The DOI matches its Crossref record; 87 of the 88 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Solar energy conversion efficiencies in photosynthesis: Minimizing the chlorophyll antennae to maximize efficiency
Open accessAbstract
The theoretical maxima of solar energy conversion efficiencies and productivities in oxygenic photosynthesis are evaluated. These are contrasted with actual measurements in a variety of photosynthetic organisms, including green microalgae, cyanobacteria, C4 and C3 plants. Minimizing, or truncating, the chlorophyll antenna size of the photosystems can improve photosynthetic solar energy conversion efficiency and productivity up to 3-fold. Generation of truncated light-harvesting chlorophyll antenna size (tla) strains, in all classes of photosynthetic organisms would help to alleviate excess absorption of sunlight and the ensuing wasteful dissipation of excitation energy, and to maximize solar-to-product energy conversion efficiency and photosynthetic productivity in high-density mass cultivations. The tla concept may find application in the commercial exploitation of microalgae and plants for the generation of biomass, biofuels, chemical feedstocks, as well as nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Microalgae are rapidly growing photosynthetic organisms having potential of transforming 9–10% of solar energy (average sunlight irradiance) into biomass with a theoretical yield of about 77 g/biomass/m2/day which is about 280 ton/ha/year [13, 14].”
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
Light and photosynthesis in aquatic ecosystems
Kirk, J. T. O. (1994) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511623370 · Cited by 4,666
Climate and the efficiency of crop production in Britain
Monteith, J. L. (1977) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. B, Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.1977.0140 · Cited by 3,484
Bj�rkman, O., & Demmig, B. (1987) · Planta · doi:10.1007/bf00402983 · Cited by 2,514
PHOTOPROTECTION REVISITED:Genetic and Molecular Approaches
Niyogi, K. (1999) · Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology · doi:10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.333 · Cited by 1,937
Peters, J. W. (1998) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.282.5395.1853 · Cited by 1,891
Photoinhibition of Photosynthesis Induced by Visible Light
Powles, S. B. (1984) · Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology · doi:10.1146/annurev.pp.35.060184.000311 · Cited by 1,876
Can improvement in photosynthesis increase crop yields?
LONG, S. P., ZHU, X., NAIDU, S. L., & ORT, D. R. (2006) · Plant, Cell & Environment · doi:10.1111/j.1365-3040.2005.01493.x · Cited by 1,586
Lewandowski, I., Scurlock, J. M. O., Lindvall, E., & Christou, M. (2003) · Biomass and Bioenergy · doi:10.1016/s0961-9534(03)00030-8 · Cited by 1,360
What is the maximum efficiency with which photosynthesis can convert solar energy into biomass?
Zhu, X.-G., Long, S. P., & Ort, D. R. (2008) · Current Opinion in Biotechnology · doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2008.02.004 · Cited by 1,145
Kitajima, M., & Butler, W. L. (1975) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics · doi:10.1016/0005-2728(75)90209-1 · Cited by 1,143
High-frequency nuclear transformation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
Kindle, K. L. (1990) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.87.3.1228 · Cited by 1,097
The Chlamydomonas sourcebook: a comprehensive guide to biology and laboratory use
(1990) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.27-2713 · Cited by 1,075
Net energy of cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass
Schmer, M. R., Vogel, K. P., Mitchell, R. B., & Perrin, R. K. (2008) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.0704767105 · Cited by 1,067
