Microbes and Oxygen
The oxygen in our atmosphere is a waste product, but most life on Earth depends on it. In this article in Microbiology Today, my colleague from the University of Leicester Martha Clokie tells us how microbes make this essential gas.
Two features that distinguish planet Earth from all other known planets are the presence of water on its surface and the oxygen in the atmosphere. The oxygen is a waste product of photosynthesis and all higher life on Earth is ultimately dependent on it. The microbial contribution to oxygen in our biosphere is often under-appreciated, but in this article I will discuss how microbes oxygenated and continue to oxygenate our planet. The microbes concerned are cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae. The oceans, where oxygen-producing microbes predominate, can be thought of as forgotten tropical rain forests where at least 50 % of carbon fixation and consequent oxygen production is thought to occur. This article summarizes the evolutionary and natural history of these microbes and focuses on the surprising role of viruses in oxygen production.
Tags: Bacteria, Biology, Environment, Microbiology, Science, Virology
