Scientists discover key factors in how some algae harness solar energy
Scientists have discovered how diatoms, a type of algae that produces 20% of the Earth's solar energy from oxygen, are used for photosynthesis.
The discovery led by Rutgers University, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could help to develop more efficient and affordable algae-based biofuels and combat climate change due to the burning of fossil fuels.
The oceans and other watercourses are rich in algal energy plants that convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into chemical energy and help remove carbon from the atmosphere. Diatoms are among the most efficient algae species. Their fossil oils are the source of the highest quality oil on Earth.
The team led by Rutgers used a 3D bioimaging tool to reveal for the first time the architecture of proteins known as Photosystem II, which diatoms use to absorb sunlight and power their photosynthesis. They found that each cell contains two sets of these proteins, although only one set is active. The active assembly has a structure associated with pigment proteins, such as green chlorophyll that absorbs light, in an antenna to capture light for photosynthesis. The inactive set has no antenna and does not participate in photosynthesis.
The team led by Dr. Rutgers is working to understand the limits of the power of algae photosynthesis and to harness this power to produce biofuels. Algae store energy in the form of natural oils and, under good conditions, can produce a lot of oil that can be converted into biofuels for cars, trucks, trains and planes, according to the US Department of Energy.
"The next steps are to try to understand the mechanisms that control the dynamics between proteins and support the production of robust biochemical energy," said lead author Wei Dai, assistant professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at the School of Arts and Sciences.
"This would pave the way for further research on the development of more cost-effective biofuels from algae and oil substitution," said Paul G. Falkowski, Professor Emeritus who heads the Laboratory of Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
Scientists from Rutgers, Baylor College of Medicine in Texas and Xiangya Hospital at Central South University in China contributed to this study.
