Changes in the physiological state of the multiplastidic alga Olisthodiscus luteus result in a shift in chloroplast complement from 33 to 21 plastids. The effect of this induced change in organelle complement on nuclear and chloroplast DNA levels has been analyzed. Data suggest that the absolute amount of chloroplast and nuclear DNA found within a cell remains constant but that the amount of chloroplast DNA per plastid is inversely proportional to the number of chloroplasts to which that DNA must be distributed.