The mechanism of water splitting in photosynthesis

到达地球的阳光被生活在地表水和陆地上的大量植物和藻类用来驱动光合作用。光合作用对生物圈最基本的贡献之一是其分解水的化学作用产生的气态氧--每年约有3000亿吨O2被释放到大气中。然而，水分裂背后的机制还不是很清楚。我们将使用一系列独特的实验方法来确定光合作用水分解化学的分子机制。对这一反应的理解将为开发高效的生物催化剂从水中生成H2和O2提供分子蓝图。

Sunlight reaching the earth is used by the vast body of plants and algae living in surface waters and on the land to drive photosynthesis. One of the most fundamental contributions that photosynthesis provides to the Biosphere is the gaseous oxygen produced by its water-splitting chemistry - ~300 gigatons of O2 are released into the atmosphere per year. However, the mechanism behind water-splitting is not precisely known. We will use a range of unique experimental approaches to determine the molecular mechanism of the photosynthetic water-splitting chemistry. The understanding of this reaction will provide the molecular blueprint for the development of efficient biocatalysts to generate H2 and O2 from water.