Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026

High-Throughput, In-Field Screening of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Crop Plants Using an Autonomous Robot
Published on: January 9, 2026
Photosynthetic units of phototrophic organisms
1Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, 142290, Moscow Region, Russia. vboichenko@scientist.com
Abstract:
Photoautotrophic organisms play a key role in the biosphere of the Earth, converting solar energy of the 350-1000 nm range into biochemically available form. In contemporary aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, the dominating groups are the oxygen evolving cyanobacteria, algae, and higher plants. Anoxygenic phototrophic microorganisms occupy mainly ecological niches with extreme environmental conditions. Despite diverse evolution of all these taxonomic groups, their photosynthetic apparatus has a similar molecular design and identical principles of operation. This review covers recent data about features of the structural and functional organization of pigment-protein complexes of the basic types of photosynthetic units in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. A correspondence between the optical properties of various photosynthetic units and the natural light conditions is discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Photosystems
Functioning of Photosystems
Photosystems contain many pigment molecules, such as chlorophylls and carotenoids, arranged in a particular organization across two domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment molecules...
Photosystem II
The pigment molecules are arranged across two photosystem domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment molecules...
Oxygenic Photosynthesis
Photosystem I
Both these photosystems work in concert. An excited electron from PSII is relayed to PSI via an electron transport chain in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast, which is comprised of the carrier molecule plastoquinone, the dual-protein cytochrome complex, and plastocyanin. As electrons move between PSII and PSI, they lose energy and must be re-energized...
Anoxygenic Photosynthesis
The Photochemical Reaction Center
