Gene Discovery for chloroplast proteins involved in stress response and photosynthesis in Arabidopsis using the homozygous knockout lines.

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We have collected about 1, 300 homozygous Ds or T-DNA tagged-lines without a visible phenotype for genes encoding chloroplast proteins in Arabidopsis. By means of biochemical measurements of these homozygous plants grown on agar plates containing various reagents, we have identified 6 mutants with different capabilities to survive under severe stress conditions. Most of them showed abnormal responses to paraquat that generate superoxide radicals which damage cell membrane and cytoplasm during photosynthesis. Moreover, by screening of chlorophyll-fluorescence images, we also identified 13 photosynthetic mutants with altered photosynthetic-fluorescence parameters. Judging from both screening results, our systematic collection of homozygous mutants is a powerful tool for the screening of chloroplast mutants with abnormal stress responses and could be proved to be an advantage.