Photosynthesis : Theory and Applications in Energy, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology

Photosynthesis is a metabolic pathway that converts light energy into chemical energy. Its initial substrates are carbon dioxide and water; the energy source is sunlight (electromagnetic radiation); and the end-products are oxygen and (energy-containing) carbohydrates, such as sucrose, glucose or starch. This process is one of the most important biochemical pathways, since nearly all life on Earth either directly or indirectly depends on it as a source of energy. It is a complex process occurring in plants, algae, as well as bacteria such as cyanobacteria. This book presents the latest research in the field with special emphasis on energy, biotechnology and nanotechnology.

Preface; Highly Efficient Light-Harvesting Nano- and Biomaterials: Material Design and New Laser Spectroscopy; The FK506-Binding Proteins (FKBPs) of the Thylakoid: Emerging Roles in Plant Photosynthesis; Thylakoid Protein Phosphorylation and Its Impact on Short- and Long-Term Acclimation of Photosynthesis; Impact of Root-Zone Temperature on Photosynthetic Efficiency of Aeroponically Grown Temperate and Subtropical Vegetable Crops in the Tropics; Photosynthesis of Methane and Hydrogen through Catalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide with Water; Two Closed-Coil Photobioreactors Operating at High Dean Number in Dense Algal Cultures; Synthetic Models of Photosynthetic Water Oxidizing Complex (OEC): O2 Evolution from Water by Heterogeneous Manganese-Oxo Complexes; Multiplicity of NDH-1 Complexes in Cyanobacteria; Natural Product Biosynthetic Gene Cluster from Cyanobacteria; Index.