NUTRITIONAL TYPES

Autotroph- an organism that can manufacture

its own food from inorganic substances
Photosynthetic autotroph- uses light
energy
Chemosynthetic autotroph- uses energy
derived from the oxidation of inorganic
compounds
Heterotroph- an organism that cannot
manufacture its own food

PHOTOSYNTHESIS
the manufacture of food, mainly sugar, from
carbon dioxide and water in the presence of
chlorophyll, utilizing light energy and
releasing oxygen gas.

Essential Factors in Photosynthesis:

1. Raw materialscarbon dioxide
water

Essential Factors in Photosynthesis:

2. Source of EnergySunlight with the red and blue wavelengths
being the most effective
Light exhibits
wave & particle
properties

Light as a wave
Wavelength () is

the distance between

successive wave crests
Frequency ()

-is the number of wave

crests in one second

c (speed of light; 3.0

x 108 m s-1) =

Light as a stream of
particles

Chlorophyll
molecule

Photon-a discrete physical unit of

radiant energy
Quantum- a packet of energy contained
in a photon
E (energy of a photon)= h (Plancks
constant (6.626 1034 J s) n
(frequency of light)

The amount of energy packaged in a photon

is inversely related to its wavelength.
Photons with shorter wavelengths pack more
energy.

Essential Factors in Photosynthesis:

3. Pigmentschlorophyll aparticipates directly in the
light reactions
chlorophyll b
carotenoid pigments
carotene, xanthophyll

carotenoids
Functions:
Collecting light
Protecting chlorophyll against
photodestruction in times of excess light

Pigments occur in a group-photosytem

Essential Factors in Photosynthesis:

When light meets
matter, it may be:
Reflected
Transmitted
Absorbed.

For light to be used by

plants it must be first be
absorbed.
Pigments absorb
photons of different
wavelengths.

Essential Factors in Photosynthesis:

Excited electrons are unstable
Generally, they drop to their ground state
in a billionth of a second, releasing heat
energy.

Essential Factors in Photosynthesis:

Some pigments, including chlorophyll,
release a photon of light, in a process
called fluorescence, as well as heat.

Chlorophyll may participate in energy transfer,

during which an excited chlorophyll transfers its
energy to another molecule.

the energy of the excited state is lower nearer

the reaction center than in the more peripheral
portions of the antenna system.

Essential Factors in Photosynthesis:

Association of chl a with different proteins in
the thylakoid membrane affects electron
distribution in the chlorophyll molecule and
accounts for the slight differences in light
absorbing properties of P680 and P700
4. Temperature- optimum for photosynthesis
C3- 20 25 0C
C4- 30 - 45 0C
5. Additional essential factors- electron
carriers, enzymes

Photosynthesis is an oxidation
reduction process
6CO2 + 12H2O

C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O

or

CO2 + 2H2O

(CH2O) + O2 + H2O

2H2O
4H+ + 4e- + O2
CO2 + 4H+ + 4e(CH2O) + H2O

THE PROCESS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

1. Light reactions

a. Non-cyclic electron transport

involves cooperation of the 2 photosystems

excited electron does not return to its

original position after excess energy is
released
produces ATP, NADPH and O2
raw material required: H2O

Noncyclic electron transport

THE PROCESS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Cyclic electron transport
involves photosystem I
excited electron returns to its original
position after excess energy is released
produces ATP above and beyond those
required for CO2 fixation

Cyclic electron transport

A closer look at noncyclic

electron transport

large multiprotein complexes

The multiprotein complexes in

the thylakoid membrane

Photosystems I and II
Contain several proteins, chlorophyll,
carotenoid pigments
Antenna pigments
Reaction center

The multiprotein complexes in the

thylakoid membrane
PSI and PSII
Antenna chlorophyll
Associated with specific proteins e.g.
CP43 and CP47 with 20-25 chla
Do not participate directly in
photochemical reactions
Reaction center chlorophyll

Association of large number of antenna

pigments with a single reaction center
light harvesting complex (LHC)expanded antenna system
LHCI associated with PSI
LHCII associated with PSII

OEC- small complex protein serve to

replenish lost electrons in P680+
located on the lumen side of the
thylakoid membrane

Oxygen evolving
complex (OEC)
Functions:
Oxidation of
H2O
Evolution of O2

Oxygen evolving complex (OEC)

The multiprotein complexes in the

thylakoid membrane

Cytochrome b6f complex- links PSII with

PSI

The multiprotein complexes in the

thylakoid membrane

ATP synthase, CF0 -CF1 (coupling

factor- synthesizes ATP

CF0 - forms H+ channel

CF1 -contains active site for ATP synthesis

mobile electron carriers

Plastoquinone
Characteristic
Mobile carrier

Roles:
Transport of
electrons
Translocation of
H+ ions

mobile electron carriers

Plastocyanin
Small peripheral protein
Is able to diffuse freely along the luminal
side of the thylakoid membrane

mobile electron carriers

Ferredoxin
Iron-sulphur protein soluble in the stroma
Transfers e- to NADP+

ATP synthesis
By chemiosmosis
Synthesis of ATP is linked with electron
transport
Features of the membrane:
Membrane is impermeable to H+

ATP synthesis
Electron carriers are organized
asymmetrically in the membrane
some carriers also serve to translocate
H+ into the lumen resulting in energy
rich proton gradient
Effect is to conserve some of the
free energy of e- transport as an
unequal distribution of protons

ATP synthesis
Protons are pumped across the
thylakoid membrane from the stroma to
the lumen
Results in pH
Results in electrical potential gradient
across the membrane

Protons return to the stroma through

the ATP synthase (ATPase/CFo- CF1)

One ATP is formed for every 3H+ that

moves through the ATP synthase

Mechanisms for accumulation of

protons in the lumen during
noncyclic electron flow
Oxidation of water
- 2 protons/2e- that move from P680
to P700
PQ- cytochrome pump
- 4 protons/2e- that move from P680
to P700

noncyclic electron flow

PQ- cytochrome pump

Mechanisms for accumulation of

protons in the lumen during cyclic
electron flow
PQ- cytochrome pump
- 4 protons/2e- that move during
cyclic electron flow

Cyclic electron transport

Where does light

reaction
take place?