Chloroplast Biogenesis and Plastid Interconversions

This edited book covers the latest developments surrounding plastids, with a focus on chloroplasts and their inter-conversions to other plastids, namely chromoplasts, gerontoplasts and leucoplasts.

Chloroplasts convert solar energy into biologically useful forms of energy by performing photosynthesis. The parts of plants above ground contain green tissues that house chloroplasts, one of several types of plastids, which are the main sites of photosynthesis in eukaryotic cells. The book focuses on what chloroplasts are, their biogenesis and degradation, constituents (thylakoids and assembly of thylakoids), functions, their inter-conversions, and their effects on biomass production and yield, among other topics. It discusses how chloroplasts form from proplastids, primarily found in meristematic tissues present in shoot apical and auxiliary meristems in dicots, and in the leaf base in monocots. Additionally, chloroplasts produce various molecules of human interest that can be converted into biochemical factories through transgenic approaches, which are also discussed. The content is supported with figures offering a more comprehensive understanding of the topics covered, making the information more accessible and engaging for readers.

This book is suitable for students, researchers, and scientists working in chloroplast, leucoplast, gerontoplast, chromoplast biogenesis, and photosynthesis, as it covers the latest findings, in addition to the currently established notions.

Vijay Kumar Dalal earned his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the University of Delhi and IIT Kharagpur, respectively. He completed his Ph.D. from MDU, Rohtak, India in 2012 while working at the School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India, where he studied the effects of drought on photosynthesis and chlorophyll biosynthesis. His research interests are diverse and include chlorophyll biosynthesis, chloroplast biogenesis, abiotic stress responses, osmolyte protection, plant tissue culture, production of secondary metabolites, biofertilizers, biopesticides, protected cultivation, and hydroponics. During his postdoctoral research in Israel, he focused on chloroplast biogenesis in the tomato shoot apical meristem using RNA sequencing of laser-microdissected samples. He later conducted research on the protective effects of proline against oxidative stress on enzymes at the University of Hyderabad. Dr. Dalal also has industry experience, having worked at Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad. Currently, he is serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI), Agra, where he joined in 2019. He has authored several research papers in prominent plant science journals and contributed chapters to books published by reputed publishers. He has reviewed numerous manuscripts for international journals and has delivered talks at various national and international conferences and webinars. Dr. Dalal is a recipient of fellowships and awards from DST, DBT, CSIR, and PBC, and has secured research grants from NABARD, DEI, and AADEI.

Amarendra Narayan Misra brings over 48 years of research experience and 40 years of postgraduate teaching in Plant Biology, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology. He currently serves as the Vice Chancellor of Jagadguru Kripalu University (JKU), Cuttack, Odisha, India. Following his superannuation in 2021 from Central University of Jharkhand, he held the position of Distinguished Professor at Centurion University of Technology and Management, Jatni, Bhubaneswar. He also served as Senior Professor and Dean at Sri Sri University, Cuttack. He has been a Guest Researcher at the Institute of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan. Prof. Misra has contributed significantly to academic leadership, having served as Vice Chancellor of three Indian universities and held various roles in university governance and administration. He has authored over 135 publications in the areas of Plant Biology, Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics. His research interests include the structure and function of photosynthetic membranes, luminescence, biosensors, plant tissue culture, and mechanisms of stress adaptation in tropical crop plants. He is a recipient of several prestigious fellowships, scholarships, viz. Fulbright (USA), JSPS (Japan), and the Commission of European Community. He has also received research support and recognition from agencies such as DBT, DST, CSIR, INSA, UGC, CEC, and FEBS. Prof. Misra has actively collaborated with scientists across more than ten countries, including Japan, Poland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Ukraine, the UK, and the USA.