Questions? Comments? Please contact Dr. Phillip McClean or Christina Johnson.

Flythrough Tour
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CELLULAR PROCESSES
Atp Synthase
Electron Transport Chain
Protein Trafficking
Protein Modification
Protein Recycling
Insulin Signaling
Constitutive Secretion
Regulated Secretion
Mitochondrial Protein Transport
Photosynthesis (Light)
Photosystem II
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MOLECULAR PROCESSES
Transcription
mRNA Processing
mRNA Splicing
Translation
Lac Operon
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HOME > PHOTOSYSTEM II > ADVANCED LOOK > 1.) PHOTOSYSTEM II > 2.) LIGHT > 3.) OXYGEN
Photosystem II: Advanced Look --> 3.) Oxygen

Photosystem II is the photosynthetic complex responsible for producing the oxygen we breathe. It does this by splitting two water molecules into four protons and one molecule of O2. Clicking on each of the thumbnail images will bring up a larger, labeled version of the described scene.

To see the Flash movie for the following sequence of images, click here.

The splitting of water molecules occurs at the oxygen-evolving complex. Here we see the second of two water molecules being split.

Once two molecules of water have been split, one molecule of molecular oxygen (O2) is produced. This final product of the Photosystem II reaction is the oxygen we breathe.