Scribd
Upload
70 views3 pages

Stages of Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis occurs in two stages: 1. The light-dependent reactions use chlorophyll to absorb light energy which is converted to ATP and NADPH through photosystems in the thylakoid membrane. 2. The light-independent Calvin cycle reactions fix carbon through a three step process: CO2 is fixed into a 3-carbon compound, converted to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, then ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate is regenerated to repeat the cycle and produce glucose.

Uploaded by

Alyssa Ann Yutiga
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
70 views3 pages

Stages of Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis occurs in two stages: 1. The light-dependent reactions use chlorophyll to absorb light energy which is converted to ATP and NADPH through photosystems in the thylakoid membrane. 2. The light-independent Calvin cycle reactions fix carbon through a three step process: CO2 is fixed into a 3-carbon compound, converted to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, then ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate is regenerated to repeat the cycle and produce glucose.

Uploaded by

Alyssa Ann Yutiga
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

STAGES OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

1. Light-dependent reactions

a. The light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis only take place when the plants/ bacteria are
illuminated.

b. In the light-dependent reactions, chlorophyll and other pigments of photosynthetic cells absorb
light energy and conserve it as ATP and NADPH while simultaneously, evolving O 2 gas.

c.In the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis, the chlorophyll absorbs high energy, short-
wavelength light, which excites the electrons present inside the thylakoid membrane.

d. The excitation of electrons now initiates the transformation of light energy into chemical energy.

e. The light reactions take in two photosystems that are present in the thylakoid of chloroplasts.
2. Light independent reactions (Calvin cycle)

Light independent reactions of photosynthesis are anabolic reactions that lead to the formation of a
sex-carbon compound, glucose in plants. The reactions in this stage are also termed dark reactions as
they are not directly dependent on the light energy but do require the products formed from the light
reactions.

This stage consists of 3 further steps that lead to carbon fixation/ assimilation.
Step 1: Fixation of CO2  into 3-phosphoglycerate
 In this step, one CO2 molecule is covalently attached to the five-carbon compound ribulose 1,5-
biphosphate catalyzed by the enzyme ribulose 1,5-biphosphate carboxylase, also called rubisco.
 The attachment results in the formation of an unstable six-carbon compound that is then cleaved to
form two molecules of 3-phosphoglycerate.

Step 2: Conversion of 3-phosphoglycerate to glyceraldehydes 3-phosphate


 The 3-phosphoglycerate formed in step 1 is converted to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate by two
separate reactions.
 At first, enzyme 3-phosphoglycerate kinase present in the stroma catalyzes the transfer of a
phosphoryl group from ATP to 3-phosphoglycerate, yielding 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate.
 Next, NADPH donates electrons in a reaction catalyzed by the chloroplast-specific isozyme of
glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, producing glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and
phosphate (Pi).
 Most of the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate thus produced is used to regenerate ribulose 1,5-
bisphosphate.
 The rest of the glyceraldehyde is either converted to starch in the chloroplast and stored for later
use or is exported to the cytosol and converted to sucrose for transport to growing regions of the
plant.

Step 3: Regeneration of ribulose 1,5-biphosphate from triose phosphates


 The three-carbon compounds formed in the previous steps are then converted into the five-carbon
compound, ribulose 1,5-biphosphate through a series of transformations with intermediates of
three-, four,-, five-, six-, and seven-carbon sugar.
 As the first molecules in the process, if regenerated, this stage of photosynthesis results in a cycle
(Calvin cycle).

You might also like