enclosed by a
double membrane envelope. Each membrane is smooth
and is about 90-100 À thick. The two membranes are
separated by a narrow fluid filled inter membrane
space. The outer membrane is more permeable than
inner membrane. The inner membrane has more pro
teins including some carrier proteins. Outer mnembrane
may be attached to endoplasmic reticulum. At places,
the inner membrane is attached to thylakoids.
The ground substance of chloroplast is known as
matrix or stroma. It is a semifluid, colourless, colloi
dal comnplex that contains DNA, RNA, riksomes,
plastoglobuli and several enzymes. Chloroplast DNA,
(ctDNA) is circular and naked. A Chloroplast may have
several copies of it. Chloroplast ribosomes are 70s type
like that of prokaryotes. Plastoglobuli are lipid droplets
containing some enzymes, vitamin Kand quinones. The
chloroplast matrix of higher plants may store starch
one
temporarily. In green algae, chloroplasts contain
or more starch storing structures called pyrenoids.
 A number of menmbrane lined flattened sac like
structures called thylakoids run throughout stroma
or matrix. They generally, run parallel but may show
interconnections. Thylakoids may also be attached to
the inner membrane of chloroplast envelope. At places
20 50 thylakoids are placed one above the other like a
stack of coins to formgrana. About 40-100 grana may
occur in a chloroplast. Many membranous tubules
called stroma lamellae (intergranal thylakoids) in
terconnect thylakoids of different grana (Figs. 8.34 and
8.35). The chloroplasts of algae lack grana and are
therefore called agranal chloroplast.
 Thylakoids membranes contain photosynthetic
pigments and coupling factors. Photosynthetic pigments
include chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenes and
xanthophylls. The pigments occur in groups termed
photosystems (former name quantosomes). The cou
pling factors are involved in ATP synthesis.
Autonomy of Chloroplasts. Like
mitochondria, functioning of chloroplasts is under
the control of nucleus of the cell. They possess a
great degree of functional autonomy. (i) A
chloroplast has its own DNA, which shows both
replication and transcription (or produce RNA), (iü) It
synthesises its own enzymes and some of their proteins,
(ii) New chloroplasts arise either from division of pre
existing ones or the division of their precursors
proplastids. Therefore, chloroplasts are considered to
be 'semi-autonomous organelles.
Like mitochondria, the chloroplasts are also be
lieved to have a symbiotic or prokaryotic origin.
Functions
• The most important and fundamental function
of chloroplast is photosynthesis or formation oforganic
compounds from inorganic raw materials.
Chloroplasts are able to trap solar energy and
change it into chemical energy. This chemical energy is
used by all living organisms to perform their life activi
ties.
Chloroplasts fix up carbon dioxide and release
Oxygen during photosynthesis. This keeps the percent
age of two gases balanced in the atmosphere.
They store fat in the form of plastoglobuli.
Chloroplast may synthesise some amino acids
and fatty acids.
They store starch either temporarily (e.g., in
higher plants) or permanently (e.g., in several algae).
Chloroplasts may change into chromoplasts to
provide colours to many flowers and fruits to attract
animals.