Editing Chimera (genetics) (section)

====Plastid gene-differential chimeras====
These chimeras arise by spontaneous or induced mutation of a plastid gene, followed by the sorting-out of two kinds of plastid during vegetative growth. Alternatively, after selfing or [[nucleic acid thermodynamics]], plastids may sort-out from a mixed egg or mixed zygote respectively. This type of chimera is recognized at the time of origin by the sorting-out pattern in the leaves. After sorting-out is complete, periclinal chimeras are distinguished from similar looking nuclear gene-differential chimeras by their [[mendelian inheritance|non-mendelian inheritance]]. The majority of variegated-leaf chimeras are of this kind.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}

All plastid gene- and some nuclear gene-differential chimeras affect the color of the plasmids within the leaves, and these are grouped together as [[chlorophyll]] chimeras, or preferably as variegated leaf chimeras. For most variegation, the mutation involved is the loss of the [[chloroplast]]s in the mutated tissue, so that part of the plant tissue has no green pigment and no [[Photosynthesis|photosynthetic]] ability. This mutated tissue is unable to survive on its own, but it is kept alive by its partnership with normal photosynthetic tissue. Sometimes chimeras are also found with layers differing in respect of both their nuclear and their plastid genes.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}