ABSTRACT
Photosynthesis is a metabolic process by which all photoautotrophic organisms, i.e. photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas sp., Rhodospirillum sp., etc.), cyanobacteria (Spirulina sp., Synechococcus sp., Anabaena sp., etc.) and higher plants, are able to convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of carbohydrates. During oxygenic photosynthesis in cyanobacteria and higher plants, light energy is utilized to transport electrons from water to NADPf with a concomitant evolution of oxygen. The ATP and NADPH generated during this lightdriven process are subsequently used for enzymatic conversion of atmospheric CO, to carbohydrates. Thus, the overall reaction carried out during photosynthesis may be considered to be
6 C Q + 1 2H20 light energy , C6H,,06 + 6 Q + 6H20 (2.1) The site of the light reactions of photosynthesis is the thylakoid membranes.
