Plastid Nucleoids: Insights into Their Shape and Dynamics.

This article focuses on the structure, composition, and dynamic regulation of plastid nucleoids—protein-DNA complexes within chloroplasts/plastids responsible for essential functions such as photosynthesis and plastid biogenesis in plants and algae. It reviews recent advances identifying key architectural proteins, including WHIRLYs and pTAC proteins, that organize plastid DNA and regulate transcription, as well as factors anchoring nucleoids to plastid membranes. The article also discusses evolutionary changes in nucleoid components, the dynamic morphological changes of nucleoids during cell and plastid division, and the interplay between nucleoid organization and plastid function. It highlights ongoing research challenges, such as understanding nucleoid dynamics in response to developmental and environmental cues, and suggests future directions including the study of nucleoid-associated metabolic factors and retrograde signaling to the nucleus.