The Origin of Plastids

Reviews recent data on the possible endosymbiotic evolution of the organelle structures called chloroplasts.

Introductory remarks, Ralph A. Lewin; chloroplast-retention in ciliated protozoa, Diane K. Stoecker; green ciliates - principles of symbiosis formation between autotrophic and heterotrophic partners, Werner Reisser; insights into symbiotic acquisition of organelles from studies of the green hydra, R.L. Pardy and C.L. Royce; from prey via endosymbiont to plastid - comparative studies in dinoflagellates, Eberhard Schnepf; membranes and plastid origins, Jean M. Whatley; the evolution of algal chloroplasts, Sarah P. Gibbs; prochlorophyte evolution and the origin of chloroplasts - morphological and molecular evidence, Hewson Swift and Brian Palenik; comparison of squences and organization of photosynthesis genes among the prochlorophyte prochlorothrix hollandica, cyanobacteria, and chloroplasts, Susan S. Golden, et al; molecular phylogeny of oxygenic phototrophic cells and organelles from small-subunit ribosomal RNA sequences, Stephen J. Giovannoni, et al; molecular phylogeny of algal plastids - a brief review of host/endosymbiont genome development based on sequence comparisons, Christoph W. Sensen; phylogenetic origin of the plastids, Klaus Valentin, et al; origin and evolution of plastids from chlorophyll - a+c containing algae - suggested ancestral relationships to red and green algal plastids, Klaus V. Kowallik; probable evolutionary history of cyptomonad algae, Susan E. Douglas; the origin, losses and gains of chloroplasts, Tom Cavalier-Smith; plastid phylogeny and the problem of biased base composition, Christopher J. Howe, et al; envoi, Ralph A. Lewin, et al.