Section 11
Phototrophy
By Boundless
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The process of photosynthesis converts light energy to chemical energy, which can be used by organisms for different metabolic processes.
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In multicellular autotrophs, the main cellular structures that allow photosynthesis to take place include chloroplasts, thylakoids, and chlorophyll.
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Light-dependent and light-independent reactions are two successive reactions that occur during photosynthesis.
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Bacteriorhodopsin acts a proton pump, generating cellular energy in a manner independent of chlorophyll.
To aid chlorophylls in the absorption of light not many photosynthetic organisms use carotenoids and phycobilins.
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A facultative phototroph can rely on photosynthesis and alternative energy sources to survive and grow.
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Oxygenic photosynthesis, provides energy to organism and allows for carbon fixation, all the while producing oxygen as a byproduct.
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Photosynthetic reactions can be anoxygenic, thus they do not produce oxygen.