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Related Concept Videos

The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis01:34

The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis

The light reactions of photosynthesis assume a linear flow of electrons from water to NADP+. During this process, light energy drives the splitting of water molecules to produce oxygen. However, oxidation of water molecules is a thermodynamically unfavorable reaction and requires a strong oxidizing agent. This is accomplished by the first product of light reactions: oxidized P680 (or P680+), the most powerful oxidizing agent known in biology. The oxidized P680 that acquires an electron from the...
Photosystems01:32

Photosystems

Photosystems are multiprotein complexes that form the functional units of photosynthesis in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. They are found embedded in the membrane of tiny sac-like structures called thylakoids placed inside the chloroplast.
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...
Oxygenic Photosynthesis01:26

Oxygenic Photosynthesis

Oxygenic photosynthesis is a fundamental process in which light energy is harnessed to drive the oxidation of water, leading to the production of molecular oxygen (O₂), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). This process is essential for sustaining aerobic life on Earth and is primarily carried out by cyanobacteria, algae, and plants. The core of oxygenic photosynthesis lies in the thylakoid membranes, where chlorophyll pigments facilitate light...
Photosystem I01:27

Photosystem I

Although structurally similar to photosystem II (PSII), photosystem I (PSI) is has a different electron supplier and electron acceptor.
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...
Photosystem II01:22

Photosystem II

The multi-protein complex photosystem II (PS II) harvests photons and transfers their energy through its bound pigments to its reaction center, and ultimately to photosystem I (PSI) through the electron transport chain. The pigments responsible for caputirng the light energy in photosystems include chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids.
The pigment molecules are arranged across  two photosystem domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment molecules...
Origin of Photosynthesis01:26

Origin of Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis represents a fundamental biological process that transformed Earth's atmosphere and paved the way for complex life. Emerging roughly 3.4–3.8 billion years ago, the earliest photosynthetic organisms harnessed light energy to produce organic compounds. These anoxygenic phototrophs used electron donors like hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) or ferrous iron (Fe²⁺), rather than water, and did not release molecular oxygen (O₂) as a byproduct. Various groups, including green sulfur and purple...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

High-Throughput Metabolic Profiling for Model Refinements of Microalgae
11:07

High-Throughput Metabolic Profiling for Model Refinements of Microalgae

Published on: December 4, 2021

Systems-level modeling--a new approach for engineering efficient photosynthetic machinery.

Xin-Guang Zhu1

  • 1Plant Systems Biology Group, Partner Institute of Computational Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences/Max Planck Society, YueYang Road, Shanghai 200031, China. zhuxinguang@picb.ac.cn

Journal of Biotechnology
|December 29, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Improving crop photosynthesis through advanced modeling can boost yields and address food security challenges. This approach identifies novel engineering strategies for higher photosynthetic efficiency, even with limited fertilizer resources.

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A New Approach for the Comparative Analysis of Multiprotein Complexes Based on 15N Metabolic Labeling and Quantitative Mass Spectrometry
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A New Approach for the Comparative Analysis of Multiprotein Complexes Based on 15N Metabolic Labeling and Quantitative Mass Spectrometry

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Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

High-Throughput Metabolic Profiling for Model Refinements of Microalgae
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A New Approach for the Comparative Analysis of Multiprotein Complexes Based on 15N Metabolic Labeling and Quantitative Mass Spectrometry
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A New Approach for the Comparative Analysis of Multiprotein Complexes Based on 15N Metabolic Labeling and Quantitative Mass Spectrometry

Published on: March 13, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Plant Biology
  • Agricultural Science
  • Systems Biology

Background:

  • Photosynthesis is fundamental to crop biomass and yield, but its improvement is underutilized as a breeding objective.
  • Enhancing photosynthesis offers substantial potential for increasing crop productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore novel strategies for engineering higher photosynthetic efficiency in crops.
  • To identify optimal engineering options for future climate change scenarios and resource constraints.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a combination of systems modeling and evolutionary algorithms.
  • Conducted in silico examinations of numerous engineering options beyond natural selection's scope.

Main Results:

  • Identified potential engineering strategies for enhanced photosynthetic energy conversion efficiency.
  • Demonstrated the feasibility of optimizing crop improvement under environmental constraints like reduced nitrogen fertilizer.

Conclusions:

  • Systems modeling coupled with evolutionary algorithms provides an efficient approach to engineer higher photosynthesis.
  • This method addresses critical challenges in food security and global climate change by exploring unexplored engineering avenues.