From: The WUSTL Newsroom
During plant growth and development chloroplasts divide repeatedly in order to maintain their population. The site of division is specified by the medial placement of the FtsZ ring. Altered FtsZ ring placement can result in disrupted chloroplast division, a phenomenon observed in msl2 msl3 double mutant plants. This image illustrates that two mechanosensitive channel homologs, MSL2 and MSL3, are necessary for proper FtsZ ring placement and chloroplast division. Cauline leaf mesophyll cells of msl2 msl3 double mutant plants expressing FtsZ1-GFP contain grossly enlarged chloroplasts with aberrant FtsZ ring placement. FtsZ1-GFP and chlorophyll fluorescence are represented by pseudo-color green and red, respectively.
