XVI International Botanical Congess

FtsZ is involved in eukaryote plastid division, but little is known about the involvement of FtsZ in the plastid dividing apparatus. To investigate the relationship between FtsZ and the plastid-dividing ring, ftsZ genes were isolated from the unicellular primitive red algae, Cyanidiophyceae (Galdieria sulphuraria, Cyanidium caldarium RK-1, and Cyanidioschyzon merolae). Two ftsZ genes were isolated from G. sulphuraria, suggesting that the duplication and divergence of the ftsZ gene might have occurred early in plant evolution. C. merolae also contains two different types of ftsZ genes. Northern blot analysis revealed that the C. merolae and C. caldarium RK-1 ftsZ genes are transcribed specifically just before the cell and organelle division.