MatrulloAS275
Lichens (here on rock) Matrullo AS275
1) Endosymbiotic Relationship
Lichens are an example of an endosymbiotic relationship in the organic world - when one organism lives inside of another. In lichens cyanobacteria live within a fungus in a mutually dependent relationship. The cyanobacteria provides glucose to the fungus via photosynthesis and the fungus provides a place to hang out and water and nutrients obtain from the atmosphere to the cyanobacteria.
2)Photosynthesis
The cyanobacteria contains chloroplast, a bacterial based organelle which performs photosynthesis. Embedded in the thylacoid membrane of chloroplast is the pigment chlorophyll which reacts to light from the sun of a certain wavelength. Chlorophyll allows chloroplast to capture solar energy and convert it to glucose via dephosphorylation (where a phosphate atom is removed from adenosine triphosphate to produce adenosine triphosphate).
3)Fungal collection of H2O and nutrients
The fungus in which cyanobacteria exists is collecting water from the atmosphere (rain, fog, mist..) which may wash onto it. Water and nutrients are made available to the cyanobacteria for its survival in exchange for glucose from the cyanobacteria (through photosynthesis). The cyanobacteria also has the ability to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a biologically usable form to support the fungus.
Lichens (here on rock) Matrullo AS275
1) Endosymbiotic Relationship
Lichens are an example of an endosymbiotic relationship in the organic world - when one organism lives inside of another. In lichens cyanobacteria live within a fungus in a mutually dependent relationship. The cyanobacteria provides glucose to the fungus via photosynthesis and the fungus provides a place to hang out and water and nutrients obtain from the atmosphere to the cyanobacteria.
2)Photosynthesis
The cyanobacteria contains chloroplast, a bacterial based organelle which performs photosynthesis. Embedded in the thylacoid membrane of chloroplast is the pigment chlorophyll which reacts to light from the sun of a certain wavelength. Chlorophyll allows chloroplast to capture solar energy and convert it to glucose via dephosphorylation (where a phosphate atom is removed from adenosine triphosphate to produce adenosine triphosphate).
3)Fungal collection of H2O and nutrients
The fungus in which cyanobacteria exists is collecting water from the atmosphere (rain, fog, mist..) which may wash onto it. Water and nutrients are made available to the cyanobacteria for its survival in exchange for glucose from the cyanobacteria (through photosynthesis). The cyanobacteria also has the ability to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a biologically usable form to support the fungus.