A term that is being discussed more and more in recent years is photobiont. This term describes the type of plant that uses chlorophyll to capture light energy and produce ATP.
Chlorophyll is a molecule responsible for the green coloration in plants. Chlorophyll contains magnesium, carbon, and nitrogen, and it includes a magnesium atom which acts as the center ring in a benzene ring structure.
When light energy (typically in the form of sunlight) enters a chlorophyll-containing plant, it triggers a series of reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (also known as sugar). This process is known as photosynthesis.
The process of photosynthesis occurs in two stages: The first stage is called photophosphorylation, which occurs when light energy is captured by chlorophyll. The second stage is called cyclic photophosphorylation, which occurs when light energy captured by chlorophyll results in the production of ATP.
Two-step process
Chlorophyll molecules in plants use the energy from sunlight to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through a process called photophosphorylation.
This process involves two steps: the capture of light energy and the transfer of chemical energy. In the first step, light energy is captured by chlorophyll molecules in the cell structure called chloroplast.
In the second step, this chemical energy is transferred to an intermediate compound called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). This transfer occurs through a series of reactions that happen within the cell’s inner membrane.
Once NAD has been synthesized, it undergoes a series of reactions that result in the synthesis of ATP. As explained above, there are two steps in this process: capture of chemical energy and its subsequent transfer.
Carbon dioxide + water + light energy = sugar + oxygen
The term that describes the production of ATP as a result of the capture of light energy by chlorophyll is photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a process used by plants to produce glucose from carbon dioxide and water.
Plants use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into chemical energy. This process occurs in two stages: carbon fixation and sugar synthesis.
In the first stage, known as carbon fixation, glucose is produced when chlorophyll in plant cells uses sunlight and water to convert carbon dioxide into glucose. This process is called photophosphorylation, which refers to the production of phosphorylated compounds due to light exposure.
The second stage of photosynthesis occurs when glucose is synthesized into other compounds, such as glycine or sucrose. These compounds are used by plants for growth and development.
Photosystem I
Photosystem I is the first photosystem in the series of events that lead to ATP production through light capture by chlorophyll.
Photosystem I consists of a complex of several types of chlorophyll, a special type of pigment found only in plants. Chlorophylls are named for the plant they are found in, such as algae or grass.
The function of Photosystem I is to receive energy from light and transfer this energy to Photosystem II. It does this by using a reaction center, which is a tightly packed set of molecules that interact with each other to carry out a specific process.
The process that occurs in the reaction center is the activation of an electron. This happens when light energy hits the center, causing an electron to become energized and moved to another molecule. This molecule then receives this new energy, which it uses to be re-oxidized and form water.
Photosystem II
A second photosystem exists in plants, called Photosystem II. This photosystem is responsible for oxidizing water (H2O) into oxygen (O2) and glucose. Glucose is also known as sugar.
Photosystem II is unique in the way it captures light energy. It uses a protein called plastocyanin instead of cytochrome b-559 to transfer electrons.
Interestingly, scientists have discovered that plants produce a third photosystem! This photosystem is still being researched, but it appears to be connected to the production of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, a source of chemical energy used by cells.
Research is being done on how to use this third photosystem to produce more ATP, perhaps for use in bioenergy systems.
Chlorophyll a molecule
Chlorophyll is the molecule that captures light energy in photosynthesis. During the process of converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, known as photosynthesis, chlorophyll plays an important role.
Chlorophyll is a large molecule that contains magnesium, nitrogen, and carbon. Magnesium is present in chlorophyll a and b, while nitrogen and carbon are present in all forms of chlorophyll.
There are two types of chlorophyll: one that has an atom of hydrogen (chlorophyll a) or none (chlorophyl b). These differences in compound do not affect the way it functions. Both types of chlorophyl perform the same function: capturing light energy during photosynthesis.
The difference is simply how long the molecule lasts.
Pyrrole ring
In the last few years, a new term has emerged in the world of photosynthesis: Pyrrole ring. This name was given to describe the molecule that captures light energy and results in ATP production.
Not only is this name interesting because it references a chemical structure, but it is also important because it highlights the fact that this new molecule is made of rings, specifically a pyrrole ring.
The pyrrole ring is a five-membered aromatic ring. Aromatic rings are common structures found in organic molecules. They are characterized by having two unfilled pairs of electrons on the outside of the ring. These electrons interact and organize in ways that give the compound properties like smell.
By recognizing the importance of this new molecule in photosynthesis and identifying it by its structural component, scientists are furthering knowledge about chlorophyll and photosynthetic organisms.
Quinone molecule
The term used to describe ATP production resulting from the capture of light energy by chlorophyll is photoautotrophy. This term comes from the Greek words photos, meaning light, autotrophy, meaning self-feeding, and trophy, meaning nutrition.
Autotrophy refers to organisms that use inorganic molecules or molecules obtained from other organisms to produce energy required for life processes. In other words, they derive energy for life processes from inside sources or outside sources.
Photoautotrophs are organisms that use light as a source of energy to produce ATP. These organisms include algae and some bacteria. Phototrophs comes from the Greek word photos, meaning light.
To understand photoautotrophy further, you need to understand two things: how chlorophyll captures light energy and how this captured energy is used to produce ATP.
