Biology 1020

Biology 1020

Principles & Themes

Summer Biology 2009 1020

Photosynthesis
Summer 2009

Photosynthesis
! Evolved about 3 billion years ago
! Started among the prokaryotes

! Dependence on photosynthesis
! Direct
! Autotrophs

! Indirect
! Heterotrophs

! All O2 in the air

Scott circa 2012

Scott circa 2012

Photosynthesis
! Life is powered by the sun
! 1 million Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs
! 1% to photosynthesis

Chloroplast Structure
! Thylakoids
! Inner system of membranes ! Organized in stacks = grana ! Light reactions
! All pigments and enzymes in the thylakoid membrane

! Plants

Algae

Prokaryotes

! Stroma
! Surrounding space ! Light-independent reactions
! Carbon fixation

! Light energy
! Chloroplasts ! Plasma membrane
Scott circa 2012

Chemical energy

Scott circa 2012

Fall 2012

Biology 1020
Biology 1020

Principles & Themes

Summer Biology 2009 1020

Photosynthesis
Summer 2009

You are My Sunshine

! Electromagnetic spectrum ! Light as waves of energy
! Wavelength (!) ! Visible light = 400710 nm

Pigments
! Specific wavelengths are absorbed ! Others
! Reflected ! Transmitted

! Light as packets of energy

! Photons ! Particle-like

! Chlorophyll a
! Absorbs
! Violet, blue and red

! Reflects or transmits

! Amount of energy ~ wavelength of the photon

! Shorter wavelength = more energy
Scott circa 2012 Scott circa 2012

! Green

The Biophysics of Light

! Photon energy:
! Reflected or transmitted ! Lost as heat ! Absorbed by electrons

Photosynthetic Pigments
! All plants contain chlorophyll a
! Accessory pigments

! Absorption depends on:

! Photon wavelength (energy) ! The chemical nature of the molecule

! Absorbed energy
! Moves e to a higher energy state ! Specific amount of energy is required ! Atom-specific absorption
Scott circa 2012

! Different pigments absorb different photons

! Having more pigments !
Scott circa 2012

Fall 2012

Biology 1020
Biology 1020

Principles & Themes

Summer Biology 2009 1020

Photosynthesis
Summer 2009

Photosynthetic Pigments
! Absorption spectrum
! The light absorbed by a pigment

Overview of Photosynthesis
! Light-dependent reactions
1.! Harvesting light 2.! Generating ATP and NADPH

! Major photosynthetic pigments

! Chlorophylls (a & b)
! Chlorophylls absorb blue and red light effectively

! Light-independent (dark) reactions

3.! CO2 fixation
! Calvin Cycle

! Carotenoids
! Carotenoids absorb more in the blue and green light

6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light

Scott circa 2012 Scott circa 2012

C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Photosynthetic Pigments
! Accessory pigments
! Carotenes & Xanthophylls ! Harvest more light
! Pass energy on to chlorophyll

The Light Reactions

! Light dependent ! Pigments complexes
! Photosystem ! Reaction centre
! Chlorophyll a

! Absorb UV light

! Antenna complex

! Chlorophyll a
! The head absorbs ! The tail anchors

! Accesory pigments

! Energy flow
! Not an electron transport chain ! Until the reaction centre
Scott circa 2012 Scott circa 2012

Fall 2012

Biology 1020
Biology 1020

Principles & Themes

Summer Biology 2009 1020

Photosynthesis
Summer 2009

Photosystems
! Chlorophyll a + e
! Strong ! Redox ! Enters an ETC e donor

Linear Electron Flow

! Ferredoxin to a second ETC ! NADP+ reductase
! NADP+ + 2 e + H+ " NADPH

! 2 electrons from the pigment to an acceptor

Scott circa 2012

Scott circa 2012

Linear Electron Flow

! Two photosystems
! Photosystem II is first ! Photosystem I is second

Cyclic Electron Flow

! Alternative electron path
! Photosystem I only

! Photon hits PS II (P680)

! Electrons transfer to pheophytin
! Primary electron acceptor

! Electrons in Fd
! Replaces plastoquinone ! PMF & Chemiosmosis

! Not NADP+ reductase ! Reducing power

! Lost electrons replaced

! P680+ is a very strong oxidizing agent ! Strips electrons from water

! The electrons enter an electron transport chain

!! Plastoquinone (Pq) !! Cytochrome complex ! Plastocyanin (Pc)

2nd photon excites PS I (P700)

Scott circa 2012

! Evolutionary leftover

! Electrons transferred to ferredoxin (Fd) ! Electrons replaced from Pc

Scott circa 2012

Fall 2012

Biology 1020
Biology 1020

Principles & Themes

Summer Biology 2009 1020

Photosynthesis
Summer 2009

Light Reactions Summary

The Calvin Cycle Fixation

! Rubisco ! CO2 + RuBP (5C)
! Ribulose bisphosphate

3 RuBP + 3 CO2

"

6 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PG)

! Also an intermediate in glycolysis

Scott circa 2012

Scott circa 2012

The Calvin Cycle

! The light-independent reactions
! Chloroplast stroma

The Calvin Cycle Reduction

! Phosphorylation & reduction

! Three phases
1.!Fixation phase 2.!Reduction phase 3.!Regeneration phase

6 3-phosphoglycerate + 6 ATP + 6 NADPH

"
6 glyceraldehyde-3phosphate (G3P)
! G3P is another intermediate of glycolysis

! All reactions by Rubisco

! Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase
Scott circa 2012

! 1 G3P # synthesis of sugars ! 5 G3P # regeneration phase

Scott circa 2012

10

Fall 2012

Biology 1020
Biology 1020

Principles & Themes

Summer Biology 2009 1020

Photosynthesis
Summer 2009

The Calvin Cycle Regeneration

! 5 G3P # 3 RuBP

C4 Pathway
! An alternate photosynthesis pathway"
! Dry climates" ! Two cells"

5 glyceraldehyde-3phosphate + 3 ATP

"
3 RuBP
! Replenishes RuBP ! The chemical energy
! NADPH and ATP ! Glucose
Scott circa 2012

! Open stomata = ?"

Scott circa 2012

10.20

Summary
! Light reactions:
! Photosystems ! Photophosphorylation ! NADP+ reductase

C4 Pathway
! Carbon xation"
! 4C molecule "

! Advantages?"
! Prevent water loss" ! Rubisco can bind O2"

! Dark reactions:
! Sugars

C4

C3

Scott circa 2012

Scott circa 2012

10.20

11

12

Fall 2012

Biology 1020
Biology 1020

Principles & Themes

Summer 2009

Photosynthesis

CAM Pathway
! Crassulacen acid metabolism (CAM)" ! Dessert environment"
! High temperature" ! Low humidity"

! Succulents"
! CO2 is xed at night"
! Stored as 4C molecule" ars

Scott circa 2012

10.21

13

Fall 2012