Microbial Iron Cycling: Mechanisms and Implications

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Description

This lecture explores the microbial iron cycling mechanisms, focusing on the metabolic diversity of iron-reducing microorganisms like Shewanella and Geobacter species. It delves into the intricate processes of Fe(III) reduction, electron shuttles, and iron chelation, shedding light on the remarkable feat of exporting electrons outside the cell. The lecture also discusses the photosynthesis process, emphasizing the different strategies employed by various organisms to capture energy from sunlight.

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https://mediaspace.epfl.ch/media/0_lqbmza7p

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Photosystem

Photosystems are functional and structural units of protein complexes involved in photosynthesis. Together they carry out the primary photochemistry of photosynthesis: the absorption of light and the transfer of energy and electrons. Photosystems are found in the thylakoid membranes of plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. These membranes are located inside the chloroplasts of plants and algae, and in the cytoplasmic membrane of photosynthetic bacteria. There are two kinds of photosystems: PSI and PSII.

Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria (saɪˌænoʊbækˈtɪəri.ə), also called Cyanobacteriota or Cyanophyta, are a phylum of gram-negative bacteria that obtain energy via photosynthesis. The name cyanobacteria refers to their color (), which similarly forms the basis of cyanobacteria's common name, blue-green algae, although they are not usually scientifically classified as algae. They appear to have originated in a freshwater or terrestrial environment.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (genetic variability), species (species diversity), and ecosystem (ecosystem diversity) level. Biodiversity is not distributed evenly on Earth; it is usually greater in the tropics as a result of the warm climate and high primary productivity in the region near the equator. Tropical forest ecosystems cover less than 10% of earth's surface and contain about 90% of the world's species.

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