[Queen Mary University of London] Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that tiny photosynthetic bacteria band together into protective “herds” when attacked by predators – a survival […]
Photosynthesis
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry
Discovery: Oxygenic Photosynthesis Is Possible With Only One Photosystem
[Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München] LMU researchers demonstrate that oxygenic photosynthesis can occur with only a single photosystem, overturning a fundamental principle of biology.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology
White Paper On Phototrophic Biosignatures: Research Priorities For The Search For Life On Other Worlds
[astro-ph.IM] Photosynthesis is of prime interest in the telescopic search for life beyond the Solar System, because, on Earth, oxygenic photosynthesis produces two strong “biosignatures,” global scale signs of life […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry
Unraveling The Building Blocks Of Earth’s Pigments
[Ohio State] Although they are some of the most widespread substances on Earth, not much is known about eumelanin, or natural organic matter (NOM) — a dark-colored substance formed by […]
Posted inUncategorized
An Agnostic Machine Learning Model of Photosynthetic Habitability
The search for exoplanet biosignatures is guided by whether planetary environments can sustain photosynthesis.
Posted inBiophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Plant Biology, Press Release
The Big Bang Of Plant life: Discovery Sheds Light On How Cells Form Walls
Cell walls are a crucial structure of plant life, protecting cells from damage, giving plants shape, and containing energy-rich nutrients. And yet the process of how the walls begin to […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Cryobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Panspermia, Press Release, Radiation, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors
Responses of Cyanobacterial Crusts and Microbial Communities to Extreme Environments of the Stratosphere
How microbial communities respond to extreme conditions in the stratosphere remains unclear.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Plant Biology, Status Report
Is Constitutive Red-shift An Advantage For Oxygenic Photosynthesis Under M-dwarf Starlight? Insights From Acaryochloris marina sp. str. Moss Beach
In the next years, several space missions will search for evidence of life on exoplanets, focusing on robust biosignatures associated with oxygenic photosynthesis, including atmospheric oxygen accumulation and the Vegetation […]
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Press Release
Anabaena Learns A New Trick – Cyanobacteria Surprise Scientists With Evolutionary Shift
Photosynthetic bacteria helped shape Planet Earth. Among them are cyanobacteria that produced the oxygen in our atmosphere and made complex life possible, captivating scientists for decades. Now, researchers at the […]
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Plant Biology, Press Release, Space Agriculture, Space Life Science
Stolen Chloroplasts Maintained By Host-made Proteins Offer Clues To Plant Cell Origins
Every plant cell is the product of a biological merger billions of years ago. Chloroplasts are key structures in plants and algae that capture sunlight, but originally they were free-living […]