Abstract
Plastid DNA is a circular molecule of 120-150 kbp and forms nucleoids. Although various plastids other than chloroplasts exist, such as etioplasts, amyloplasts and chromoplasts, it is not easy to observe plastid nucleoids within the cells of many tissues. PEND protein is a DNA-binding protein in the plastid envelope membrane and a DNA-binding domain called cbZIP is present at the N-terminus. In the stable transformant of Arabidopsis, the PEND cbZIP-GFP fusion protein was localized in the chloroplast nucleoids. We succeeded in observing chloroplast nucleoids in various intact tissues using this stable transformant. This technique is useful in root, flower and pollen, in which it was difficult to observe the plastid nucleoids until now. The dynamic motion of plastids of root cap, trichome and sieve tubes was observed on real time. Furthermore, the dynamism of chloroplast nucleoids accompanying division of plastid is being analyzed.
