DNA Uptake by Chloroplasts in Vitro
Introduction of DNA in isolated chloroplasts from higher plants will help in overcoming the following problems faced in DNA uptake in vivo
(i) a large number of chloroplasts per cell may not take up the DNA; (ii) the concentration of DNA in the cytoplasm, in the vicinity of chloroplasts, will be low, thus reducing the chances of DNA uptake by chloroplasts. The major problem in this method, however, will be the return of manipulated chloroplasts back to plant cells. There are reports of successful uptake of chloroplasts by plant protoplasts, but stable incorporation of transformed chloroplasts and subsequent regeneration of these transplastomic plants from protoplasts has not been achieved.