Premium
ALGAL MODEL SYSTEMS AND THE ELUCIDATION OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC METABOLISM
Author(s) -
Raven John A.,
GirardBascou Jacqueline
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1046/j.1529-8817.2001.01079.x
Subject(s) - photosynthesis , biology , cyanobacteria , chlorella , botany , algae , chlorella vulgaris , chlamydomonas , mutant , biochemistry , gene , bacteria , genetics
The main impact of algal investigations on a wider understanding of photosynthesis in O 2 evolvers has come about through studies on microalgae. Experiments with flashing light led to the concepts of photo‐ synthetic units and reaction centers. Work on photon yields and the Emerson enhancement effect with fluorescence and spectroscopy, as well as investigations with mutants, were crucial in elaborating and then testing the validity of the Z scheme for light reactions. The carbon reduction (or Calvin) cycle was discovered using 14 C, chromatography, and Chlorella (plus Scenedesmus ). The availability of complete gene sequences for several cyanobacteria and the flowering plant Arabidopsis and very soon for the eukaryotic alga Chlamydomonas permit important advances in our understanding of photosynthesis in all these organisms. Eukaryotic microalgae and cyanobacteria remain advantageous in fundamental photosynthetic studies.