《Leaves in the Dark See the Light》.pdfVIP

Leaves in the Dark See the Light Science/AAAS AAAS.ORG Feedback Help Librarians Science Magazine Advanced Nanjing Normal University Alerts Access Rights My Account Sign In News Science Journals Careers Communities Multimedia Topics Subscribe Science Home Current Issue Previous Issues Science Express Science Products My Science About the Journal Home Science Magazine 23 April 1999 Foyer et al., 284 (5414): 599-601 CTSciNet S Prev | Table of Contents | Next Science 23 April 1999: Vol. 284 no. 5414 pp. 599-601 DOI: 10.1126/science.284.5414.599 Perspective PLANT BIOLOGY Leaves in the Dark See the Light /content/284/5414/599.full?sid=5fc1127c-c0e4-4b50-8c0f-8b[2012/1/5 22:59:59] Leaves in the Dark See the Light 1. Christine H. Foyer and 2. Graham Noctor* + Author Affiliations 1. The authors are in the Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, IACR-Rothamsted, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2JQ, UK. E-mail: christine.foyer@bbsrc.ac.uk Photosynthesis—the process by which plants harness the suns energy to generate simple carbon compounds—supports all life on Earth. It is a complex process of successive reduction-oxidation (redox) reactions that use up carbon dioxide and water and produce energy-rich carbohydrate and oxygen as the end products. The evolution of oxygen-giving photosynthesis radically altered Earths atmosphere and enabled the development of aerobic life. Oxygen-consuming organisms, although able to exploit the powerful oxidizing properties of oxygen, are also condemned to exist in the unstable tinderbox atmosphere of 21% O2 . Although photo