Photosynthesis News and Research

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Photosynthesis is a chemical process by which plants, some bacteria, and algae convert energy derived from sunlight to chemical energy. This is an important process for biological life on earth because it allows energy from sunlight to be harnessed and transferred into a form that can be utilized by organisms to fuel their activity.

The Secrets of Toxic Algal Blooms: A Deep Dive into Prorocentrum cordatum's Cell Biology

Professor Dr Ralf Rabus of the University of Oldenburg has carried out the first comprehensive analyses of the peculiar cell biology of Prorocentrum cordatum, a globally distributed species of the dinoflagellates group.

6 Mar 2024

New Therapeutic Devices for Diseases with ‘Internet of Life’

Although an electronic gadget and E. coli bacteria might not seem to have much in common, University of Maryland researchers recently connected them to create the first closed-loop system capable of communication across the technological and biological divide.

6 Mar 2024

3D Visualizations of the Copying Machinery Found in Chloroplasts

Plants have to carry out photosynthesis and ultimately synthesize oxygen and chemical energy with the assistance of sunlight to support life on Earth.

4 Mar 2024

Cyanobacteria as a Key Ingredient in Sustainable Protein-Rich Foods

We all know that we ought to eat less meat and cheese and dig into more plant-based foods. But whilst perusing the supermarket cold display and having to choose between animal-based foods and more climate-friendly alternative proteins, our voices of reason don't always win.

28 Feb 2024

Researchers Achieve Breakthrough in Sustainable Fumaric Acid Production for Biodegradable Plastics

Amid growing global concern over climate change and plastic pollution, researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University are making great strides in the sustainable production of fumaric acid – a component of biodegradable plastics such as polybutylene succinate, which is commonly used for food packaging.

19 Feb 2024

Scientists Crack Protein's Charge Transport Secret

Energy is needed for the function of cells. It is now possible for researchers at the University of Gothenburg to describe how energy is directed by small atomic movements within the cell to arrive at its location in the protein.

16 Feb 2024

Nanopore Sequencing Sheds Light on Plant Growth Trigger

Researchers from the Southern University of Science and Technology, under the direction of Prof. Xiaofeng Cao from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, recently reported a new understanding of how light affects plant growth in a study that was published in the PNAS.

5 Feb 2024

Enhancing Photosynthesis Modulating Chlorophyll for Improved Crop Efficiency

Plants have evolved to have high chlorophyll levels in their leaves because chlorophyll is essential to photosynthesis.

4 Jan 2024

Breakthrough in Synthetic Biology: Researchers Build Artificial CO2-Fixing Pathway

Synthetic biology offers the opportunity to build biochemical pathways for the capture and conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2).

3 Jan 2024

Deep-Sea Vent Bacterium Sheds Light on Evolutionary Journey

A new bacterial species discovered at the deep-sea hydrothermal vent site 'Crab Spa' provides a deeper understanding of bacterial evolution.

1 Dec 2023

Conserved Pathways and Evolutionary Transitions in Campylobacteria

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents function as underwater hot springs situated on the ocean floor. Within these vents, seawater infiltrates the ocean crust, undergoes heating, and ascends to the seafloor surface, carrying dissolved nutrients with it.

30 Nov 2023

Fluorescence-Based Actinometers Enable Precise and Versatile Light Intensity Measurements

Accurate measurements of light intensity provide vital data for scientists and everyday applications.

28 Nov 2023

Where Does the Light Come From? Optical Properties Allow Plants to “See” Light

An innovative study led by Professor Christian Fankhauser at UNIL and colleagues at EPFL has combined expertise in biology and engineering to reveal that a light-sensitive plant tissue uses the optical properties of the air-water interface to create a light gradient that is ‘visible’ to the plant.

24 Nov 2023

Genetics can Improve the Diagnostic Value of Cyanobacterial Biomarkers

Cyanobacteria are a key species in Earth's history, as they introduced atmospheric oxygen for the first time. The analysis of their evolution therefore provides important insights into the formation of modern aerobic ecosystems.

30 Oct 2023

Engineered Enzymes Show Promise for Converting Grass Biomass Into Biofuels

Plant biologists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have engineered enzymes to modify grass plants so their biomass can be more efficiently converted into biofuels and other bioproducts.

30 Oct 2023

Role of Chloroplasts’ Dual Function From Photosynthesis to Immune Defense

For a long period, scientists have been aware of chloroplasts' role in converting solar energy into plant food.

26 Oct 2023

Understanding Critical Stress Limits Can Help Conservationists to Better Protect Plants

Now is the time to identify the conditions that cause plants to die. Doing so will allow us to better protect plants by choosing conservation targets more strategically, UC Riverside botanists argue in a new paper.

18 Oct 2023

Molecular Responses of Tomatoes to Chilling Stress

Cold sensitivity is a severe concern for several critical crops.

13 Oct 2023

Research Develops a Comprehensive Spatial Atlas of Proteins in the Chloroplast

Plants and algae convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. This process is vital for life on Earth and provides us with oxygen, food, fuels, and other valuable products.

6 Oct 2023

New Synthetic Biology Approach Offers Promise for Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases

Researchers at the University of Cologne's CECAD Cluster of Excellence for Aging Research and the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence for Plant Sciences have found a promising synthetic plant biology approach for the development of a therapy to treat human neurodegenerative diseases, especially Huntington's disease.

3 Oct 2023