EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PHOTOSYNTHESIS FOR THE EXAM 2/18/2013 9:33:00 AM

Photosynthesis: converts light energy from the Sun to potential energy stored in the chemical bonds of glucose.

Pigments absorb light of certain wavelengths (reflects light that is not absorbed) Chlorophyll a: most common photosynthetic pigment in plants Chloroplast: organelle specializing in photosynthesis and is located in the mesophyll tissue (in the interior of leaves) IMAGE OF CHLOROPLAST: Chloroplast contain a double membrane.

If you look at a top down view of a THYLAKOID MEMBRANE, there are photosystems. Photosystems are groups of pigment molecules found in the thylakoid membrane that absorb light photons of a particular wavelength. o Lecture notes: You find Antennae Pigments in these photosystems. Antennae pigments: chlorophyll a, b , carotene o Reaction center: made up of chlorophyll a molecules P700: PSI P680: PSII o Primary electron Acceptor: one of the molecules embedded in the membrane There are 2 stages in Photosynthesis: Light Dependent Reactions(requires sunlight) Light Independent Reactions(still occurs in light)

Light Dependent Reactions: Occurs in the inner membrane of thylakoids Converts light energy into potential energy in the chemical bonds of NADPH + ATP Thylakoid Membranes have 2 main photosystems: Photosystem II (PS680): PSIIs rxn centers chlorophyll a absorbs energy of wavelength 680 nm Photosystem I (PS700): absorbs energy of 700 nm 1.) Noncyclic Electron Flow (involves PSI & PSII) Steps: 1. Light w/wavelength of 680 nm(PSII) strikes a leaf 2. Antennae pigments absorb the photon of light & an electron in the pigment molecule becomes excited to a higher level; causes it to have more potential energy until e- drops down releases energy 3. Resonance energy: The potential energy of the excited electron in one antennae pigment is released and it excites electrons in an adjacent molecule. This continues to occur in several nearby pigment molecules. basically funnels light energy to the reaction center 4. The energy is finally transferred to PSIIs RXN centers chlorophyll a molecules. This transferred energy excites an electron in this pair of chlorophyll a molecules to a higher energy state. 5. This excited electron is physically transferred from the excited P680 to the primary acceptor molecule. 6. Since this electron leaves the P680 chlorophyll a molecules(Rxn center), it is replaced when an enzyme splits a H2O molecule into 2 electrons, 2 H+ ions, and an Oxygen atom. These electrons help replace the one lost in P680. The H+ ions are released into the thylakoid space, and the Oxygen is released into the air.

7. The electrons are passed from PSIIs primary electron acceptor to PSIs reaction center via an electron transport chain. As these electrons are being passed through, they release energy used for proton(H+) pumping into the thylakoid space. This contributes to the concentration gradient used in chemiosmosis. 8. Meanwhile, light energy activates antennae pigments in P700 system. This excites an electron of the P700 pair of chlorophyll a molecules. 9. The photo excited electron then goes to PSIs primary electron acceptor 10. The photo excited electrons are passed in a second electron transport chain except this chain does not create a proton gradient and thus does not produce ATP. 11. This flow of electrons continues until NADP+NADPH. NADP+ receives the electrons and is reduced to NADPH with the addition of an H+ proton from the stroma. CYCLIC ELECTRON FLOW(PSI) When too much NADPH is accumulated(not being used), the noncyclic pathway backs up, so the cyclic pathway runs independently in PSI ONLY: PSI passes the electrons down the electron transport chain, but instead of finally passing them to NADP+, they are passed (cycled) back to PSIs rxn center. o The passing of electrons down the electron transport chain provides the energy needed for transporting H+ into the thylakoid compartment/creating an H+ gradient for chemiosmosis o Cyclic pathway lets the thylakoid continue making ATP even though NADPH is not involved or formed.

