Q: How do organisms use phosphorus?
A: Phosphorus is an essential element in nucleic acids (DNA, RNA).
The energy molecule ATP has three phosphate groups.
The energy molecule ATP has three phosphate groups.
A cell spends enormous effort recycling ATP.
Phosphorylation is an important regulatory step in many cell processes.
Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids.
Bones and tooth enamel get their hardness from hydroxyapatite, a phosphorus-containing mineral.
Phosphorus is taken up by plants from the soil.
Phosphorylation is an important regulatory step in many cell processes.
Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids.
Bones and tooth enamel get their hardness from hydroxyapatite, a phosphorus-containing mineral.
Phosphorus is taken up by plants from the soil.
Its availability can be a limiting factor in ecosystems.
Lack of phosphorus can cause malnutrition.
Lack of phosphorus can cause malnutrition.
"Oxidative phosphorylation” builds ATP in cells.
A chain of complex molecular machines in mitochondria and chloroplasts sets up a proton gradient by carefully extracting electrons from the digestion of our food and passing them through a sequence of reactions (the citric acid cycle), with oxygen as the final acceptor in the electron transport chain.
The resulting proton gradient then powers ATP synthase, a rotary engine, that uses the energy to “snap” phosphate groups onto ADP in three reaction centers.
It would be hard to imagine a habitable planet without phosphorus, because most astrobiologists recognize the uniqueness of nucleic acids, ATP and phospholipids for cells.
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Q: How did Earth become blessed with so much of this?
Maybe we need to add another zone to our list of habitable zones: the “Phosphorus Availability Zone.” But this is only a problem for materialists. The Creator tells us in His word that He “made the world to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18)."
It would be hard to imagine a habitable planet without phosphorus, because most astrobiologists recognize the uniqueness of nucleic acids, ATP and phospholipids for cells.
_Fig1.png)
Maybe we need to add another zone to our list of habitable zones: the “Phosphorus Availability Zone.” But this is only a problem for materialists. The Creator tells us in His word that He “made the world to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18)."
CEH
