PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• process by which chlorophyll-containing

organisms use energy from sunlight to
produce carbohydrates

Overall reaction:
6H2O + 6CO2 ----------> C6H12O6+ 6O2
 2 STAGES OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• Light Dependent Phase (Light Phase)
– uses water

• Light Independent Phase (Dark Phase)

– uses carbon dioxide and products of light
phase
CHLOROPLAST
STRUCTURE
 Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll a- absorbs energy from wavelengths of
• Violet to Blue
• Reddish orange to Red
• Green-Yellow-Orange – little

Accessory pigments absorb energy that chlorophyll

a does not absorb
a.Chlorophyll b(also c, d, and e in algae and
protistans),
b.Xanthophylls
c.Carotenoids (like beta-carotene)
 LIGHT DEPENDENT PHASE
• excited electrons move to a higher energy
state
• energy is converted (along an electron
transport process) into ATP and NADPH
• Water splitting process - oxygen as by-
product
• ATP and NADPH used in the Light
Independent Phase
 RELATIONSHIP OF
LIGHT AND DARK PHASE
 LIGHT INDEPENDENT PHASE
Calvin Benzon Cycle 3 stages (C3 Plants):
• Carboxylation - fixation of CO2 into a stable organic
intermediate
• Reduction
a.phosphorylation of PGA by ATP to form a "bis-
phosphate“
b.reduction of BPGA by NADPH to form triose phosphate,
a simple 3-carbon carbohydrate.
• Regeneration - regeneration of the CO2 acceptor; every 3
turns of the cycle 1 triose phosphate is formed
(3CO2:1G3P); remaining 15 carbon atoms (5 G3P) re-enter
as RuBP.
DARK REACTION
 PHOTORESPIRATION
• occurs at low CO2 levels in leaf (hot dry days)
• CO2 fixn w closed stomates uses up CO2
• O2 ratio increase relative to CO2 conc
• oxygenation produces glycolate & glycerate
• involves three cellular organelles:
– Chloroplasts
– Peroxisomes
– Mitochondria
“Photorespiration produces no ATP”
• Oxidative photosynthetic carbon cycle reaction is
catalyzed by RuBP oxygenase activity:
RuBP + O2 → Phosphoglycolate + 3-Phosphoglycerate
• Phosphoglycolate - salvaged by a series of reactions in the
peroxisome, mitochondria, and again in the peroxisome where it
is converted into serine and later glycerate.
• Glycerate reenters the chloroplast and subsequently the
Calvin cycle by the same transporter that exports glycolate
• cost of 1 ATP is associated w/ conv to 3-phosphoglycerate (PGA)
in chloroplast
• reenter the PCR cycle
• One carbon dioxide molecule is produced for every 2 molecules
of O2 that are taken up by Rubisco.
 ADAPTIVEMECHANISMS

C4 Pathway - found in many grass species (corn,

sorghum, sugarcane) as well as in certain dicots,
including pigweed (Amaranthus) and halophytes such
as Atriplex (saltbush).

Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) -

found
in succulents including members
of the Crassulaceae (Sedum, Kalanchoe),
Cactaceae (Opuntia), Euphorbiaceae, and
Bromeliaceae (pineapple)
 C4 Pathway (Hatch and Slack)

• carbon dioxide kept in high concentration in the

chloroplasts thus prevent photorespiration
• the first metabolite containing the added CO2 is a 4
carbon atom compound (oxaloacetate) others are C3
plants - 3 carbon compound (3-phosphoglycerate)
• composed of epidermis (outer cell layer), mesophyll
cell and the bundle sheath cells
• takes place in the mesophyll cells
C4 Overview
C4 PATHWAY
 Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM

• used by plants (cacti and other) that have a

higher humidity, which causes water loss
• uses more energy and causes stunt growth to
the plant
• open their stomata at night to take in oxygen
and closes at day time to minimize water loss
CAM Pathway
COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE OF A
C3 AND C4 PLANT