Prolamellar Body Development in Etioplasts of Pisum sativum L. var. ‘Alaska’

Abstract

The development of the prolamellar body in young (2-8-day-old) apical leaf etioplasts of dark-grown pea seedlings (Pisum sativum L. var. ‘Alaska’) has been examined at the ultrastructural level. The early stages of prolamellar body biogenesis involves the formation of discrete stroma tubules. Subsequently (8 days), these tubules aggregate into tubular strands which move centrally, serving as orientation points for the later development of the lattice-tubuleframework that ultimately develops in the stroma. The developing crystalline portion slowly assumes a hexagonal arrangement and ultimately becomes the “crystalline core” of the prolamellar body. Thylakoid membranes emanate out from the crystalline portion of the prolamellar body into the peripheral areas of the etioplast stroma. The relationship of prolamellar body development in pea tissue is discussed with respect to similar organelles described at the fine structural level in etioplasts of other plant tissues.