Phtosynthesis (IMAGE)
Caption
During normal photosynthesis, a crucial protein complex known as Photosystem II helps carry out the water-splitting stage of the process but is vulnerable to radical damage in hight intensity light. This has been a key limiting factor in the development of artificial photosynthetic processes to supply human energy needs. The graphic shows a novel microbial electro-photosynthetic system (MEPS). It uses a genetically engineered microbe that lacks Photosystem II and can therefore accommodate significantly high light intensities and continue photosynthetic activity without damage. An electrode is combined with small molecule shuttles, which drive the transport of electrons through these living cells, known as Synechocystis, a genus of unicellular, freshwater cyanobacteria. The work demonstrates an electrochemical system that can drive photosynthetic electron transport, provide a platform for photosynthetic foundational studies, and has the potential for improving photosynthetic performance at high light intensities.
Credit
Graphic by Christine Lewis for JACS
Usage Restrictions
None
License
Original content