Prof. David A. Walker

The Z-Scheme

The Z-Scheme or Hill Reaction (Hill & Bendall, 1960), graphically represents the electron transport chain or Light Dependent Reaction of Photosynthesis. This is the process by which plants and other photosynthetic organisms use light energy from the sun to generate chemical energy in the forms of ATP and NADPH which is subsequently used by other reactions in the biosynthesis of organic cell materials.

The following titles link to PDF documents which explain the science behind the Z Scheme and some history of the discoverer of the Z Scheme, Robin Hill.

• The Z-scheme-down hill all the way (1.0 MB)

  Walker DA (2002a)
  Trends in Plant Sci 7: 183–185

• ‘And whose bright presence’ – an appreciation of Robert Hill and his reaction (104 KB)

  Walker DA (2002b)
  Photosynthesis Research 73: 51–54

• The Z-Scheme by Analogy

  An animated analogy of the Z-Scheme by Paul Davis of Hansatech Instruments inspired by an original illustration by Richard Walker.