Evolution

Cyanobacteria are oxygenic photosynthetic gram negative bacteria formerly known as blue green algae as they were long thought to belong to the plant kingdom. A feature shared by cyanobacteria and plants is their ability to perform photosynthesis. According to the endosymbiont theory cyanobacteria are in fact the origin of chloroplasts, the organelles which harbour the plant`s photosynthetic machinery. As evidenced by fossils Cyanobacteria are among the earliest life forms on earth and have been involved in the formation of the earth’s atmosphere. Up to now the production of oxygen by cyanobacterial photosynthesis contributes to keeping the balance of our atmosphere.