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Chapter Outline
Chloroplast - The Structure of Chroplast Biophysics of Light Chlorophylls and Carotenoids Photosystems Calvin Cycle Photorespiration Factors Affecting Photosynthesis
Chloroplasts
Three stages of photosynthesis Capturing energy from sunlight Using energy to make ATP and NADPH ATP and NADPH powering carbon fixation Chloroplast structure Internal membranes organized into sacs of t hylakoids and stacked in grana Semiliquid fluid (stroma) surrounds thylakoid membrane
Leaf Organization
Chloroplast Structure
Photosynthetic pigments clustered to form photosystem in membranes of thylakoids When light of proper wavelength strikes a pigment molecule, resulting excitation passes from one molecule to another
Biophysics of Light
Light moves through the air as oscillating electric and magnetic fields
Energy content of a photon is inversely proportional to the wavelength of light
Short wavelengths contain photons of higher energy than long wavelengths
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Biophysics of Light
Ultraviolet Light
Shorter wavelength and more energy than visible light
Absorption Spectra
When a photon strikes a molecule, its energy is either lost as heat or absorbed by the electrons boosting them into higher energy levels
Each molecule has a characteristic range of photons it is capable of absorbing
Carotenoids and Chlorophyll Chlorophyll a (main pigment) and b (accessory pigment) preferentially absorb violet-blue and red light Chlorophyll b has an absorption shifted toward green wavelengths
Carotenoids absorb photons with a wide array of energies, but are not as efficient in transferring energy as chlorophyll
Light is absorbed by clusters of chlorophyll and accessory pigments collectively called a photosystem
Reaction Center
Pair of chlorophyll a-molecules act as trap for photon energy
Photosystem Function
Bacteria use a single photosystem
Electron joined with a proton to make hydrogen Electron is recycled to chlorophyll Electron transfer process leading to ATP formation is termed cyclic phosphorylation
Major limitation is that it is only geared towards energy production, not biosynthesis
Photosystem I &
Photosystem II
LIGHT
NADP+ ADP
LIGHT REACTOR
CALVIN CYCLE
ATP
NADPH
O2
[CH2O] (sugar)
Photosystem I
Light Fd
NADP+ reductase
Pq 2 H2O
Pc
O2 +2 H+ 2 H+
Thylakoid membrane
Figure 10.17
Calvin Cycle
Carbon fixation is made possible due to the attachment of CO2 to ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) Forms two three-carbon molecules of phosphoglycerate (PGA) Calvin Cycle begins when CO2 binds RuBP to form PGA Also called C3 photosynthesis
Calvin Cycle
Photorespiration
Photorespiration incorporates O2 into ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate and releases CO2 Under normal conditions, 20% of photosynthetically-fixed carbon is lost to photorespiration
Loss rises as temperature increases
C4 photosynthesis produces a four carbon compound which does not go through photorespiration
Decreasing photorespiration
C4 plants conduct photosynthesis in mesophyll cells and the Calvin cycle in bundle sheath cell
Creates high local levels of CO2
Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) plants open stomata during the night and close them during the day to minimize water loss
Use C4 during the night and C3 during the day
Compensation Point
Compensation point is define as the point at which the rate of photosynthesis in a plant is in exact balance with the rate of respiration, so there is no net exchange of carbon dioxide or oxygen