Photosynthesis Summary

GEN BIO 1
MCHS 2017-2018
 Chloroplast Structure

Thylakoid Membrane – Stroma

where pigments Outer Membrane Thylakoid
are embedded Granum
Inner Membrane
(Light Dependent
Reactions)

Stroma – fluid filled space

(Calvin Cycle/
Light Independent Reactions)
Photosynthesis General Equation

light

6 CO2 + 6 H2O  C6H12O6 + 6 O2

chlorophyll
Overview of Photosynthesis
• The light dependent reactions Light
convert solar energy to Chloroplast
chemical energy
- Produces ATP & NADPH as well as NADP
ADP
O2 gas +P
Calvin
• The Calvin cycle makes sugar Light Dependent
reactions
cycle

from carbon dioxide

– ATP generated by the light reactions
provides the energy for sugar synthesis
– The NADPH produced by the light
reactions provides the electrons for the
reduction of carbon dioxide to glucose
 Terminology

 Photoexcitation – happens to an electron when it is hit by a particle

of light (photon) and allows it to achieve a higher energy level giving
it the ability to move from one atom to another.
 Photolysis – splitting of water into hydrogen ions (H+), oxygen gas (O2)
and electrons (e-) via an enzyme found in PSII
 Photophosphorylation – production of ATP using the energy of light
and chemiosmosis.
 Chemiosmosis – movement of H+ ions through a membrane that
allows ATP to be formed by the enzyme ATP synthase.
 Summary of the Light Dependent Reactions
Primary
1. Photoexcitation in PSII electron
NADP
acceptor
leads to the movement Energy
to make
Primary 3
of electrons from PSII to electron
acceptor
2
the ETC. This will require
Light
photolysis of water to
replace the electrons. Light
Produces O2 from H2O.
Primary
2. Movement of electrons electron
acceptor
through the ETC and into
PSI produces ATP via 1
Reaction-
center NADPH-producing
chlorophyll photosystem
chemiosmosis in the
process called Water-splitting
photosystem
photophosphorylation. 2 H + 1/ 2
 Summary of the Light Dependent Reactions
Primary NADP
3. Photoexcitation in PSI electron
acceptor
leads to the movement of Primary
Energy
to make 3
electrons into the final electron
acceptor
2

electron acceptor which Light

will form NADPH.
Light

Primary
electron
acceptor

Reaction-
1 center NADPH-producing
chlorophyll photosystem

Water-splitting
2 H + 1/ photosystem
2
 Summary of the Calvin Cycle
1.) Carbon dioxide Fixation: CO2 is trapped into RuBP by the enzyme Rubisco
Rubisco (enzyme)

3 CO2 + 3 RuBP  6 3-PG

C1 C5 C3
2.) Reduction of 3-PG to G3P: ATP and NADPH reduce 3-PG to G3P in two steps

6 3-PG + 6 ATP  6 1,3-BPG + 6 NADPH  6 G3P

C3 C3 C3
3.) Regeneration of RuBP: RuBP is regenerated using G3P and ATP

5 G3P + 3 ATP  3 RuBP

C3 C5
What Happened to the other G3P?

 The other G3P (C3) will be Light

paired with another G3P Chloroplast

after another turn of the NADP

cycle to form glucose ADP
+P
(C6H12O6). Calvin
Light Dependent cycle
 This is done by sugar forming reactions

