Translation of the 4th German edition [of Pflanzenbiochemie].

Front cover; Plant biochemistry; Copyright page; Contents; Preface; Introduction; Chapter 1 A leaf cell consists of several metabolic compartments; 1.1 The cell wall gives the plant cell mechanical stability; 1.2 Vacuoles have multiple functions; 1.3 Plastids have evolved from cyanobacteria; 1.4 Mitochondria also result from endosymbionts; 1.5 Peroxisomes are the site of reactions in which toxic intermediates are formed; 1.6 The endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus form a network for the distribution of biosynthesis products. 1.7 Functionally intact cell organelles can be isolated from plant cells1.8 Various transport processes facilitate the exchange of metabolites between different compartments; 1.9 Translocators catalyze the specific transport of metabolic substrates and products; 1.10 Ion channels have a very high transport capacity; 1.11 Porins consist of <U+00dd>-sheet structures; Further reading; Chapter 2 The use of energy from sunlight by photosynthesis is the basis of life on earth; 2.1 How did photosynthesis start?; 2.2 Pigments capture energy from sunlight. 2.3 Light absorption excites the chlorophyll molecule2.4 An antenna is required to capture light; Further reading; Chapter 3 Photosynthesis is an electron transport process; 3.1 The photosynthetic machinery is constructed from modules; 3.2 A reductant and an oxidant are formed during photosynthesis; 3.3 The basic structure of a photosynthetic reaction center has been resolved by X-ray structure analysis; 3.4 How does a reaction center function?; 3.5 Two photosynthetic reaction centers are arranged in tandem in photosynthesis of algae and plants; 3.6 Water is split by photosystem II. 3.7 The cytochrome-b[sub(6)]/f complex mediates electron transport between photosystem II and photosystem I3.8 Photosystem I reduces NADP[sup(+)]; 3.9 In the absence of other acceptors electrons can be transferred from photosystem I to oxygen; 3.10 Regulatory processes control the distribution of the captured photons between the two photosystems; Further reading; Chapter 4 ATP is generated by photosynthesis; 4.1 A proton gradient serves as an energy-rich intermediate state during ATP synthesis; 4.2 The electron chemical proton gradient can be dissipated by uncouplers to heat. 4.3 H[sup(+)]-ATP synthases from bacteria, chloroplasts, and mitochondria have a common basic structure4.4 The synthesis of ATP is effected by a conformation change of the protein; Further reading; Chapter 5 Mitochondria are the power station of the cell; 5.1 Biological oxidation is preceded by a degradation of substrates to form bound hydrogen and CO[sub(2)]; 5.2 Mitochondria are the sites of cell respiration; 5.3 Degradation of substrates applicable for biological oxidation takes place in the matrix compartment; 5.4 How much energy can be gained by the oxidation of NADH?