Lipid biosynthesis by isolated barley chloroplasts in relation to plastid development

The effect of seedling age and of the time of greening on the incorporation of 1-¹⁴C-acetate into lipids by isolated barley (Hordeum vulgare cultivar Svalöf's Bonus) plastids was examined. The fatty acid synthesizing capacity of plastids isolated from 5-day-old seedlings did not increase markedly from zero to 36 hours of greening nor was a light stimulation of fatty acid synthesis observed. However, an increasing capacity for fatty acid synthesis and an increasing light stimulation of this process with greening were attained by the plastids isolated from 7-, 9-, and 11-day-old seedlings.