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NEED HELP!!! Isolating Chloroplasts from Plants!!!!
Moderators: AmyCowen, kgudger, MadelineB, Moderators
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Krixic
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2015 10:59 am
- Occupation: Student
- Project Question: I am trying to separate Chloroplast from a Plant (Spinach) but I need them to still be able to maintain their function. How can I achieve this? I already know how to Separate the Chloroplast ( Im using this website...they have a detailed way of doing it http://homepages.gac.edu/~cellab/chpts/chpt8/ex8-1.html). Thanks
- Project Due Date: 3/2/14
- Project Status: Not applicable
NEED HELP!!! Isolating Chloroplasts from Plants!!!!
Ok, so im trying to plan for next years Science Fair Project and I have a question on if I were to separate Chloroplasts from a plant using the procedure and materials stated on both these websites (http://amrita.vlab.co.in/?sub=3&brch=187&sim=878&cnt=2 and http://homepages.gac.edu/~cellab/chpts/chpt8/ex8-1.html) would the Chloroplasts after they are separated still be able to maintain their function for converting Co2 to O2? If this is not possible can someone give me ideas on how I could make this a possibility? Someone told me to use acetone as a solvent but I was not sure what they meant by that. Thanks all
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SciB
- Expert
- Posts: 2071
- Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
- Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
- Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
- Project Due Date: n/a
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: NEED HELP!!! Isolating Chloroplasts from Plants!!!!
Hi,
This is a great idea for a project as there are scientists working now on how to harness the photosynthetic power of chloroplasts. But, the problem is exactly as you said—how can functional chloroplasts be isolated?
I took a look at the two websites you linked to in your post, and the procedure in the second one would be the best for isolating chloroplasts [cp’s] with a minimum of damage to the organelles. I would not use acetone as it is toxic and disrupts membranes. Cp’s have membrane structures containing the photosynthetic enzymes and breaking them might fragment the photosystem.
Whether or not isolated spinach cp’s would still be able to use light and CO2 to make oxygen and sugars and starch I don’t know. I had thought about trying to make a photosynthetic battery using cp’s, but from what I have read so far it looks like cp’s are too fragile to last for very long. They can function for a couple of hours maybe after separating them from the cytoplasm of a cell. What were you thinking of doing with the cp’s after you isolated them?
The method for studying cp photosynthesis is called the Hill reaction. There is a lot of information about this on the web. Here’s a good reference: http://openwetware.org/wiki/BISC110:_Se ... l_Reaction
In order to do this project you are going to need to work in a well-equipped lab with supervision. Do you have access to a lab and someone to help you?
Let us know more about what you are thinking about doing with the chloroplasts and hopefully we can help you plan a good and doable project.
Sybee
This is a great idea for a project as there are scientists working now on how to harness the photosynthetic power of chloroplasts. But, the problem is exactly as you said—how can functional chloroplasts be isolated?
I took a look at the two websites you linked to in your post, and the procedure in the second one would be the best for isolating chloroplasts [cp’s] with a minimum of damage to the organelles. I would not use acetone as it is toxic and disrupts membranes. Cp’s have membrane structures containing the photosynthetic enzymes and breaking them might fragment the photosystem.
Whether or not isolated spinach cp’s would still be able to use light and CO2 to make oxygen and sugars and starch I don’t know. I had thought about trying to make a photosynthetic battery using cp’s, but from what I have read so far it looks like cp’s are too fragile to last for very long. They can function for a couple of hours maybe after separating them from the cytoplasm of a cell. What were you thinking of doing with the cp’s after you isolated them?
The method for studying cp photosynthesis is called the Hill reaction. There is a lot of information about this on the web. Here’s a good reference: http://openwetware.org/wiki/BISC110:_Se ... l_Reaction
In order to do this project you are going to need to work in a well-equipped lab with supervision. Do you have access to a lab and someone to help you?
Let us know more about what you are thinking about doing with the chloroplasts and hopefully we can help you plan a good and doable project.
Sybee