reactions that will make use

of G3P.
Sugar forming reaction
In plants G3P is used
to synthesize other
important organic
molecules as fructose,
sucrose and starch.
 Commonly Asked Questions about
Photosynthesis
 Where and when does this happen?
 Photolysis
 Photophosphorylation
 Photoexcitation
 Carbon Dioxide Fixation
 Reduction of 3-PG to G3P
 Regeneration of RuBP
 Commonly Asked Questions about
Photosynthesis
 Where and when does this happen? Remember!
 Photolysis: PSII (Thylakoid/LD Rxns)
Light Dependent
 Photophosphorylation: ETC (Thylakoid/LD Rxns) Reactions
 Photoexcitation: PSII and PSI (Thylakoid/LD Rxns) are the ones
which make use of
 Carbon Dioxide Fixation: Stroma/Calvin Cycle light, so all terms
 Reduction of 3-PG to G3P: Stroma/ Calvin Cycle with “photo”
occur in the
 Regeneration of RuBP: Stroma/Calvin Cycle thylakoid.
 Commonly Asked Questions about
Photosynthesis
 How many Carbons are there?
 Glucose
 3-PG
 1,3-BPG
 G3P
 RuBP
 CO2
 Commonly Asked Questions about
Photosynthesis
 How many Carbons are there? Remember!
 Glucose (C6H12O6): 6
All of these are found in
 3-PG: 3 the Calvin Cycle with
 1,3-BPG: 3 most of them having 3
 G3P: 3 carbons (the ones with a
P and G), with only one
 RuBP: 5
having 5 (RuBP), one
 CO2: 1 having one (CO2) and
one having 6 (glucose).
 Commonly Asked Questions About
Photosynthesis
 When are these produced or used?
 CO2 is used
 O2 is produced
 H2O is used
 Glucose is produced
 ATP is produced
 ATP is used
 NADPH is produced
 NADPH is used
 Commonly Asked Questions About
Photosynthesis
 When are these produced or used?
 CO2 is used: CO2 fixation (Calvin Cycle)
 O2 is produced: Photolysis in PSII (LD Rxns)
 H2O is used: Photolysis in PSII (LD Rxns)
 Glucose is produced: (Calvin Cycle)
 ATP is produced: Photophosphorylation (LD Rxns)
 ATP is used: Reduction of 3-PG to G3P
 NADPH is produced: Acceptance of final electron (LD Rxns)
 NADPH is used: Reduction of 3-PG to G3P
 Commonly Asked Questions About
Photosynthesis
 Can you give the correct sequence of events?
 Light Dependent Reactions (given 6 steps)
 Photophosphorylation in ETC produces ATP
 Photoexcitation in PSI
 Movement of electrons ultimately forms NADPH
 Photoexcitation in PSII
 Movement of electrons to ETC
 Photolysis replaces electrons in PSII and forms O2
 Commonly Asked Questions About
Photosynthesis
 Can you give the correct sequence of events?
 Light Dependent Reactions (given 6 steps)
 Photophosphorylation in ETC produces ATP (4)
 Photoexcitation in PSI (5)
 Movement of electrons ultimately forms NADPH (6)
 Photoexcitation in PSII (1)
 Movement of electrons to ETC (2)
 Photolysis replaces electrons in PSII and forms O2 (3)
 Commonly Asked Questions About
Photosynthesis
 Can you give the correct sequence of events?
 Calvin Cycle (given 5 steps)
 1,3-BPG is turned into G3P using NADPH
 CO2 is captured using Rubisco and RuBP
 3-PG is formed from CO2 and RuBP
 RuBP is regenerated using G3P and ATP
 3-PG is turned into 1,3-BPG using ATP
 Commonly Asked Questions About
Photosynthesis
 Can you give the correct sequence of events?
 Calvin Cycle (given 5 steps)
 1,3-BPG is turned into G3P using NADPH (4)
 CO2 is captured using Rubisco and RuBP (1)
 3-PG is formed from CO2 and RuBP (2)
 RuBP is regenerated using G3P and ATP (5)
 3-PG is turned into 1,3-BPG using ATP (3)
 Commonly Asked Questions About
Photosynthesis
 True or False
 The Calvin Cycle only occurs during night time.
 The oxygen produced in photosynthesis comes from carbon
dioxide.
 The Calvin Cycle needs to turn once to produce one glucose
molecule.
 The main photosynthetic pigment is chlorophyll.
 Commonly Asked Questions About
Photosynthesis
 True or False
 The Calvin Cycle only occurs during night time. (FALSE, it
happens at the same time as the LD rxn’s)
 The oxygen produced in photosynthesis comes from carbon
dioxide. (FALSE, from H2O)
 The Calvin Cycle needs to turn once to produce one glucose
molecule. (FALSE, it has to turn twice)
 The main photosynthetic pigment is chlorophyll. (TRUE, the
other pigments are accessory pigments)