Cryopreservation of Chlorophyll Synthesis and Apoprotein Stabilization in Barley Etioplasts

Methods for the cryopreservation of protein import and integration in pea chloroplasts and of protein import or protein synthesis in tobacco mitochondria were modified to yield enzymatically active cryopreserved etioplasts from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The cryoprotectants ethylene glycol and dimethy sulfoxide were about 64 and 77% effective, respectively, for the cryopreservation of etioplast intactness. Phototransformation of protochlorophyllide a, esterification of chlorophyllide a or zinc-pheophorbide a, and stabilization of the de novo synthesized plastid-encoded chlorophyll-apoproteins P700, CP47, CP43, D2, and D1 were successfully preserved in liquid nitrogen. Cryopreservation of freshly prepared intact etioplasts completely retained enzymatic activities for accumulation of chlorophyll a or resulted in a slightly decreased yield of zinc-pheophytin a.