拟南芥斑叶突变体是研究叶绿体发育机理的理想材料,因斑叶严重程度受到遗传与环境因子以及它们之间互作的影响。在同一遗传背景下,为什么叶片会分化出绿色和白色或者黄色的斑块一直是人们关心的重要科学问题。研究表明大部分通过遗传筛选获得的斑叶抑制子直接参与叶绿体基因表达的各个生化过程,对斑叶及其抑制子的研究加深了我们对叶绿体发育的分子机制的认识。
Arabidopsis leaf variegation mutants provide us with ideal materials to study chloroplast develop- ment since the degree of leaf variegation depends on genetic and environmental factors, and their interactions. How green/white sectors are formed in the same genetic background is an interesting question that needs to be addressed. To date, more and more evidence has shown that most of genes identified from genetic screening for suppressors of the leaf variegation phenotype are directly involved in various biochemical processes of chloro- plast gene expression, deepening our understanding of molecular mechanisms on chloroplast development.