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PHOTOSYNTHESIS
CO2
+H2O
required
CO2
+H2O
released
mainenergyacquiringprocess
Sunlightenergyconvertedto
chemicalbondenergyinATP.
NADPHalsoforms.
ATPandNADPHusedinrxns.that
formglucose
O2
released
AEROBICRESPIRATION
mainenergyreleasingprocess
Usableenergyreleasedwhenglucose
brokendown.
Releasedenergycoupledtoelectron
transferstoproduce36ATP
molecules.
O2
required
Photosynthesishas2stages:
Lightdependentstage:trappingofsunlight
energy
Lightindependentstage:formationof
glucose
Photosynthesisequation=
6CO2+12H2O
sunlight
chlorophylla
C6H12O6+6H2O+6O2
glucose
=biosyntheticpathway
Photosynthesisoccursinthechloroplast
Grana(=thylakoidmembrane):theinner
membranesystemfoldedintoaseriesof
fatteneddisksextendingthroughthesemi
fluidinterior.Thesiteoflightdependent
reactions.
Containclustersofproteins+200300
pigments=photosystems
Stroma:thesemifluidinterior.Thesiteof
thelightindependentreactions.
thylakoidmembranesystem
stroma
LightdependentReactions
OccurinThylakoidMembrane
Sunlightenergyexciteselectronsin
Photosystems(clustersoflighttrapping
pigmentsandproteins)
Photosystemsgiveupelectronstoelectron
transportsystems
EnergydrivesATP(andNADPH)formation
ElectronTransportSystems
mostenergy
leastenergy
energyreleasedusedforATPsynthesis
Twodifferentlightdependentpathways
CyclicpathwayofATPformation
involvesaTypeIphotosystem
electronsarerecycledbacktophotsystem
NoncyclicpathwayofATPformation
involvesaTypeIIandTypeIphotosystem
electronsarereplacedbylessexcitedones
oxygenisproducedasawasteproduct
CyclicPhotophosphorylation
NoncyclicPhotophosphorylation
Transferselectronsthrutwophotosystems
(IIandI)andtwoelectrontransportsystems
inthethylakoidmembrane
StartswithphotosystemII
Incomingphotonsexciteelectronswhich
enterelectrontransportsystem
NoncyclicPhotophosphorylation
photolysisbreaksdownH2Ointoelectrons,
H+,andoxygen
theelectronsreplacethoseofphotosystemIIthat
enteredelectrontransportsystem
H+remaininsidethylakoidmembrane(involved
inchemiosmosisandATPformation)
oxygenreleasedasbyproductanddiffusesoutof
thesystem
NoncyclicPhotophosphorylation
PhotosystemIschlorophyllP700absorbsphoton
energyandelectronsfromitsreactioncenterare
excitedandenterelectrontransportsystem
TheelectronsthatleftphotosystemIIarriveat
photosystemIandreplacethosethatjustleft
Inthesecondelectrontransportsystem,NADP+
acceptstwoelectronsplusanH+ionfrom
photolysistobecomeNADPH.
BothNADPHandATPenterthelight
independentstageofphotosynthesis.
ATPFormationinChloroplasts
H+accumulationsetsupstrongconcentration
andelectricalgradient
H+followgradientacrossthylakoid
membraneintostromabypassingthru
interioroftransportproteinscalledATP
synthases;
>flowdrivesADP+Pi>ATP
=chemiosomosis
Thelightindependentstageof
photosynthesis
Photosynthesisequation=
6CO2+12H2O
sunlight
chlorophylla
C6H12O6+6H2O+6O2
glucose
Foreachglucosemoleculeformedduring
photosynthesis,atotalof6CO2molecules
mustbefixed.
TheCalvinBensonCycle
EachCO2moleculegoesthroughanumberof
stepsbeginningwithCarbonFixation=
inorganicCO2isconvertedintoorganiccarbon
carbonfromtheairdiffusesintocell
theenzymerubiscoattachestheinorganiccarbon
toa5carbonRuBPmolecule,resultinginthe
formationofa6carbonintermediatethatis
unstable
theunstableintermediatesplitsintotwo3carbon
stable,organicPGAmolecules
CarbonFixation
RuBP(5C)+CO2>23PG(3C)
ribulose1,5bisphosphate>3phosphoglycerate
=carbonfixation
Enzyme=Rubisco(ribulosebisphosphate
carboxylase/oxygenase)
2subunitsformmatureenzyme
rbcLgene(largesubunit)inchloroplastgenome
rbcSinnucleargenome
TheCalvinBensonCycle
ATPprovidestheenergyandattachesaphosphateto
eachPGAmoleculeandNADPHdonatesH+and
electronstoformtwoPGALmolecules
Sincewestartedwith6CO2molecules,weendupwith
12PGALmolecules
2ofthesePGALmoleculescombinetobecomeasugar
phosphate=glucose:PiC6H12O6
The10remainingPGALmoleculesarerearrangedto
recyclethe6RuBPmoleculesneededtofixthenext6
CO2molecules
CalvinBensonCycle
6CO2+6RuBP 6unstable6
carbonintermediates 12stable3
carbonPGA 1 glucose + 10
recycled PGA
Atacostof:
12ATP>12ADP+Pi
12NADPH>12NADP+
CalvinBensonCycle
Glucose>cellulose
Glucose>sucrose(mosteasilytransported)
>starch
Starchismainstorageform,butcanbe
readilyconvertedtosucrosefortransport
PhotosynthesisTypes
MostplantsareC3photosynthesizers:
firstproductofCalvinBensoncycleisa
3carbonmolecule(3PG)
Photorespiration
NormalconditionsCO2andO2passthroughopeningsin
leavescalledstomata
Problem:Rubiscocan'tdistinguishbetweenCO2andO2
WhenCO2can'tgetin(hotdryclimates),O2thatis
buildingupincellsgetsattachedtoRubisco=
Photorespiration(plantsbecomeunhappy)
RuBP+O2>13PG+glycolate
glycolate>glycine
2glycine>serine+CO2
neteffect=lesscarbohydrateformed!!
CopingStrategies:
Twoseparatemechanismshaveevolvedto
adapttohotdryenvironments
C4plants:(fixcarbonasthe4carbon
oxaloacetate).Examplesincludecrabgrass,
sugarcane,etc.
CAMplants:(CrassulaceanAcidMetabolism)
Examplesincludecacti,pineapple,andother
desertsucculents.
C4plants
C4plantshave2typesofphotosynthetic
cells.
MesophyllcellsuseCO2toproducea4carbon
intermediatecalledoxaloacetate,whichis
transferredtobundlesheathcellsaroundleaf
veins.
Inthebundlesheathcells,CO2isreleasedand
fixedagainintheCalvinBensoncycle.
Carbonisthereforefixedtwice.
Catch:usesenergy!
C4Photosynthesis
MesophyllcellshavePEP(phosphoenolpyruvate)
carboxylaseinplaceofRubisco
CO2+PEP>oxaloacetate(4Cmolecule)
BundlesheathcellshaveRubiscoforreaction:
RuBP+CO2(releasedfromoxaloacetate
>
2,3PG
PEPcarboxylase
doesnothaveoxygenaseactivity
fixesCO2atverylowlevels
CAMplants
FixCO2onlyatnightandstoreintermediate
intheircentralvacuolesuntildaytime.
Carbonisthereforefixedat2different
times.
Catch:limitedutility
advantageousonlyinwaterlimiting
environments
C4plantevents
separatedinspace
CAMplantevents
separatedintime