Photosynthetic Plasticity: From the Environment to Synthetic Systems

Photosynthesis is a process in which the energy of sunlight is captured to oxidize H₂O and to generate chemical bond energy in the form of ATP and reducing equivalents that can be used to fix inorganic carbon (CO₂). But photosynthesis is continually being tailored over evolutionary time to function in different environments ranging from the near boiling waters of the hot springs to the frigid conditions of the arctic tundra, and to adjust or acclimate as conditions in a given environment fluctuate. In this GRC we are exploring photosynthetic mechanisms with a focus on the dynamic nature of this process, the ways in which it has adjusted to markedly different environmental conditions and potential ways it can be used to support the activities of man.