Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria, also known as blue green algae are unicellular bacteria that obtain energy from photosynthesis and produces oxygen to support life on earth. They are prokaryotic organisms and have single membrane that capsules Protein, DNA and Mitochondria, except the fact that some species have folds on the external membranes which contain the photosynthesis mechanism. These folds in the external membrane are called thylacoids. Cyanobacteria have a bluish appearance which they obtain from a pigment named as phycocyanin. This blue colored pigment is used to capture light for photosynthesis.
Cyanobacteria break the water molecule into oxygen, proton and electron through photosynthesis. The electron so produced is used as energy source and oxygen is released as byproduct. Many species of cyanobacteria are also able to reduce nitrogen and carbon dioxide under aerobic conditions.
They are found in almost all aquatic ecosystems of the world and are also found in other group of organisms such as lichens, corals, etc. in the form of symbionts.
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Cyanobacteria have played a very important role in the evolution of life on earth as they are the first ever organisms to carry out the process of photosynthesis and produce the life supporting oxygen. The most of free oxygen present on earth is a result of photosynthesis by early cyanobacteria. Endosymbiotic theory explains that chloroplast present in plants and green algae have evolved from cyanobacteria by the process of endosymbiosis. In this way, cyanobacteria have laid the foundation of life on earth.

Credits: Image Source- Google Images

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