MEMBRANE IN CHLOROPLASTS - A TOPOLOGICAL APPROACH TO GRANA AND FRETS

被引:2
作者
CHARVOLIN, J
机构
[1] Institut Laue-Langevin, 38042 Grenoble Cedex
关键词
CHLOROPLASTS; MEMBRANES; LAMELLAR LIQUID CRYSTALS; SCREW DISLOCATIONS;
D O I
10.1016/0301-4622(93)E0078-J
中图分类号
Q5 [生物化学]; Q7 [分子生物学];
学科分类号
071010 ; 081704 ;
摘要
The membrane system of chloroplasts, where photosynthesis takes place, presents a remarkable organization of flat thykaloids in grana and frets which contributes to the efficiency of the photochemical and biochemical steps of the process. A topological analysis of this organization is proposed, which develops a relationship with screw dislocation walls in lamellar liquid crystals. This analysis makes possible a rather simple geometrical description of the organization depending upon two parameters only: the stacking distances of thykaloids in grana and frets. This suggests that the formation of grana and frets, and their overall structure, might be viewed as a separation between two lamellar stackings of thykaloids whose different spacings are associated with a distribution along the membrane of the molecules intervening in the photochemical process.
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页码:23 / 26
页数:4
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