Page 109 - Photosynthesis: The Green Miracle

Harun Yahya

Plants have receptors that enable
them to turn towards the light, work-
ing like a clock and permitting
plants to act in such a way as to
meet their needs. The umbrella-
shaped Acetabularia (at left) and
the cress (above) are examples
of these plants.

In terms of a scientific explanation of what is taking place, there are two
protein groups in the plant charged with seeing light. One of these two is
the phytochrome, which comes in five varieties, and the other is the crypto-
chrome, which comes in two varieties. These proteins are also receptors ca-

pable of reacting to light. Thus they are also responsible for adjusting the
plant’s internal clock according to the changes brought about by the light
at every moment. 42
Plants do not live by sunlight alone; they have no taste buds with
which to sample the nutrients they need, yet their roots must still do this
in order to absorb minerals and nutrients from the soil. Research into the
plant known as Arabidopsis (cress) has revealed that a gene identifies are-
as in the soil rich in nitrate and ammonium salts. Thanks to this gene, the
roots grow in the direction of nourishment, rather than haphazardly. This

gene that identifies nitrates is known as ANR1. 43
Apart from this gene, another study at Texas University discovered

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