Chloroplasts of cold-tolerant plants

Abstract

Cold is one of the main stress factors affecting plant growth and development. The structure and function of chloroplasts is most vulnerable to cold. This brief review summarizes the influence of low temperature on both chloroplasts' structure and functioning across cold-tolerant plant species. One of the features of the chloroplast structure is the presence of stromules. We attempted to define a core set of such changes for plants with different habitats. Some changes might be consistent across all species, which were studied; however, some other characteristics were species- or familyspecific. Elucidating the interrelation between the mechanisms controlling photosynthesis during cold stress will facilitate the development of strategies to enhance plant tolerance to low-temperature environmental conditions.