Developmental changes in the surface properties of chloroplast membranes

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Abstract
When the surface properties of etioplast and etiochloroplast membranes from dark grown or variously illuminated leaves of Avena sativa L. are examined by counter current distribution in a Dextran: poly(ethylene-glycol) two-phase system the results may be summarized as follows: Etioplast membranes consist of two main classes with respect to upper phase poly(ethylene-glycol) affinity. Shortly after illumination the proportion of higher affinity membranes increases and the upper phase affinity of this class also increases. Further illumination reverses this effect producing a single class of membranes with the high affinity for the lower phase characteristic of membranes of the mature chloroplast. In rapidly greening leaves (6–9 h illumination) and intermediate class is observed which may represent an intermediate stage in biogenesis. The interpretation of these results is discussed in terms of changes in membrane surface reaction and potential.