Which micronutrient is required for splitting of water molecule during photosynthesis?
Molybdenum
Magnesium
Copper
Manganese
The process of photosynthesis involves the splitting of water molecules, which is also known as photolysis. This step is crucial for the production of oxygen and the transfer of electrons. Among the various micronutrients, manganese (Mn) plays a vital role in this process. It is involved in the water-splitting complex of photosystem II and is essential for the stabilization of the right structure of this protein complex. Without manganese, the photolysis of water in photosynthesis does not occur efficiently, which hampers the entire photosynthetic process. Therefore, manganese is the correct micronutrient required for the splitting of water molecules during photosynthesis.
| Micronutrient | Role in Photosynthesis |
|---|---|
| Molybdenum | Involved in nitrogen metabolism |
| Magnesium | Central atom in chlorophyll |
| Copper | Plays a role in electron transport chain |
| Manganese | Essential for the water-splitting complex |
Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Transfer RNAs and ribosomal RNA do not interact with mRNA.
Statement II: RNA interference (RNAi) takes place in all eukaryotic organisms as a method of cellular defence.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below: