From Sea to Soil: Molecular Changes Suggest How Algae Evolved Into Plants

From sea to soil: Molecular changes suggest how algae evolved into plants

Before plants evolved, vegetative life consisted of primitive green algae living in the sea. Like plants, these algae survived by performing photosynthesis, turning sunlight into energy. However, little light reaches the ocean where algae live; therefore, they evolved specialized organs to grab what little is available.

From Ocean to Earth: Molecular Insights Reveal Algae’s Evolution into

In the vast expanse of life’s evolutionary history, the transition from aquatic photosynthetic organisms to land plants represents a crucial leap. Recent research from Osaka Metropolitan University provides compelling insights into this pivotal change through the structural and functional study of a light-harvesting complex unique to primitive green algae. This study unravels how photosynthetic machinery has evolved to adapt from the dimly lit u…