Foundation in Science

Biology 2 FS2014
Topic 2
Part 2: Photosynthesis

Prepared by: Chuah Yaw Kuang

Email: YawKuangChuah@imu.edu.my
Ext: 1370 l Faculty Cluster 1
 Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lecture, student should be able to:

• explain the movement of electron in light dependent reactions
• explain the production of glucose in light independent reactions

2
 Table of Contents

1.5 Light dependent reactions – photophosphorylation

1.6 Light independent reactions – Calvin cycle

3
 1.5 Light dependent reactions
• Pigments in chloroplasts absorb photons (capturing solar power), which
▫ increases the potential energy of the pigments’ electrons and
▫ sends the electrons into an unstable state.

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 1.5 Light dependent reactions
• In the thylakoid membrane, chlorophyll
molecules are organized along with
other pigments and proteins into
photosystems.
• A photosystem consists of a number of
light-harvesting complexes (Contain
about 300 molecules of pigment)
surrounding a reaction-center complex
(contain one specialized chlorophyll a
molecule).
• A light-harvesting complex contains
various pigment molecules bound to
proteins - function as a light-gathering
antenna.

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 1.5 Light dependent reactions
• The light energy is passed from molecule
to molecule within the photosystem.
• Finally it reaches the reaction center,
where a primary electron acceptor
accepts these electrons and consequently
becomes reduced.
• The solar-powered transfer of an electron
from the reaction-center chlorophyll a
pair to the primary electron acceptor is
the first step in the transformation of
light energy to chemical energy in the
light reactions.

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 1.5 Light dependent reactions
• Two types of photosystems (photosystem
I and photosystem II) cooperate in the
light reactions.
• Photosystem II (PS II) functions first - best
at absorbing a wavelength of 680 nm
• The reaction-center chlorophyll a of PS II
is called P680
• Photosystem I (PS I) is best at absorbing a
wavelength of 700 nm
• The reaction-center chlorophyll a of PS I
is called P700

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 1.5 Light dependent reactions
• During the light reactions, there are two possible pathways for electron flow:
▫ [1] non-cyclic (linear) photophosphorylation
▫ [2] cyclic photophosphorylation
• Non-cyclic photophosphorylation - primary pathway, involves both photosystems

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1.5 Light dependent reactions

• [1] A photon hits a pigment

and its energy is passed
among pigment molecules
until it excites P680
• [2] An excited electron from
P680 is transferred to the
primary electron acceptor
(P680 that is missing an
electron - P680+ )
• P680+ is a very strong
oxidizing agent
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1.5 Light dependent reactions

• [3] H2O is split by

enzymes called Z protein,
and the electrons are
transferred from the
hydrogen atoms to P680+,
thus reducing it to P680
• O2 is released as a by-
product of this reaction

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1.5 Light dependent reactions

• [4] The photoactivated

electrons released from
the primary electron
acceptor of PS II are
accepted by
plastoquinone (Pq) and
then transferred
through electron
transport chain to PS I

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1.5 Light dependent reactions
• [5] Flow of the
photoactivated electrons
down the electron
transport chain provides
energy to pump protons
across the thylakoid
membrane (thus creating
a proton gradient).
• Diffusion of H+ (protons)
across the membrane
drives ATP synthesis

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1.5 Light dependent reactions
• [6] In PS I (like PS II),
light energy excites P700,
which loses an electron to
an electron acceptor and
become P700+
• P700+ (P700 that is
missing an electron)
accepts an electron passed
down from PS II via the
electron transport chain
• Thus, P700+ is reduced to
P700
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1.5 Light dependent reactions

• [7] High energy electron

is ejected from the
primary electron acceptor
of PS I, transferred down
an electron transport
chain to the protein
ferredoxin (Fd).
• Then, electron is passed
onto NADP+ reductase.

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1.5 Light dependent reactions
• [8] NADP+ reductase
donates the electron to a
NADP+ molecule and
stabilizes it by adding a
proton (H+) to form
NADPH (reduce NADP+
to NADPH).
• This NADPH is then
released into the stroma -
available for the reactions
of the Calvin cycle
• This process also removes
an H+ from the stroma
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1.5 Light dependent reactions

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 1.5 Light dependent reactions
• Cyclic photophosphorylation (cyclic electron flow) uses only photosystem I and produces
only ATP
• No NADPH is produced; No oxygen is released
• Cyclic electron flow generates surplus ATP, satisfying the higher demand in the Calvin
cycle

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1.5 Light dependent reactions

• [1] Light energy

absorbed and transferred
2
to P700 in PS I.
• [2] Electron from P700 is
1 photoexcited and
transferred to primary
electron acceptor.

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1.5 Light dependent reactions

3 • [3] Then the electron is

transferred to ferredoxin
3 (Fd) → cytochrome
4
complex → plastocyanin
3
(Pc) and back to PS I.
3
P700+ accept the electron
and reduced back to
5
P700.
• [4] P700 can then be
photoactivated again.

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1.5 Light dependent reactions

3 • [5] Energy released

4
during the electron flow
3
is used to generate
3
proton gradient – used
by ATP synthase to
5
produce more ATP.

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1.5 Light dependent reactions

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 1.6 Light independent reactions
• The light independent reaction (Calvin cycle)
regenerates its starting material after molecules enter
and leave the cycle
• Occurs in the chloroplast’s stroma
• Carbon enters the cycle as CO2 and leaves as a sugar
named glyceraldehyde 3-phospate (G3P) (used to build
glucose and other organic molecules)
• Using carbon from CO2, electrons (reducing power)
from NADPH, and energy from ATP

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 1.6 Light independent reactions
• The Calvin cycle has three phases
▫ [1] Carbon fixation (catalyzed by
Rubisco)
▫ [2] Reduction
▫ [3] Regeneration of the CO2
acceptor (Ribulose)
• For net synthesis of 1 G3P, the cycle
must take place three times, fixing 3
molecules of CO2

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 Input
3 (Entering one
CO2 at a time)

Phase 1: Carbon fixation

Rubisco
3 P P
Short-lived
intermediate
3P P 6 P
Ribulose bisphosphate 3-Phosphoglycerate
(RuBP)

[Phase 1] Carbon fixation (catalyzed by

Rubisco)
 Input
3 (Entering one
CO2 at a time)

Phase 1: Carbon fixation

Rubisco
3 P P
Short-lived
intermediate
3P P 6 P
Ribulose bisphosphate 3-Phosphoglycerate
(RuBP) 6 ATP
6 ADP

Calvin
Cycle
6 P P
1,3-Bisphosphoglycerate

[Phase 2] 6 NADPH

6 NADP+

Reduction 6 Pi

6 P
Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate Phase 2:
(G3P) Reduction

1 P
G3P Glucose and
(a sugar) other organic
Output compounds
 Input
3 (Entering one
CO2 at a time)

Phase 1: Carbon fixation

Rubisco
3 P P
Short-lived
intermediate
3P P 6 P
Ribulose bisphosphate 3-Phosphoglycerate
(RuBP) 6 ATP
6 ADP

3 ADP Calvin
Cycle
3 6 P P
ATP
1,3-Bisphosphoglycerate
6 NADPH
Phase 3:
Regeneration of 6 NADP+
the CO2 acceptor 6 Pi
(RuBP)
5 P
G3P
6 P

[Phase 3] Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate

(G3P)
Phase 2:
Reduction

Regeneration of
the CO2 acceptor 1 P

(Ribulose) G3P
(a sugar)
Glucose and
other organic
Output compounds
The Importance of the Calvin Cycle

Prepared by: Chuah YK © 2020

Prepared by: Chuah YK © 2020
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