NOTE: If you want one of these papers, ask Mr C. He will get them for you.
- Bazzazz, F. A., and E. D. Fajer. Plant Life in a CO2-Rich World. Scientific American, January 1992.
How will increasing atmospheric CO2 and global warming affect the relative success of C3 and C4 plants?
- Ben-Shem, A., F. Frolow, and N. Nelson. Crystal structure of plant photosystem I. Nature, December 11, 2003.
This paper describes the molecular structure of one of the two major photosynthetic systems responsible for harnessing the energy of sunlight and converting it into a chemically usable form. Although this complex had been described for cyanobacteria, this is the first such description for higher plants.
- Caldwell, M. The Amazing All-Natural Light Machine. Discover, December 1995. Discusses the elegant and efficient antenna complexes of a photosynthetic prokaryote.
- Cerullo, G., et al. Photosynthetic Light Harvesting by Carotenoids: Detection of an Intermediate Excited State. Science, December 20, 2002.
Presents the first direct evidence for the mechanism by which carotenoids in the photosystem pass energy to chlorophylls in the first steps of photosynthesis.
- Demmig-Adams, B., and W. W. Adams III. Harvesting Sunlight Safely. Nature, January 27, 2000.
The carotenoid molecules of photosynthetic organisms help protect them against dangerous excess energy from the sun. Researchers have recently discovered a particular protein within the light-harvesting complexes of the chloroplast that plays a critical role in disposing of this excess energy.
- Demmig-Adams, B., and W. W. Adams III. Antioxidants in Photosynthesis and Human Nutrition. Science, December 13, 2002.
Protective compounds in plants prevent damage to plant cells caused by excess energy, and many of these compounds are beneficial to human cells as well. Thus, improving plant resistance to stress may also improve the nutritional quality of plants in the human diet.
- Falkowski, P. G. The Ocean's Invisible Forest. Scientific American, August 2002.
Photosynthesis by marine phytoplankton helps regulate Earth's climate and might be used to combat global warming.
- Galston, A. W. Photosynthesis as a Basis for Life Support on Earth and in Space. Bioscience, July-August 1992.
Plants in space.
- Govindjee and W. J. Coleman. How Plants Make Oxygen. Scientific American, February 1990.
The basics of the light reactions.
- Hendry, G. Oxygen, the Great Destroyer. Natural History, August 1992.
Explores photorespiration and other problems associated with an oxygen-rich atmosphere.
- Kawai, H., et al. Responses of Ferns to Red Light Are Mediated by an Unconventional Photoreceptor. Science, January 16, 2003.
A newly discovered photoreceptor is described that allows ferns to maximize reception of light energy in the low-light conditions under the forest canopy.
- Riebesell, U. Carbon Fix for a Diatom. Nature, October 26, 2000.
Researchers have found a marine alga, a diatom, that uses the C4 pathway of carbon fixation previously known only in land plants.
- Xiong, J., W. M. Fischer, K. Inoue, M. Nakahara, and C. E. Bauer. Molecular Evidence for the Early Evolution of Photosynthesis. Science, September 8, 2000.
From studying the DNA sequences of photosynthesis genes from several bacteria, researches have found evidence that ancestors of today's "purple bacteria" were the earliest photosynthesizers.
