Photosynthesis beyond the visible spectrum detected by a research group from Unipd
07.01.2026
The study titled "Thylakoids reorganization enables driving photosynthesis under far‐red light in the microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana," published in «New Phytologist» and conducted by the research group of Tomas Morosinotto and Nicoletta La Rocca at the University of Padua, discovered that the microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana can grow and photosynthesize using far-red light at 730 nm, a mode not yet described in the literature.
Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms have evolved to exploit visible light (wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm), and until a few years ago, it was believed that light beyond the visible spectrum was not energetic enough to sustain photosynthesis. However, in recent years, some organisms capable of photosynthesizing with far-red radiation (700-750 nm) have been discovered.
"In this work, we have demonstrated that this microalga can use low-energy far-red photons without synthesizing new pigments or specific protein components, as other organisms usually do," explains Elisabetta Liistro, the first author of the study. Photosynthesis under these conditions is supported by a reorganization of the photosynthetic complexes and a modification of the chloroplast membranes, creating large aggregated structures never described before. These modifications improve the distribution and utilization of light.
"The discovery of this new type of acclimation is of extreme interest as it opens up the possibility that there is indeed greater biodiversity in the ability of photosynthetic organisms to adapt to specific environmental conditions such as far-red radiation," says Nicoletta La Rocca. The research suggests that low-energy wavelengths could significantly contribute to photosynthesis in various organisms.
Nannochloropsis gaditana is of great biotechnological interest for the production of biofuels, fatty acids, and omega-3. "From an application perspective, understanding in depth the possibility that even low-energy photons can sustain oxygenic photosynthesis is fundamental to accurately model the carbon cycle and predict crop yields," comments Tomas Morosinotto, highlighting the importance of this discovery for the productivity of cultures in photobioreactors.
The study was funded by the PNRR within the context of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC).
