Photorespiration
Videos
Photorespiration refers to a process in plant metabolism where the enzyme RuBisCO oxygenates ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate, wasting some of the energy produced by photosynthesis. The desired reaction is t
Maize uses the C4 pathway, minimizing photorespiration
Overnight graph of CO2 absorbed by a CAM plant
Photosynthesis
Videos
Photosynthesis is a system of biological processes by which photopigment-bearing autotrophic organisms, such as most plants, algae and cyanobacteria, convert light energy—typically from sunlight—into
Photorespiration
…necessary. Certain species of plants or algae have mechanisms to lower the uptake of molecular oxygen by RuBisCO. These are commonly referred to as Carbon Concentrating Mechanisms (CCMs), as they increase the concentration of CO2 so that RuBisCO is less likely to produce glycolate through reaction with O 2. Biochemical CCMs…
Composite image showing the global distribution of photosynthesis, including both oceanic phytoplankton and terrestrial vegetation. Dark red and blue-green indicate regions of high photosynthetic activity in the ocean and on land, respectively.
Plant cells with visible chloroplasts (from a moss, Plagiomnium affine)
Portrait of Jan Baptist van Helmont by Mary Beale, c. 1674
Melvin Calvin works in his photosynthesis laboratory.