The emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis was a major event in Earth’s evolutionary history and was facilitated by chlorophylls (a major category of photopigments).
Photosynthesis
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Plant Biology, Status Report
Photosynthesis Under A Red Sun: Predicting The Absorption Characteristics Of An Extraterrestrial Light-harvesting Antenna
Here we discuss the feasibility of photosynthesis on Earth-like rocky planets in close orbit around ultra-cool red dwarf stars. Stars of this type have very limited emission in the photosynthetically […]
Posted inBiophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Habitable Zones, Plant Biology, Status Report
Thermodynamic Limits On Oxygenic Photosynthesis Around M-dwarf Stars: Generalized Models And Strategies For Optimization
We explore the feasibility and potential characteristics of photosynthetic light-harvesting on exo-planets orbiting in the habitable zone of low mass stars (<1 M⊙).
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Plant Biology, Space Agriculture, Space Life Science, Status Report
Growth and Photosynthetic Efficiency of Microalgae and Plants with Different Levels of Complexity Exposed to a Simulated M-Dwarf Starlight
Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms (OPOs) are primary producers on Earth and generate surface and atmospheric biosignatures, making them ideal targets to search for life from remote on Earth-like exoplanets orbiting stars […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Plant Biology, Space Agriculture, Status Report
Photosynthesis Under a Red Sun: Predicting The Absorption Characteristics Of An Extraterrestrial light-harvesting Antenna
Here we discuss the feasibility of photosynthesis on Earth-like rocky planets in close orbit around ultra-cool red dwarf stars.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Plant Biology, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1
Oxygenic Photosynthetic Responses Of Cyanobacteria Exposed Under An M-dwarf Starlight Simulator: Implications For Exoplanet’s Habitability
Introduction: The search for life on distant exoplanets is expected to rely on atmospheric biosignatures detection, such as oxygen of biological origin.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
World First Study Sheds Light On Why Microbes In The Deep Ocean Live Without Sunlight
A world first study reverses the idea that the bulk of life in the ocean is fuelled by photosynthesis via sunshine, revealing that many ocean microbes in fact get their […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Plant Biology, Status Report
A New Definition of Exoplanet Habitability: Introducing the Photosynthetic Habitable Zone
It may be possible to detect biosignatures of photosynthesis in an exoplanet’s atmosphere. However, such a detection would likely require a dedicated study, occupying a large amount of telescope time.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Plant Biology, Press Release, TRAPPIST-1
Photosynthetic Fluorescence From Earth-Like Planets Around Sun-Like Aand Cool Stars
Remote sensing of the Earth has demonstrated that photosynthesis is traceable as the vegetation red edge (VRE), which is the steep rise in the reflection spectrum of vegetation, and as […]
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Plant Biology, Press Release
Photosynthesis on Earth: Evolution Of Increased Complexity And Specificity At The Dawn Of Form I Rubiscos
The evolution of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenases (Rubiscos) that discriminate strongly between their substrate carbon dioxide and the undesired side substrate dioxygen was an important event for photosynthetic organisms adapting to an […]