Match structure and function

Double membrane As much light as possible can

chloroplast envelope be absorbed

Needed for the light-

Thylakoids have large
independent reaction to take
surface area
place
ATP synthase molecules Reactants kept close to
in thylakoid membrane reaction sites
Stroma contains
Produce ATP in the light-
enzymes, sugars and
dependent reaction
organic acids
 Learning Objectives
• Outline how the products of the LDS are used
in the LIS
• Explain the role of carbon dioxide in the LIS
• State what TP is used to make
• State that TP is recycled to make RuBP
 Photosynthesis

Photophosphorylation:

‘The making of ATP energy using the energy from

light’

May involve cyclic or non-cyclic phosphorylation

Cyclic – PSI – intergranal lamellae

Non – cyclic PSI & PSII – granal lamellae
 Non-cyclic

• Light excites electrons of Mg in PSII & PSI

• Electrons passed along electron carriers

• Energy released drives H+ proton pumps

• H+ accumulates in thylakoid space – gradient forms
• H+ flow down gradient through ATP synthase

• ATP used in light independent stage

• Photolysis of H20 and generation of NADPH
 Cyclic

• Only uses PSI

• Excited electrons are passed back to Mg in PSI

• No photolysis or generation of NADPH

• Small amounts of ATP made

Used in light independent or to open stomata

 1.3.4 Light independent stage

• Occurs in the stroma – also called the Calvin Cycle

• Uses ATP made in the light dependent stage

• CO2 becomes fixed into complex organic

compounds

• C & O used for structure and energy store

 Three phases
1. Carboxylation
Carbon dioxide fixation with ribulose bisphosphate
(RuBP)
2. Reduction
Reduction of glycerate 3-phosphate (GP) to
glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (GALP)
3. Regeneration
Re-formation of the CO2
acceptor molecules
 Rubisco

Regeneration of
RuBP

TP
RUBISCO
 1.3.4 Light Independent

• CO2 diffuses into the stroma

• Combines with a 5C acceptor RuBP – uses enzyme

• RuBP has become carboxylated – carboxyl group

• Produces 2 x 3C molecule – glycerate 3-phosphate

• GP is reduced & phosphorylated to TP

• TP recycled by phosphorylation to RuBP
 1.3.4 Light Independent stage

Products of the Calvin Cycle

•GP used to make amino acids & fatty acids

•TP combines to form 6C glucose
•Some glucose isomerised to Fructose
•Fructose & glucose combine = disaccharide
•Some sugars polymerised – cellulose
•TP converted to glycerol – makes lipids
The light-independent reaction
 Triose phosphates (TPs) are used to form glucose.

1C (x6) Hexose (6C)

3C (TP)
+ 6C
3C (TP)
5C Regenerate RuBP

ATP
•`6 cycles are required to form 1 molecule of glucose

• RuBP is then joined with carbon dioxide to re-start the cycle.

1C (6 cycles) Hexose

5C RuBP) + 1C (CO2) 6C 2 x 3C (TP) 6C

5C Regenerate RuBP
 The Maths
• 2 molecules of GALP are made each turn
• 5 out of 6 molecules of GALP are used to
regenerate RuBP
• 2 molecules of GALP are needed to make a
hexose sugar
• How many turns are needed to make 1
molecule of hexose sugar?
• How many molecules of ATP and reduced
NADP are needed?
 Products of the Calvin cycle
Products of the light-independent reaction that pass back into the light-dependent
reaction:

 NADP

 ADP

 inorganic phosphate

Products of the light-independent reaction that are used in other processes:

 triose phosphate – used to build complex carbohydrates, amino acids and

lipids.
How much can you remember?
 Summary of photosynthesis
light

light- dependent light- independent

reactions reactions

carbohydrates, other complex

molecules
Photosynthesis: true or false?
  
Outline how light energy is converted to chemical energy (ATP
and reduced NADP) in the light-dependent stage (reference should
be made to cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation)
 
Explain the role of water in the light-dependent stage.
 
 
Outline how the products of the light-dependent stage are used
in the light-independent stage (Calvin cycle) to produce triose
phosphate (TP) (reference should be made to ribulose
bisphosphate (RuBP), ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (rubisco)
and glycerate 3-phosphate (GP)).
 
Explain the role of carbon dioxide in the light-independent
stage (Calvin cycle).
 Carbon Fixation – Light Independent Stage (Calvin Cycle)

• The carbon fixation stage occurs in the stroma and results in the production of glucose.
• It is a result of an enzyme controlled sequence of reactions requiring ATP and
hydrogens (from reduced NADP) from the light stage, and carbon dioxide (“fixed”
from the air).
• It involves the reduction of carbon dioxide, that is the addition of hydrogen (from
reduced NADP), to form carbohydrate.
• CO2 is accepted by the 5C compound ribulose 1,5-biphosphate (RuBP) to form an
unstable 6C compound.
• The 6C compound formed immediately splits into two molecules of a 3C compound
called glycerate 3-phosphate (GP).
• ATP and reduced NADP is used to convert the two GP molecules into two molecules of
triose phosphate (TP), a 3 carbon compound.
• TP’s are used in the formation of carbohydrate (glucose) and to regenerate RuBP
• ATP is required to regenerate RuBP
 Examination Questions – Model Answers

ATP
Reduced NADP / NADPH / NADPH2 / NADPH + H+

Regenerates / produces, ribulose bisphosphate / RuBP

So cycle can continue / for (further) CO2 fixation / to combine with
CO2
Formation of , sugar / glucose / hexose / sucrose / starch / cellulose
Formation of fat / triglyceride / lipid fatty acids / glycerol / amino acids
/ protein / nucleic acids / nucleotides
Most triose phosphate used to produce RuBP and the rest for
production of hexose
Oxygen used and CO2 produced / excreted
Light energy required
Uses Rubisco
Involves calvin cycle

Reduces rate of photosynthesis / increases rate of

photorespiration
Less Rubisco available for CO2 / more oxygen competing with
CO2 for Rubisco
More O2 binding to Rubisco
O2 outcompetes CO2 for Rubisco
Less CO2 fixation / for Calvin cycle
CO2 given off
Less GP / TP, produced
Less RuBP, regenerated

O2, not a substrate for / cannot bind to / will not compete for.
PEP carboxylase
PEP carboxylase, is only specific to CO2
2

(i) A
(ii) D
(iii)A
Flattened membrane bound sacs
Termed thylakoids
Arranged as stacks / grana
Contain pigment / chlorophyll arranged in
photosystems / quantosomes, in membrane

(62.4 / 162) x 100 Answer 38.5 %

Different lighting has little effect
Variation in percentage less than 3
Probably not significant
Yield is less for low pressure sodium lamps
The best yield is metal halide

Crops can be grown out of season /all year round

Plants photosynthesize 24 hours a day
Less physical damage from weather /animals
Pest control easier
Other factors can be controlled – e.g. Temperature,
CO2, water supply, humidity