Changes in Protein Synthesis Induced by Chilling in Tomato Chloroplasts

To find out the effect of low temperature on the regulation of tomato chloroplast genes, the optimization of the system in chloroplast protein synthesis and the identification of the changes in chloroplast protein synthesis induced by chilling were studied. Incorporation reaction occurred rapidly at the first 30 minutes and was constantly maintained after 60 minutes. A broad optimal temperature on protein synthesis was found around 20 to $30^{\circ}C$. No difference was shown in the chloroplast protein synthesis under high light intensity (1600 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$) as well as under low light intensity (400 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$) even darkness. $K^+$, $Mg^{++}$ and ATP at an optimal concentration act as an activator, while DTT, chloramphenicol, cycloheximide, $Ca^{++}$ and inorganic phosphate act as an inhibitor in the chloroplast protein synthesis. Synthesis of 15, 55 and 60 kd chloroplast encoded stromal proteins and 18, 24, 33 and 55 kd chloroplast encoded thylakoid membrane proteins were reduced by chilling, while 17 kd chloroplast encoded stromal protein and 16 kd chloroplast encoded thylakoid membrane protein was induced by chilling. It was expected that the 55 kd stromal protein would be the large subunit of rubisco and the 33 kd thylakoid membrane protein would be the D1 protein which was drastically reduced by chilling.