Analysis of Physcomitrella Chloroplasts to Reveal Adaptation Principles Leading to Structural Stability at the Nano-Scale

Proteins of the FtsZ (filamentous temperature sensitive Z) family establish complex polymeric spatial patterns in plastids of the moss Physcomitrella patens. These structures represent a "plastoskeleton" that might contribute to plastid shape and stability. Because additional forces, such as electrostatic interactions, are effective between molecules and atoms at the nano-scale, the applicability of the rules and principles of structural analysis to molecular structures (diameter of a moss plastid: 3-6 mu m in the short axis and 4-8 mu m in the long axis) is unknown. The aim of this project is to develop mathematical models of FtsZ network connectivity and dynamics in order to investigate whether molecular structures of the plastoskeleton are evolutionarily optimised to withstand mechanical stresses. To our knowledge, this is the first study focused on the nano-scale characterisation of molecular features/ultrastructures found in plant organelles with the goal of developing new ideas and approaches for bioinspired architecture/building construction.