Meeting US biofuel goals with less land: the potential of Miscanthus
HEATON, E. A., DOHLEMAN, F. G., & LONG, S. P. (2008) · Global Change Biology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01662.x · Cited by 886
Melis, A. (1999) · Trends in Plant Science · doi:10.1016/s1360-1385(99)01387-4 · Cited by 757
Self-citationAquatic phototrophs: efficient alternatives to land-based crops for biofuels
Dismukes, G. C., Carrieri, D., Bennette, N., Ananyev, G. M., & Posewitz, M. C. (2008) · Current Opinion in Biotechnology · doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2008.05.007 · Cited by 733
Meeting US biofuel goals with less land: the potential of Miscanthus
Rank, F., & Gregory, W. F. (2008) · Cited by 684
Escoubas, J.-M., Lomas, M. W., LaRoche, J., & Falkowski, P. G. (1995) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.92.22.10237 · Cited by 662
Hydrogen Production. Green Algae as a Source of Energy
Melis, A., & Happe, T. (2001) · Plant Physiology · doi:10.1104/pp.010498 · Cited by 655
Self-citationDynamics of photosynthetic membrane composition and function
Melis, A. (1991) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics · doi:10.1016/s0005-2728(05)80225-7 · Cited by 513
Self-citationDifference spectra and extinction coefficients of P700
Hiyama, T., & Ke, B. (1972) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics · doi:10.1016/0005-2728(72)90147-8 · Cited by 486
Light and photosynthesis in aquatic ecosystems
Bunt, J. S. (1995) · Aquatic Botany · doi:10.1016/0304-3770(95)90010-1 · Cited by 473
Algal Culture from Laboratory to Pilot Plant
(1953) · AIBS Bulletin · doi:10.1093/aibsbulletin/3.5.11 · Cited by 457
The Chlamydomonas sourcebook. A comprehensive guide to biology and laboratory use
Coleman, A. W. (1990) · Trends in Genetics · doi:10.1016/0168-9525(90)90080-p · Cited by 447
Two Photochemical Systems in Photosynthesis
Duysens, L. N. M., Amesz, J., & KAMP, B. M. (1961) · Nature · doi:10.1038/190510a0 · Cited by 379
Stable nuclear transformation of Chlamydomonas using the Chlamydomonas gene for nitrate reductase.
Kindle, K. L., Schnell, R. A., Fernández, E., & Lefebvre, P. A. (1989) · The Journal of cell biology · doi:10.1083/jcb.109.6.2589 · Cited by 378
Engineering photosynthetic light capture: impacts on improved solar energy to biomass conversion
Mussgnug, J. H., Thomas‐Hall, S. R., Rupprecht, J., Foo, A., Классен, В., McDowall, A. W., Schenk, P. M., Kruse, O., & Hankamer, B. D. (2007) · Plant Biotechnology Journal · doi:10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00285.x · Cited by 373
Algal culture from laboratory to pilot plant.
Burlew, J. S. (1953) · Biodiversity Heritage Library (Smithsonian Institution) · Cited by 340
Toward an Understanding of the Mechanism of Nonphotochemical Quenching in Green Plants
Holt, N. E., Fleming, G. R., & Niyogi, K. (2004) · Biochemistry · doi:10.1021/bi0494020 · Cited by 320
van Gorkom, H. J. (1974) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics · doi:10.1016/0005-2728(74)90081-4 · Cited by 286
Photosynthetic H2 metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (unicellular green algae)
Melis, A. (2007) · Planta · doi:10.1007/s00425-007-0609-9 · Cited by 276
Self-citationFlorin, L., Tsokoglou, A., & Happe, T. (2001) · Journal of Biological Chemistry · doi:10.1074/jbc.m008470200 · Cited by 274
Melis, A., Neidhardt, J., & Benemann, J. R. (1998) · Journal of Applied Phycology · doi:10.1023/a:1008076231267 · Cited by 269
Self-citationLey, A. C., & Mauzerall, D. C. (1982) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics · doi:10.1016/0005-2728(82)90320-6 · Cited by 263
Polle, J. E. W., Kanakagiri, S.-D., & Melis, A. (2003) · Planta · doi:10.1007/s00425-002-0968-1 · Cited by 262
Self-citationCloning of flagellar genes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by DNA insertional mutagenesis.
