Researchers successfully simulate photosynthesis and design a better leaf
Illinois researchers have built a better plant, one that produces more leaves and fruit without needing extra fertilizer. The researchers accomplished this feat using a computer model that mimics the process of evolution.
Photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy in plants, algae, phytoplankton and some species of bacteria and archaea. Photosynthesis in plants involves an elaborate array of chemical reactions requiring dozens of protein enzymes and other chemical components. Most photosynthesis occurs in a plant’s leaves.
“The question we wanted to ask, was, ‘Can we do better than the plant, in terms of productivity?’ ” said principal investigator Steve Long, a professor of plant biology and crop sciences at the University of Illinois
Theirs is the first model to simulate every step of the photosynthetic process. This is a real breakthrough in my opinion, possibly deserving a Nobel prize, that will stimulate agricultural research and innovation for years to come.
The research findings appear in the October issue of Plant Physiology, and were presented yesterday at the BIO-Asia 2007 Conference in Bangkok, Thailand.
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