H+ exit the thylakoid compartment through ATP synthase (H+s flow through ATP synthase provides energy for ADP + P ATP (occurs in the stroma)

Light Dependent RXNS IMAGE

2ND PART is Light INDEPENDENT RXNS: occurs in stroma powered by ATP & NADPH from light rxns CALVIN CYCLE: o CO2 from the air is converted into glucose
(5 carbon molecule)

RUBP Carboxylase (enzyme that adds CO2)

1. CO2 + RuBP (Ribulose Biphosphate) ------ 6 unstable Carbon molecules

2. The 6 unstable carbon molecules immediately split into 2 3-carbon PGA(phosphogylcerate) 3. The 2 3-Carbon PGA go through chemical steps that require the addition of energy from ATP & NADPH. PGAL(glyceraldehyde phosphates) 4. 2 of the 3-Carbon PGALs(Glyceraldehyde phosphates) combine to form 1 glucose (C6H12O6) 5. the remaining 3-Carbon PGAL(Glyceraldehyde phosphates) combine to regenerate the 6 5-Carbon RuBP

The Calvin Cycle reactions return ADP, inorganic phosphate, and NADP+ to the light reactions.

C3 Photosynthesis is the normal process described above. Another type is called CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) Photosynthesis Plants living in dry environments aka cacti Open stomata at night so they dont have to open it during the day

At night, they keep stomata open and let in CO2. The CO2 converts to malate, which helps maintain the concentration gradient. The malate is stored in a vacuole. During the daytime, the malate pumps out of the vacuole into the stroma. It converts back to CO2, which then goes through the Calvin cycle to produce sugar.

Light energyglucoseATP provides energy for work Glucose links photosynthesis to cellular respiration Cellular Respiration: Cellular respiration converts potential energy in glucose to potential energy in ATP, which is the ultimate source of energy used to do "biological work". Breaking down glucose to release potential energy: Begins w/process of glycolysis Followed by either o Fermentation (in anaerobic environments) Alcoholic Lactic acid o Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle) + electron transport (aerobic environment) Glycolysis: Glucose + 2ATP 2 Pyruvate + 4ATP + H+ Occurs in the cytosol Requires input of 2ATP molecules but process releases 4 ATP molecules. Net gain: 2ATP/glucose This reaction continues until it reaches an equilibrium. o Pyruvate and H+ have to be removed before it starts building up and that will cause glycolysis to slow down until it eventually stopsno more ATP released if glycolysis stops

The goal of fermentation is to remove pyruvate/H+ products so that glycolysis can continue. There is no net gain of ATP from fermentation.

Alcoholic Fermentation: Pyruvate + H+ acetylaldehyde (ethanol) + CO2 Ethanol becomes ultimate hydrogen acceptor End products of glycolysis removed Bad: alcohol is poisonous to cells; the Pyruvate is used to help remove H+ from the cell. o Lots of potential energy stored in pyruvate & organisms are unable to use that energy Lactic Acid Fermentation: Pyruvate + H+ lactate Lactate becomes ultimate Hydrogen acceptor Aerobic Environment: GlycolysisKrebs cycleelectron transport chain Water is the ultimate Hydrogen acceptor when oxygen is present. Water is non-toxic, and it allows pyruvate to be broken down to release more energy and produce more ATP. Glycolysis: in cytosol NADH + Pyruvate move to mitochondria Pyruvate is broken down in 2 steps inside mitochondria. Pyruvate contains 3 Carbon atoms and it links the Citric Acid Cycle to Glycolysis Pyruvate CO2(released to environment) + Acetyl CoA Acetyl CoA reacts with oxaloacetate to produce citrate. o 1 Acetyl CoA 1 ATP molecule produced o 1 Pyruvate 1 ATP o glucose 2 ATP each glucose is broken down to 2 pyruvates Krebs cycle aka citric acid cycle occurs in the matrix of the mitochondria Electron transport follows the citric acid cycle

Electron moves down electron transport chain from molecule to molecule. This releases energy that is used to actively transport H+ across the membrane. Active transport of the H+ creates a concentration gradient, which powers chemiosmosis produces 26-28 ATP

Anaerobic vs. Aerobic Any organism that can only do anaerobic respiration is forced to be single-celled/very simple. Multicellular organisms are capable of lactic acid fermentation; however, single-celled organisms can not do aerobic respiration. o Ex: work out too hardO2 used faster than body can supply to cells, This causes our body to become momentarily anaerobic. o Plants cant do lactic acid fermentation b/c they are never energy stressed! o Plants do PHOTOSYNTHESIS + AEROBIC RESPIRATION.