Tam, L., & Lefebvre, P. A. (1993) · Genetics · doi:10.1093/genetics/135.2.375 · Cited by 255
The biotechnology of cultivating the halotolerant algaDunaliella
Ben‐Amotz, A., & Avron, M. (1990) · Trends in biotechnology · doi:10.1016/0167-7799(90)90152-n · Cited by 251
Commercial production of microalgae in the Asia-Pacific rim
Lee, Y.-K. (1997) · Journal of Applied Phycology · doi:10.1023/a:1007900423275 · Cited by 245
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology.
Satterfield, C. N. (1958) · Journal of the American Chemical Society · doi:10.1021/ja01546a082 · Cited by 236
Melis, A., & Anderson, J. M. (1983) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics · doi:10.1016/0005-2728(83)90108-1 · Cited by 204
Self-citationMaxwell, D. P., Falk, S., & Huner, N. (1995) · PLANT PHYSIOLOGY · doi:10.1104/pp.107.3.687 · Cited by 197
A nomenclature for the genes encoding the chlorophylla/b-binding proteins of higher plants
Jansson, S., Pichersky, E., Bassi, R., Green, B. R., Ikeuchi, M., Melis, A., Simpson, D. J. W., Spangfort, M. D., Staehelin, L. A., & Thornber, J. P. (1992) · Plant Molecular Biology Reporter · doi:10.1007/bf02668357 · Cited by 188
Self-citationDavies, J. P., Yildiz, F. H., & Grossman, A. R. (1996) · The EMBO Journal · doi:10.1002/j.1460-2075.1996.tb00568.x · Cited by 187
THE MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS *
Bolton, J. R., & Hall, D. O. (1991) · Photochemistry and Photobiology · doi:10.1111/j.1751-1097.1991.tb03668.x · Cited by 156
Plants lacking the main light-harvesting complex retain photosystem II macro-organization
Ruban, A. V., Wentworth, M., Yakushevska, A. E., Andersson, J., Lee, P. J., Keegstra, W., Dekker, J. P., Boekema, E. J., Jansson, S., & Horton, P. (2003) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature01344 · Cited by 156
Neidhardt, J., Benemann, J. R., Zhang, L., & Melis, A. (1998) · Photosynthesis Research · doi:10.1023/a:1006024827225 · Cited by 152
Self-citationMussgnug, J. H., Wobbe, L., Ingolf, E., Claus, C., Hamilton, M., Fink, A., Kahmann, U., Kapazoglou, A., Mullineaux, C. W., Hippler, M., et al. (2005) · The Plant Cell · doi:10.1105/tpc.105.035774 · Cited by 145
Polle, J. E. W., Benemann, J. R., Tanaka, A., & Melis, A. (2000) · Planta · doi:10.1007/s004250000279 · Cited by 134
Self-citationBiomass Productivities in Wild Type and Pigment Mutant of Cyclotella sp. (Diatom)
Huesemann, M. H., Hausmann, T. S., Bartha, R., Aksoy, M., Weissman, J. C., & Benemann, J. R. (2009) · Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology · doi:10.1007/s12010-008-8298-9 · Cited by 133
Loeblich, L. A. (1982) · Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom · doi:10.1017/s0025315400019706 · Cited by 131
Masuda, T., Tanaka, A., & Melis, A. (2003) · Plant Molecular Biology · doi:10.1023/a:1022545118212 · Cited by 126
Self-citationAquatic biomass and carbon dioxide trapping
Brown, L. M., & Zeiler, K. G. (1993) · Energy Conversion and Management · doi:10.1016/0196-8904(93)90048-f · Cited by 123
Mutants of Chlamydomonas with Aberrant Responses to Sulfur Deprivation.
Davies, J. P., Yildiz, F., & Grossman, A. R. (1994) · The Plant Cell · doi:10.1105/tpc.6.1.53 · Cited by 118
The maximum efficiency of photosynthesis.
