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Article: Shedding light on photosynthesis. (use of genetic engineering to study photosynthesis)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- November 5, 1988
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1988 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Shedding light on photosynthesis
Scientists have succeeded in using genetic engineering to study the first steps of photosynthesis, an achievement that should speed understanding of how plants and bacteria change light energy to chemical energy.
The researchers used recombinant DNA technology to change a specific amino acid in a protein that forms part of the "reaction center" where photosynthesis begins in bacteria. The method allows scientists to tinker with a few key parts of the reaction center and then use ultrafast lasers to analyze how these changes affect photosynthesis, they report in the October PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ...