Genomic insights into photosynthesis in eukaryotic phytoplankton.
The evolution of photosynthesis completely altered the biogeochemistry of our planet and permitted the evolution of more complex multicellular organisms. Curiously, terrestrial photosynthesis is carried out largely by green algae and their descendents the higher plants, whereas in the ocean the most abundant photosynthetic eukaryotes are microscopic and have red algal affiliations. Although primary productivity is approximately equal between the land and the ocean, the marine microbes represent less than 1% of the photosynthetic biomass found on land. This review focuses on this highly successful and diverse group of organisms collectively known as phytoplankton and reviews how insights from whole genome analyses have improved our understanding of the novel innovations employed by them to maximize photosynthetic efficiency in variable light environments.
Finazzi
Giovanni
G
Laboratoire de Physiologie Vegetale et Cellulaire, UMR 5168 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives/Université Joseph Fourier, CEA Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble, France.
Moreau
Hervé
H
Bowler
Chris
C
D056890:Eukaryota / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016678:Genome; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010839:Phytoplankton / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*