Warburg, O. H., & Burk, D. (1950) · PubMed · Cited by 118
Falbel, T. G., Meehl, J. B., & Staehelin, L. A. (1996) · PLANT PHYSIOLOGY · doi:10.1104/pp.112.2.821 · Cited by 107
Polle, J. E. W., Niyogi, K., & Melis, A. (2001) · Plant and Cell Physiology · doi:10.1093/pcp/pce058 · Cited by 107
Self-citationSpectroscopic methods in photosynthesis: photosystem stoichiometry and chlorophyll antenna size
Melis, A. (1989) · Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.1989.0019 · Cited by 103
Self-citationQuantum efficiency and antenna size of Photosystems IIα, IIβ and I in tobacco chloroplasts
Thielen, A. P. G. M., & van Gorkom, H. J. (1981) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics · doi:10.1016/0005-2728(81)90012-8 · Cited by 101
Photosynthesis: Limited Yields, Unlimited Dreams
Radmer, R. J., & Kok, B. (1977) · BioScience · doi:10.2307/1297655 · Cited by 98
Nakajima, Y., & Ueda, R. (1997) · Journal of Applied Phycology · doi:10.1023/a:1007920025419 · Cited by 97
Tetali, S. D., Mitra, M., & Melis, A. (2006) · Planta · doi:10.1007/s00425-006-0392-z · Cited by 88
Self-citationMinimum photosynthetic unit size in System I and System II of barley chloroplasts
Glick, R. E., & Melis, A. (1988) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics · doi:10.1016/0005-2728(88)90130-2 · Cited by 84
Self-citationLaRoche, J., Mortain‐Bertrand, A., & Falkowski, P. G. (1991) · PLANT PHYSIOLOGY · doi:10.1104/pp.97.1.147 · Cited by 81
Teramoto, H., Ono, T.-A., & Minagawa, J. (2001) · Plant and Cell Physiology · doi:10.1093/pcp/pce115 · Cited by 81
Nakajima, Y., & Ueda, R. (1999) · Journal of Applied Phycology · doi:10.1023/a:1008015224029 · Cited by 79
Ohtsuka, T., Itô, H., & Tanaka, A. (1997) · PLANT PHYSIOLOGY · doi:10.1104/pp.113.1.137 · Cited by 76
Sukenik, A., Bennett, J. C., & Falkowski, P. G. (1988) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics · doi:10.1016/0005-2728(88)90157-0 · Cited by 73
Nakajima, Y., Tsuzuki, M., & Ueda, R. (2001) · Journal of Applied Phycology · doi:10.1023/a:1011192832502 · Cited by 57
Grobbelaar, J. U. (2007) · Journal of Applied Phycology · doi:10.1007/s10811-007-9172-9 · Cited by 57
Park, S., Khamai, P., García‐Cerdán, J. G., & Melis, A. (2007) · PLANT PHYSIOLOGY · doi:10.1104/pp.107.096396 · Cited by 51
Self-citationPlaying tag with Chlamydomonas
Gumpel, N. J., & Purton, S. (1994) · Trends in Cell Biology · doi:10.1016/0962-8924(94)90222-4 · Cited by 50
Tokutsu, R., Teramoto, H., Takahashi, Y., Ono, T.-A., & Minagawa, J. (2004) · Plant and Cell Physiology · doi:10.1093/pcp/pch013 · Cited by 50
Excitation Energy Transfer: Functional and Dynamic Aspects of Lhc (cab) Proteins
Melis, A. (2005) · Kluwer Academic Publishers eBooks · doi:10.1007/0-306-48127-8_29 · Cited by 47
Self-citationPotential of large-scale algal culture for biomass and lipid production in arid lands
Dubinsky, Z., Berner, T., & Aaronson, S. (1978) · Biotechnol. Bioeng. Symp.; (United States) · Cited by 43
Reduced photoinhibition of a phycocyanin-deficient mutant of Synechocystis PCC 6714
Nakajima, Y., Tsuzuki, M., & Ueda, R. (1998) · Journal of Applied Phycology · doi:10.1023/a:1008049901939 · Cited by 32
Westermeier, R., & Gómez, I. (1996) · Botanica Marina · doi:10.1515/botm.1996.39.1-6.553 · Cited by 31
Biochemical and Photosynthetic Aspects of Energy Production
(1980) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-618980-3.x5001-2 · Cited by 30
Changes of Photosystem Stoichiometry during Cell Growth in Dunaliella salina Cultures
Nauš, J., & Melis, A. (1991) · Plant and Cell Physiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.pcp.a078117 · Cited by 29
