Comparative transcription analysis of higher plant plastome mutants

Several plastome mutants of Pelargonium zonale hort. are characterized by either plastid ribosome deficiencies of specific defects in their photosystems. Southern analyses of plastid DNA fragments containing both the rDNA region the rbcL gene revealed no differences between wild-type and mutant leaves. Northern analyses of mutants with plastid ribosome deficiencies indicate lower levels of plastid ribosomal RNA and mRNA coding for the large subunit (LS) of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) in mutant leaves relative to green leaves.