Self-citationLee, J. W., Mets, L., & Greenbaum, E. (2002) · Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology · doi:10.1385/abab:98-100:1-9:37 · Cited by 28
Glycerol Production in the Alga Dunaliella
Ben‐Amotz, A. (1980) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-618980-3.50013-8 · Cited by 23
Maximizing photosynthetic efficiencies and hydrogen production in microalga cultures
Polle, J. E. W., Kanakagiri, S., Benemann, J. R., & Melis, A. (2001) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-008043947-1/50010-7 · Cited by 15
Self-citationZhang, L., Niyogi, K., Baroli, I., Nemson, J. A., Grossman, A. R., & Melis, A. (1997) · Photosynthesis Research · doi:10.1023/a:1005867709441 · Cited by 13
Self-citationCARBON CONCENTRATING MECHANISMS IN AQUATIC PHOTOSYNTHETIC ORGANISMS: A REPORT ON CCM 2001
Moroney, J. V. (2001) · Journal of Phycology · doi:10.1046/j.1529-8817.1999.37601-2.x · Cited by 12
Mulloney, J. A. (1993) · Energy Conversion and Management · doi:10.1016/0196-8904(93)90036-a · Cited by 11
Carbon dioxide mitigation measures and options
Nakićenović, N. (1993) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es00047a003 · Cited by 6
Vasquez-Duhalt, R. (1991) · Cryptogamie Algologie · doi:10.5962/p.309308 · Cited by 6
Flagged first, then by citations
1 of the 88 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Khan, M. I., Shin, J. H., & Kim, J. D. (2018) · Microbial Cell Factories · doi:10.1186/s12934-018-0879-x · Cited by 2,082
Improving photosynthetic efficiency for greater yield.
Zhu, X.-G., Long, S. P., & Ort, D. R. (2010) · Annual Review of Plant Biology · doi:10.1146/annurev-arplant-042809-112206 · Cited by 1,902
An outlook on microalgal biofuels
Wijffels, R. H., & Barbosa, M. J. (2010) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1189003 · Cited by 1,886
Comparing Photosynthetic and Photovoltaic Efficiencies and Recognizing the Potential for Improvement
Blankenship, R. E., Tiede, D. M., Barber, J., Brudvig, G. W., Fleming, G., Ghirardi, M., Gunner, M. R., Junge, W., Kramer, D. M., Melis, A., et al. (2011) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1200165 · Cited by 1,638
Self-citationBiodiesel from algae: challenges and prospects
Scott, S. A., Davey, M. P., Dennis, J. S., Horst, I., Howe, C. J., Lea-Smith, D. J., & Smith, A. G. (2010) · Current Opinion in Biotechnology · doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2010.03.005 · Cited by 1,183
Metadata
- Authors
- Melis, A.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Corresponding author
- Melis, Anastasios
- ORCID
- Melis, Anastasios
- Venue
- Plant Science
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-10
- Volume
- 177
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 272-280
- ISSN
- 0168-9452 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2088589945
- Cited by
- 796
- References
- 88
- Citations by year
- 2026: 35 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 63 · 2022: 56 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 56 · 2019: 61 · 2018: 47 · 2017: 49 · 2016: 61 · 2015: 54 · 2014: 44 · 2013: 47 · 2012: 31
- FWCI
- 11.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- escholarship.org
- Locations
- Plant Science (publishedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
- Keywords
- solar energy conversion efficiency, oxygenic photosynthesis, photosynthetic productivity, excitation energy dissipation, microalgae, cyanobacteria, C4 plants, C3 plants, biomass production, biofuels, high-density cultivation
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
